For this reason, the Southern African Light Steel Frame Building Association (SASFA) offers a tailored five-day training course for builders, architects, engineers and quantity surveyors. The course covers the basic components of the light steel frame building process, including the rationale for LSFB building requirements. Students graduate with a thorough understanding thereof, as well as the ability to erect a simple steel structure, and know enough to be able to plan and supervise the cladding and lining aspects. They will also complete the course with an understanding of the building code (SANS 517).

According to John Barnard, Director of SASFA, role players must be formally trained and construction undertaken by competent light steel frame builders, in order to ensure consistently high standards and good quality work. Light steel frame building is growing in popularity in South Africa, notwithstanding the fact that it is still a relatively new building technique locally.

“To this point, SASFA has come across inadequate quality and standards on some light steel frame projects, which could be attributed to a poor understanding of the principles of this type of alternative building method – or a lack of training – or both,” Barnard advises.

“Builders sometimes strive to do better than the norm and make mistakes in the process. Others believe that light steel frame building is simple and that they can apply the method without any training.

In fact, it is only through formal training and working with competent LSF builders that consistently good quality and high standards can be achieved,” he points out.

He adds that the design consultants (architects, engineers and quantity surveyors) also need to know and understand the materials used – and the LSF building process – to be able to design, plan and supervise an LSF building project.

The SASFA training course comprises of two sections covering

• steel frame materials, components and building; and
• internal lining, external cladding and insulation. The frame section is presented by engineers; and Marley Building Systems provides the instruction in the cladding and lining section.

The training course is unique, as similar courses are not readily available overseas or locally.

“We have had a number of attendees from overseas (Brazil, United Kingdom, Australia and sub-Saharan Africa) attend our course,” Barnard comments.

“During the first phase of training, participants are introduced to light steel frame building, the steel-making process and the properties of coated steel sheets,” he explains.

“They are also made aware of the requirements for throwing foundations, manufacturing of light steel frames and trusses, construction tools, wall frame set-out, handling of materials, loads on buildings, floor framing, wall framing, roof structures; as well as the planning and the installation of services.”

The second stage of training covers glass wool insulation: from properties, manufacturing and benefits to energy efficiency, environmental issues, storage and handling and installation methodology. It also includes a component on gypsum plasterboard, which covers properties, storage and handling, cutting, tools and application for walls, ceilings and finishing.

There is also a module on fibre cement board for external cladding.

“This section covers the installation of the vapour permeable membrane, the sizes and availability of fibre cement boards and planks, fixing accessories, installation guidelines; and door and window frame installation,” elaborates Barnard.

Furthermore, the course includes a practical component to ensure that participants have a thorough understanding of theoretical concepts. “Participants have the opportunity to set out wall frames, square, level and build wall panels, erect roof trusses, install external cladding, complete insulation and internal lining with gypsum boards, and do internal joint finishing,” he explains.

“Past attendees have found the course to be very valuable. It ultimately prepares contractors to build steel structures; as well as to plan and supervise the cladding and lining of these structures. In addition, the contractors and design consultants also gain an understanding of the SANS 517 building code.”

Certification

Attendees receive a certificate of successful completion if they are successful in an open book test given at the end of the course. The certificate confirms their mastery of the course content, and their understanding of light steel frame building techniques.

Barnard adds that SASFA requires applicants for builder membership of the association to have completed the LSFB training course for building contractors.

He explains: “Those who specify light steel frame building must understand that it is important that their building contractor has been formally trained, and has practical experience in this field.

We have had some incidences where we had to ask SASFA members to rectify and complete light steel frame projects which were poorly executed by untrained contractors,” says Barnard.

SASFA has also developed a 1-day course on the SANS 517 building code, and compiled a 1-day course on thin gauge cold-formed steel design in association with the University of Stellenbosch.

Speaking specifically to the LSFB training offered, he concludes: “Our training course ensures that design consultants and builders have the right knowledge of the requisite materials and of the light steel frame building process. This enables them to plan, design, supervise and build LSF projects of excellent quality. In this way, we are ensuring the growth of this exciting and innovative industry sector. We are furthermore planning to present this course online to bypass the restrictions necessitated by Covid-19,” he concludes.”

About the South African Institute of Steel Construction

Founded in 1956, the South African Institute of Steel Construction (SAISC) represents all facets of the steel construction industry and those with an interest in the use of steel in all facets of business and society as a whole. The mission of the SAISC is also to promote the holistic vigour and prosperity of the people and companies in South Africa that provide steel-related products or services to the construction and related industries.

The SAISC has a number of member divisions, namely the Southern African Light Steel Frame Building Association (SASFA), the Powerline Association of South Africa (POLASA), The Steel Tube Export Association of South Africa (STEASA) the Association of Steel Tube and Pipe Manufacturers (ASTPM), and the Southern African Metal Cladding and Roofing Association (SAMCRA).

