TAILORED FOR YOU, FOR YOUR SPACES, FOR YOUR NEEDS WITH THE INNOVATIVE STEELHOME SYSTEM
A NEW WAY TO DESIGN, BUILD OR RENOVATE YOUR HOME
the advantages with steelhome
BETTER SAFETY
SEISMIC AND STRUCTURAL
Due to its characteristic, steel in construction is the best material in the world that is suitable for modeling with high seismic performance.
ECO-SUSTAINABLE AND
LASTING OVER TIME
Thanks to the proposed wall system and roofing system, the transmittance coefficient and the phase shift factor resulting are the right home base for homes and achievements in MINIMUM ENERGY CLASS A2
HIGH LIVING COMFORT IN CLASS A
Steelhome guarantees a living comfort of exceptional quality thanks to the maximum technologies present in the thermotechnical and electrical field, always having an eye on energy saving and low consumption.
SYSTEM OF TECHNOLOGY
CERTIFIED
The Steelhome system has reached an important milestone with the completion of the experimental test campaign with the engineering faculty of Padua led by Prof. Roberto Scotta, obtaining optimal results
PATENTED PRODUCT
DEVELOPED BY STEELHOME
The system was born from the experience of the Steelhome staff and it is not a system acquired by other realities. You will have a single point of contact from the acquisition of the order, to the definition of the project and implementation up to assistance after delivery.
BETTER INSULATION
THERMAL AND ACOUSTIC
Another important aspect to add to the previous ones is the best performance in terms of acoustic and thermal insulation, always guaranteed thanks to the innovative structure of the Steelconcrete system.
Do you want to know more about the advantages of the SteelHome structure ?
A NEW WAY TO DESIGN, BUILD OR RENOVATE YOUR HOME
Advantages of the system
Steelhome prefabricated houses are a viable and affordable alternative to traditional houses. In recent years, even in Italy the general public is approaching this type of construction. The features that arouse the greatest interest are certainly the reduced construction times, excellent energy performance, anti-seismic qualities and a competitive price compared to traditional houses. The type of dry-stone houses on the market is very varied, the offer concerns prefabricated houses in steel, wood, concrete, each with its own characteristics and peculiarities.
In our country, generally, when we talk about prefabricated houses we think of wooden houses, both because they have been present on the national market for some time, and because of the widespread belief that they better meet the performance in terms of energy efficiency and environmental sustainability.
However, today, prefabricated steel houses, still little known and widespread, are establishing themselves on the market as a new trend in modern construction, which represent an excellent alternative to dry wood solutions and traditional ones.
What are the characteristics of prefabricated steel houses and what are the advantages that a choice of this type can bring to those who are deciding to build a home?
The main characteristics, compared to a traditional construction, can be summarized in these points:
compliance with the requirements of anti-seismicity
environmental sustainability
durability and durability
speed, quality and simplicity constructive
architectural potential
energy saving
insulation system and thermal bridges
adaptability
general contractor
price guarantee
competitive price
1. Compliance with anti-seismic requirements
The recent earthquakes that have hit our territory hard have once again brought to the fore the problem of reducing the seismic risk in our country. In this challenge, steel structures can play a role of primary importance.
With reference to the Abruzzo earthquake of April 6, 2009 and that of May 2012 in Emilia, we can clearly understand that in the masonry buildings, the buildings that suffered the most damage were the oldest ones built with poor materials and poor construction techniques, such as for example buildings made with dry stone walls of irregular stone. In the case of reinforced concrete constructions, the damage found is mainly attributable to the poor quality of the cementitious conglomerates, the inadequate design construction details, and the presence of strong construction irregularities in plan and elevation.
Although in a rather limited number, the prefabricated steel houses present in the area, mainly intended for buildings with productive and commercial functions, have instead suffered very little damage, proving to offer far superior performance compared to other construction types. The good behavior of steel structures in the event of seismic events is now proven by the experience and diffusion that such constructions have had especially in those countries, such as Japan and California, where the seismic risk is extremely high.
