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National Resource Defense Council Uses Data from WTCA’s Framing the American Dream in 1998
 
Since structural building components emerged in the early 1950s, this industry has been “green.” From cold-formed steel to softwood lumber to steel connector plates, the materials used to make the products supplied by structural building component manufacturers contribute to the concepts of green building and sustainable development. In essence, structural building components are green by their very nature.
This was epitomized by WTCA’s 1995 Framing the American Dream project, which was reviewed and referenced by the National Resource Defense Council (NRDC). In 1998, NRDC extensively incorporated facts from Framing the American Dream into a report titled Efficient Wood Use in Residential Construction: A Practical Guide to Saving Wood, Money, and Forests. The purpose of the report is to present the advantages of several wood-efficient approaches to design, material selection, and construction for residential applications for builders, architects, engineers, developers, lenders, and insurers.
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Based upon case studies and experiences of builders in the field, we present information on numerous proven "wood-efficient" approaches to design, material selection, and construction. In this handbook, we compare the costs of these approaches with the costs of traditional construction methods. The savings from efficiency measures are significant.
- Trusses and panels ("components") can save 250 hours on the job site and save more than $3,300 per house. They use 26 percent less wood than traditional framing techniques. They offer numerous other practical advantages, including longer floor and roof spans, lighter weight, consistent material quality, and vendor-supplied engineering……
- Optimum value engineering can reduce framing wood costs by $700 to $3,400 per house or as much as $1.20 per square foot. Builders who have used these practices have reduced the amount of wood used for framing by 11 to 19 percent.
- Reducing wood waste can save builders hundreds of dollars. Approximately one-sixth of the wood delivered to a construction site ends up in the landfill. Builders who have adopted construction site waste reduction programs have saved $300 to $800 on a single job.
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Their comparison of stick-framed homes to component-framed homes revealed a significant savings:
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Component systems include building panels and trusses. Using components
instead of solid lumber for wall, roof, and/or floor framing saves time
and materials. Faster job completion means lower carrying costs and the
potential to build more units per year.
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| STICK FRAMING |
$21,373 |
| COMPONENTS |
$18,017 |
| SAVINGS |
$3,356 |
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Using components instead of stick framing can save $3,356 per house
in materials and labor. |
Green Building Home •
SBCs – Green Since 1952 •
Framing the American Dream
Green Building Programs •
FAQ •
Resources
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