SAISC members include the steel mills, merchants and service centres, steelwork contractors, companies that provide services, such as fabrication, galvanising or painting; or products such as fasteners, paint and a variety of other products, client bodies, consulting engineers, project managers, quantity surveyors, engineering procurement and contract management contractors and assorted others.

All members have signed the Institute’s code of ethics, which constrains them to ethical business practices.

The SAISC also runs the annual Steel Awards for excellence in the use of steel, and also publishes the Steel Construction Journal and the Steelspeak newsletter; as well as being very active on all social media platforms and running various industry training and other events throughout the year which are of relevance and interest to its members.

Editorial Contact

Kendal Hunt
Managing Director
Kendal Hunt Communications PR and Media Liaison Agency
+27 – 11 462 6188
+27 – 82 823 6533
[email protected]

The range of building types entered was compendious and the quality and of the innovation brought to bear in many of these entries was remarkable. The Steel Awards demonstrated South Africa’s ability to manufacture and construct steel structures fit for multiple purposes which in excellence match and, in certain instances exceed, anything else found in the world.

The glittering success of the steel awards stands as a stark contrast to what is happening in South Africa’s steel construction industry today. The past four years the industry has shrunk, and thousands of jobs have been lost. Many of South Africa’s long-standing and most successful construction companies have either closed or gone into business rescue. This we all know.

“Unless a country is successfully industrialised, it will sink back into being an economic backwater, and as a globally uncompetitive unit, will be a taker of prices,” explains SAISC CEO Paolo Trinchero.

“However, our most recent Steel Awards stands as a proud example of what can be achieved in South Africa. We need to transfer some of these learnings into other areas both of industry and government unless we want to experience the peace, and poverty, of stagnancy. These learnings need to be applied not only in the steel industry but also in other South African industry sectors.

One has to look at the companies who participated in the 2019 steel awards and use what they have done as a template for running both industry and the country as a whole.

The first attribute that the successful companies possess is courage. Innovation takes courage. It takes courage to step outside what are normally accepted bounds and to produce something exceptional. “As South Africans, we have shown many times that we are capable of great courage when it’s needed,” Trinchero continues.

“Periodically, we need the ability to reimagine ourselves, to step back and dispassionately and critically look at our organisations and where they’re going. As an Institute, we are currently embarking on just such an exercise and would encourage industry and government to do the same to avoid South Africa’s relegation to the D division,” he adds.

The companies that won awards at the 2019 SAISC event, share the characteristic of being nimble, of being agile and responsive to prevailing circumstances. Apart from the normal issues of running a business such as correct gearing ratios, effective credit control and managing cash flow, successful businesses are highly reliant on the more intangible aspect of relationships. “In business, it is about networking and connecting,” explains Trinchero. “Those companies that have good relationships with their suppliers, the people who give them work, the staff and their competitors are definitely in a better position for success,” he adds.

Regarding a solution to the current steel industry crisis, Trinchero explains that there is no silver bullet solution. The answer lies in doing the right thing, promptly and at the right time and doing this every day repeatedly.

“At the Institute, this is something we try to do constantly and as part of the reason why this year’s Steel Awards had been the resounding success it has been. The role of the Institute has been since 1956 promoting the use of steel in construction and contributing to their health and wealth of the industry for the good of all players. The Institute is respected for its reservoir of authoritative technical knowledge and its role as the collective voice of the steel construction industry. “However, the Institute is not a political lobbyist, and, as such, is not responsible for driving direct sales for any of its members,” he elaborates. As the collective voice of the steel industry, the SAISC has been intensively communicating with the Department of Trade and Industry, among other government organisations, to find a constructive solution to the current situation.

A concern of the Institute is the inordinate amount of time taken to effect government initiatives. “Many businesses in the steel industry do not have the luxury of six months to wait while in new ‘steel industry blueprint’ is drawn up by a government department. At this stage, the need for positive change is more than urgent,” he asserts. “Our President Cyril Ramaphosa summed the South African challenge when he said: ‘In South Africa we are very good at talking, but terrible at doing.’”

In terms of doing, the SAISC is in the process of reimagining its future. “We reach out our hands to both government and to business to undertake a similar re-imagination or reinvention,” says Trinchero. “We have seen the possibility for success in our celebration of steel excellence in our Steel Awards Event and now we need to find some way of extending that throughout industry,” he adds.

“The SAISC sincerely wishes to partner with private and public sector organisations in whatever way possible to reach a better, more sustainable future, both of the steel industry and our nation as a whole,” he concludes.

About the South African Institute of Steel Construction (SAISC)

Founded in 1956, the South African Institute of Steel Construction (SAISC) represents all facets of the steel construction industry as well as those with an interest in the use of steel in all sectors of business and society as a whole. The mission of the SAISC is also to promote the holistic vigour and prosperity of the people and companies in South Africa that provide steel-related products or services to the construction and related industries.

The SAISC has a number of member associations: namely, the Southern African Light Steel Frame Building Association (SASFA), the Powerline Association of South Africa (POLASA), The Steel Tube Export Association of South Africa (STEASA) the Association of Steel Tube and Pipe Manufacturers (ASTPM), and the Southern African Metal Cladding and Roofing Association (SAMCRA).

