FIS and the Steel Construction Institute (SCI) is to launch the much-awaited Steel Framing System (SFS) guide on 16 May
The Technical Report ED017 – Design and Installation of Light Steel External Wall Systems guide will be launched with a consortium of industry partners.
SFS is the lightweight steel frame used to create the inner leaf of an external wall, it’s been around for over 20 years but its benefits are just being realised, which is why so many projects are using it, but there are problems being created because of a lack of planning and knowledge. It’s the first thing you see, but often the last thing that’s designed in a building, and that’s where the problem lies.
A steel framing system is seen as non-load bearing, not holding the structure up but it is supporting cladding, internal linings, insulation and perhaps even services. There are significant implications should it fail, which could lead to the external cladding falling off.
Who is the steel framing system guide aimed at and why should they use it?
- The guide is for anyone who designs and installs SFS infill walls
- Anyone checking that the products are being correctly installed, such as a ‘Clerk of Works’.
- It will help to raise standards
- Show clients what SFS is and how it works
- It will get people thinking about what is expected of them, the design and the final installation
- It will give installers the confidence to question designs and provide guidance to ensure the installation is as good as it can be
- The document includes checklists as well as guidance that makes people stop and check that all the information that should be provided, is provided.
As the landscape post-Grenfell develops, FIS envisages that it will be very different from the way in which buildings are being designed and constructed now.
Book your place on the SFS guide launch here.