Steel responds perfectly to the most stringent construction requirements for construction in seismic areas.
The steel structures guarantee the possibility of absorbing seismic energy, using the high plastic reserves typical of the material, through the use of decidedly less expensive construction details than those that would be required in a reinforced concrete structure.
Furthermore, prefabricated steel houses are characterized by significantly lower structural weights compared to construction solutions with more traditional materials, thus reducing the amount of inertial forces generated by the earthquake on the structure and at the same time ensuring a more effective ability to dissipate the seismic action.
STEEL: NOT ONLY FOR NEW CONSTRUCTIONS
Not just new buildings. Steel is also the suitable material for the renovation and seismic adaptation of damaged masonry or reinforced concrete buildings. The use of steel elements can also be produced in full respect of the cultural richness of the building heritage of historic centers such as L'Aquila and the other localities affected today. The ability to revive existing buildings over time, relocating them responsibly in the urban and landscape context, is a contribution that, in general, steel always knows how to give to the environment.
2. Environmental sustainability
In this particular historical moment in which the company is moving towards the sustainability, the construction sector plays a role in this context particular importance, not only for its contribution from the point of view economic and social, but above all because of his impact on quality of our life, on our comfort and ours safety.
Steel - the most material recycled al world.
Steel is 100% and endlessly recyclable, without any loss of quality. Once recovered, it is still 100% recyclable. The recycling rate is the percentage of materials that are discarded, recovered and reused.
This rate is very high for steel but varies from product to product. In construction, for example, it reaches particularly high levels: 98% for beams, 65-70% for reinforcing bars. For every ton of steel produced, the steel industry produces an advantage for future generations who will not have to produce any. Recycled steel represents 40% of the world's ferrous resource. It is also an "inert" material to the environment: when it comes into contact with air or water, it does not emit or release substances that are harmful to the environment or to humans. The techniques of construction with steel also allow to reduce the environmental impact and inconvenience to the neighborhood. The use of water, the production of waste, the emission of dust, traffic and noise are in fact considerably lower than those of a traditional construction site. The management of the construction site thus becomes easier.
3. durability and durability
What most distinguishes steel houses from its competitors in wood and concrete are the characteristics of the material used. In fact, compared to wood or concrete, steel is a more durable material, not subject to corrosion and with great versatility, characteristics that are inevitably transmitted also on the final products.
The use of steel allows a high degree of precision and correspondence to the calculation model of the structure, thanks to its isotropic characteristics (it always absorbs stress in the same way regardless of the direction point of application of the force) and homogeneity.
The steel structures have chemical-physical qualities identical in all their parts and react uniformly to stresses.
The houses made of dry steel, have a higher passive resistance in case of fire, compared to the prefabricated wooden houses. Compared to other types of prefabricated solutions, steel houses are more durable and healthier. Thanks to the anti-corrosive characteristics of the steel and the treatments to which it is subjected, it is not subject to corrosion phenomena that can jeopardize its structural stability. Furthermore, since steel is not a conductor of humidity, the buildings are not affected, as often happens in concrete and wooden houses, by the “sponge” effect, allowing for healthy and mold-free environments.
4. Speed, quality and simplicity of construction
A first advantage in choosing a prefabricated steel house concerns the reduced construction times. The profile shaping processes are totally automated, the steel elements are shaped by numerical control machines that take project data directly into digital input, in this way the error variables typical of human labor are almost eliminated. All structural elements, profiles and panels are made and pre-assembled in the company, ready for installation, drastically reducing all site operations, avoiding downtime, which affects the increase in final costs.
In addition to an advantage in terms of construction times, this also entails a more accurate and precise control in the assembly phase of the structural elements, reducing the error component present in a traditional construction site, while the labor has a lower incidence compared to traditional constructions. Being a dry construction, long drying times are also eliminated, allowing for a short time. Thanks to a detailed design of the building, attached to the supply kit, assembly is simple and intuitive; also suitable for unskilled workers.