SAISC members include the steel mills, merchants and value-added processors and service centres, steelwork contractors, companies that provide services (such as fabrication, galvanising or painting); or products such as fasteners, paint and a variety of other products, client bodies, architects, specifiers, consulting engineers, project managers, quantity surveyors, engineering procurement and contract management contractors and assorted others.

Editorial Contact

Kendal Hunt
Managing Director
Kendal Hunt Communications PR and Media Liaison Agency
+27 – 11 462 6188
+27 – 82 823 6533
[email protected]

“The first thing we are looking for is the innovative use of steel in construction – and this year’s entries were characterised by particularly high levels of innovation,” says SAISC Technical Director Amanuel Gebremeskel.

Innovation was a particular hallmark of this year’s overall winning entry and winner of the steel innovation category, the Durban Christian Centre (DCC). The new building was commissioned to replace an earlier domed building on the site which had been destroyed by fire. The client wanted to retain the dome superstructure and appearance over the auditorium, which in itself was a challenge. Three visually striking steel arches are used to support the roof below, circumventing the need for supports inside the auditorium, and resulting in a clear and uncluttered under-roof space.

“With the new DCC, the strength and flexibility of steel allowed the architects far greater creativity in realising the brief,” comments Gebremeskel.

Innovation was also linked to the environmental aspect of one of the winners of the architectural category, the Peech Hotel in Johannesburg. The architects Meshworks were tasked with extending the hotel onto a newly acquired neighbouring property. Steel mesh cladding was ingeniously used on the exterior to separate various guest spaces, and to serve as a framework on which indigenous vegetation could be cultivated.

“The steel mesh of the wraparound balconies was an important element in the components used to create the articulate façades of an urban village, while also serving to integrate the building with its green surroundings,” he comments.

Again, innovation came into play in terms of the various building techniques employed in the Steel Awards project entries. A good example thereof was the winner of the light steel frame building category, Protea Glen Secondary School.

The SAISC was largely responsible for pioneering the introduction of light steel frame building in South Africa. With the Protea Glen School, the Gauteng Department of Education wanted to see what advantages this type of building technique would offer.

Employing the key features of light steel frame building, namely: speed, thermal efficiency, acoustics and flexibility of design, the building was a great success, presenting a harmonious structure, which was also conducive to learning,” Gebremeskel points out.

Efficient, cost-effective construction was the hallmark of the winner in the industrial category. By using steel to construct the Omnia Nitro Phosphate Plant, constructor SE Steel Fabrication was able to meet the key criteria of efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

“By using steel, it was possible to pre-assemble portions of the plant at a lay-down area approximately a kilometre away from the actual building site. The pre-construction of the steel segments was done to a very high level of accuracy, so that no rework was required,” he explains, remarking that cost-effectiveness was also a key factor in the construction of the winner of the metal cladding category.

The building, named the 1054, needed to make an impact on the public and customers with its striking design, but at the same time, be very economical, as budget constraints were very tight. By stripping back the building to its essential elements, time was also saved which was highly advantageous for the developer.

Once again, efficiency and cost-effective construction were a key factor in the KTM Raceworx building, winner of the commercial category. This structure made use of a steel frame system with non-composite cellular beams to support the floors. As steel was a common feature throughout the structure, this contributed to fast erection times and consequent cost reduction.

“This year’s entries for the Steel Awards truly highlighted the innate strength and flexibility of steel as a construction medium. By using steel, architects and engineers can also give full rein to their innovative creativity. At the same time, steel in construction is immensely versatile and as such, allows for more efficient and cost-effective construction,” Gebremeskel concludes.

Note to Editors

About the South African Institute of Steel Construction (SAISC)

Founded in 1956, the South African Institute of Steel Construction (SAISC) represents all facets of the steel construction industry as well as those with an interest in the use of steel in all sectors of business and society as a whole. The mission of the SAISC is also to promote the holistic vigour and prosperity of the people and companies in South Africa that provide steel-related products or services to the construction and related industries.

The SAISC has a number of member associations: namely, the Southern African Light Steel Frame Building Association (SASFA), the Powerline Association of South Africa (POLASA), The Steel Tube Export Association of South Africa (STEASA) the Association of Steel Tube and Pipe Manufacturers (ASTPM), and the Southern African Metal Cladding and Roofing Association (SAMCRA).

SAISC members include the steel mills, merchants and value-added processors and service centres, steelwork contractors, companies that provide services (such as fabrication, galvanising or painting); or products such as fasteners, paint and a variety of other products, client bodies, architects, specifiers, consulting engineers, project managers, quantity surveyors, engineering procurement and contract management contractors and assorted others.

Editorial Contact

Kendal Hunt
Managing Director
Kendal Hunt Communications PR and Media Liaison Agency
+27 – 11 462 6188
+27 – 82 823 6533
[email protected]