Nick introduces this month's issue theme on metal framing.
Metal framing’s light weight, dimensional stability, and resistance to fire and decay are all advantages over wood. For illustrations of these benefits of metal framing, look no further than the contents of this issue of Walls & Ceilings. Aside from the aforementioned benefits of steel over wood, there remains another issue with metal framing that is currently being addressed and corrected: metal’s thermal performance.
According to the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, heat loss from a wall is affected by framing as well as insulation. ASHRAE reports that steel conducts heat more than 300 times faster than wood and, although much more information is needed, current data reveals that steel framing does have a negative impact on the energy performance of residential buildings.