5. Architectural potential
Thanks to its high structural capabilities, steel allows, compared to other solutions, the construction of buildings with greater heights and subjected to significant loads. Its versatility offers greater possibilities for customization, by the client and the designer, in defining the characteristics of the building. The modularity of the construction system allows you to easily move partitions and walls, in order to reconfigure the space with simplicity and speed.
Contrary to what one might think, therefore, even if the construction of dry prefabricated houses is defined by automated and standardized processes, a high degree of customization is possible from a functional and design point of view, also allowing an excellent adaptation to the site. of construction chosen. Naturally, the price of the house is determined by the type, size and degree of customization, the latter aspect which can determine a significant increase in the final cost.
6. Energy saving
In general, it is possible to distinguish different energy performance classes of buildings, the indicators of which are given by the energy performance certificate. Document that certifies the energy consumption of a building, reporting the amount of energy, as well as detailed information on the building envelope and on the systems installed. Introduced with the 2007 budget, the energy certification is drawn up by specialized technicians thanks to which it is possible to classify buildings, a bit like the energy labeling of household appliances. This certificate affects the value of the property which, in fact, specifies the consumption referring to the heated living area. But beyond mere numerical values it is also possible to make a qualitative classification of buildings according to the following scheme:
Conventional buildings that do not comply with energy saving regulations. This term refers to all the initiatives undertaken to reduce energy consumption, both in terms of primary energy and in terms of electricity, by adopting lifestyles and consumption models based on a more responsible use of resources.
Conventional buildings that fall within the standard values.
Buildings with reduced energy consumption, with high energy performance, thanks to construction, typological and plant characteristics aimed at energy saving.
Passive buildings, because the sum of the passive heat contributions of the solar radiation transmitted by the windows and the heat generated inside the building by household appliances and by the occupants themselves are almost sufficient to compensate for the losses of the envelope during the cold season.
Zero-consumption buildings, self-sufficient buildings.
And from this classification it is evident that the energy performances are all the more efficient the closer we get to the last item on the list. It can be quickly established that only buildings of type 3, 4 or 5 can be built with the SteelConcrete® system.
It is therefore interesting to analyze what the discriminating factors between these categories may be.
Certainly, as already specified, one of the main objectives is to reduce transmittance (SteelConcrete® 0.15kwh / m2 system) which therefore means increasing the quality of the insulation, also called insulation, of the envelope. This is one of the other most important parameters, but not the only one.
THE VENTILATION
Along with insulation, another parameter that holds the greatest importance is ventilation, which therefore affects the movement of air inside the building. Typically buildings do not have a forced ventilation system, but the exchange of air takes place only through the openings of the envelope or the opening of the windows and doors. For a long time the value of this air exchange has been estimated at 0.5 volumes / hour which means that every two hours the entire air present in the environment is changed. In reality, this value was reliable until a few years ago, when there were no stringent regulations on energy saving. To date, with the improvement of the insulation, this value is a bit high to such an extent that many designers use 0.3 volumes / hour as a reference value, which means that the environment requires three hours to have a complete change of air. . This improvement in the energy performance of the envelope has therefore caused a deterioration in the quality of the air in the environment, remaining the latter for a longer time inside the environment itself. And so the so-called forced ventilation was born. The term forced, as opposed to the natural term used for traditional ventilation, indicates that there is a special system that "forces" the air to enter and exit the environment according to specific design rules. This system enormously raises the energy quality of the building as it is possible to recover the heat of the hot but exhausted air present in the environment, pre-heating the renewal air by means of special exchangers.
WINDOWS AND THERMAL BRIDGES
Two other very interesting parameters that influence the performance of the building for 15% are the window components and the bridges thermal.
First of all, confirming what has already been said above, as far as the transmittance of the windows is much higher than that of the walls. The overall influence of the insulation of opaque structures is however greater than that of transparent structures due to the clear difference in surface between the two. However, reducing the transmittance of the windowed components remains very important and this reduction can be achieved through the use of energy-efficient glass, typically double or triple selective glazing with low emissivity.
Thermal bridges, on the other hand, are interruptions in the insulation, for example at edges, corners, balconies, beams, etc. The interruption of the insulation is detrimental to the energy efficiency of the building as it partially nullifies the work carried out by the insulation itself, allowing heat to pass to the outside. And the importance of this parameter is of great attention to insulation designers who are increasingly trying to reduce thermal bridges by more refined insulation installations and possibly by reducing the number of interruption points. No less important are the thermal bridges in the external coat deriving from the drilling of the eps for its mechanical fixing.
COMPACTNESS OF THE BUILDING
The compactness of a building is a parameter that affects its energy performance.
Its surface is smaller, with the same volume exposed to the outside, the more compact a building is.
So the more compact a building is improve we can consider it from an energetic point of view. But let's try to understand this concept better.
Let's consider two buildings of equal volume. One of shape A (in figure) and another of cubic (figure B). It is easy to understand how in the first case, the internal heat finds many more dispersing surfaces from which to escape compared to the second which, being more compact, has a smaller dispersing surface for the same volume.
GEOMETRIC FORMS OF BUILDINGS
The solid figure for which the compactness parameter is the maximum possible is the sphere, but it is evident that such a figure cannot be used in construction. We then opt for the cube: the geometric shape that comes closest to the sphere in terms of compactness. However, sides of the cube that are 12-13 meters long can cause problems with lighting and ventilation. Furthermore, the cubic shape is the ideal one in the case of walls with the same thermal transmittance. Vice versa, in reality, the roof for example, is characterized by a different transmittance from that of the other walls, therefore, in order to obtain an overall thermal equilibrium, we opt for a parallelepiped shape with walls differently characterized according to the exposures. SteelConcrete® in this regard pays particular attention to all the aforementioned construction details in order to make its realizations high-performance.
7. Coats and thermal bridges
Thermal bridge is a term that is heard more and more often and it is really worth spending a few words to deepen one of the strengths of prefabricated houses compared to building based on reinforced concrete structures.
Quite simply, a thermal bridge is a part of the structure of a building that has different thermal properties from those adjacent to it and is one of the main causes of heat loss in a building and the formation of condensation and mold.
Thermal bridges are usually points of the building envelope that have faster heat flows than the surrounding parts. The main effect of thermal bridges is the exchange of temperature with the outside. Obviously, during the winter it conducts heat from the inside of a house to the outside, in the summer it carries it from the outside to the inside. By causing a privileged way to dissipate heat, they heavily reflect on the costs for heating and air conditioning, reducing the overall comfort of the home.
It must be clearly stated that thermal bridges are not a fatality but are always construction and design errors, therefore they could be avoided a priori with a minimum of care by designers and companies. The classic external insulation systems that are increasingly applied to the exterior of traditional homes aim to limit their effect, especially for those parts of the building most involved in dispersions. It is no coincidence that typical examples of thermal bridges are balconies, pillars and all protruding construction parts that are hardly or not insulated at all.
Basically they exist two categories of thermal bridges, the geometric ones and the constructive ones (sometimes a combination of both factors).
The geometric thermal bridges are discontinuities present in correspondence with changes in the direction of the parts constructive, such as corners, or projecting elements.
Thermal bridges constructive are discontinuities that manifest themselves in the points in which materials ad high thermal conductivity (reinforced concrete, metal parts) penetrate a external structural element that presents greater insulation. This is the case of protruding concrete balconies without insulation, of little or no insulated lintels, of reinforced concrete pillars that cross the perimeter masonry, with marble frames around the window holes.
Even discontinuities in insulation can in turn generate important thermal bridges. You may have seen some infrared thermographic images in which the thermal bridges are usually visible from the inside as cold parts (blue) and hot parts on the outside (red). Thermal bridges can be safely avoided by adequately insulating the projecting parts of a building such as concrete balconies, lintels, reinforced concrete pillars and the like. In a SteelConcrete® house, the external wall is an element that does not present elements of possible thermal perturbation thanks also to the absence of mechanical cladding fixings. The pipes and flues are insulated and moved outside the house, outside the wall. The same can be said for the plumbing systems of the bathrooms which are usually carried out in an inspectable counterwall.
The roller shutter box (clearly one of the major critical points) is insulated. All the insulations, from the external coat to the insulation of the roof, are performed without joints or interruptions. The main problem of traditional construction is the execution on site by the workers, especially if not very skilled.
In a SteelConcrete® house, the casing is made with careful control, especially as regards the joint wall-window.
Even small inaccuracies can give rise to notable ones thermal bridges that can greatly lower the overall energy performance of the building. The classic balcony with reinforced concrete slab, one of the worst tragedies from a thermal point of view, in the SteelConcrete® house is often made with a structure that is independent from the home ceiling or connected to it with insulated joints. In conclusion, the problem of thermal bridges has been little or no dealt with in the past, both by companies and by designers, and only in the last few years, thanks to incentives for the energy requalification of buildings, has there been a progressive specialization of companies and qualified technicians in terms of building efficiency. On the contrary, the sector of prefabricated houses has always had as its main objective the elimination of thermal discontinuities, boasting a very long and proven experience in the construction of buildings with high thermal efficiency and low energy consumption.
THE EPS COAT
The "external coat", more precisely called "external thermal insulation, with thin plaster on insulation" is the system most used today for the insulation of civil and industrial buildings. The "external insulation" system allows you to insulate walls made up of different materials in a safe and continuous way. The diversity can concern the behavior to thermal stresses, the mechanical characteristics, the surface conformation. These differences are very frequent in building constructions (typical example: reinforced concrete and brick) and are the cause of different deformations due to thermal stresses, with the possible creation of cracks, detachments, infiltrations and with the consequent formation of thermal bridges through which part of the heat is dispersed, causing disfigurement and disintegration of the materials. With the installation of the "external insulation" system these phenomena are canceled: all the wall equipment is placed in stationary thermal and hygrometric conditions, despite large differences in temperature and / or humidity between the outside and the inside of the house. In the SteelConcrete® external insulation system, the thermal bridges deriving from the mechanical fixing to dowels present in the traditional external insulation system are completely eliminated, making the system 100% performing without loss of yield. The finish of the coat is entrusted to the reinforced cycle and more precisely to a series of combined processes designed to ensure high mechanical resistance to the EPS surface, thanks to the use of a plasticized mesh inserted inside the smoothing. The finished surface will be visually the same as a plastered surface.
8. Adaptability
The unloading of the pallets containing the wall system can also be performed using a medium-sized rotating telescopic handler instead of a construction crane.
The material can be unloaded inside the shape of the building to be built, avoiding the use of large storage areas, making the system particularly suitable for construction sites with limited spaces.
9. General contractor
Making a building is a complex business. Suppliers, workers, professionals, public administrations: there are many subjects you need to deal with. It's not easy to keep everything under control. For this reason, in SteelConcrete® we entrust each project to a single person, the project manager. In this way our customers have a point of reference who takes care of every task while the company guarantees for problems.
Furthermore, our project manager organizes the project realization times and periodically communicates them to the designer and the customer, organizes the meetings for the choice of finishing materials to ensure continuity in the supply of finishing materials to ensure regularity in construction times.
10. Price Guarantee
I prezzi sono chiari e noti, ben visibili nell'offerta e non subiscono variazioni in corso d'opera. Dal momento della firma del contratto alla consegna dell'immobile garantiamo la certezza del prezzo e delle voci di capitolato, e offriamo supporto per gli adempimenti amministrativi. Ai nostri clienti proponiamo dei contratti a prezzo fisso garantito, contrariamente a quanto accade di solito nell'edilizia dove il prezzo è calcolato al metro quadrato.
Ma questo sistema è molto approssimativo e il prezzo non è mai quello concordato nel primo preventivo. Grazie ai nostri avanzati standard di progettazione possiamo sottoporre ai nostri clienti dei contratti forfettari. Così siamo costretti a lavorare con la massima precisione, perché ogni errore rappresenta da parte nostra un prezzo da pagare.