The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) provides an estimated $1.2 trillion in funding over ten years for a broad range of infrastructure sectors, including roads, bridges, public transit, renewable energy and green building technology.
With significant dollars flowing through government bodies and grant programs, construction companies are among the biggest beneficiaries of the legislation. It is estimated that the act will add approximately two million jobs per year over the course of the next decade.
Addressing the Labor Shortage
The construction industry already faces a shortage of skilled labor. According to the most recent U.S. Chamber of Commerce Commercial Construction Index, skilled labor shortages are widespread — 92% of contractors have reported difficulty finding construction workers. Of those firms, 42% said they have turned down work because of it.
As contractors struggle to meet the labor challenge presented by the IIJA, they need to do so carefully, said Duane Duhamel, executive director of health, safety and environment at ISN, a Dallas-based provider of contractor and supplier management solutions.
The construction industry already faces a shortage of skilled labor — 92% of contractors have reported difficulty finding construction workers.
“When the supply of construction workers fails to meet the high demand, it is more likely that the hiring process will be expedited,” said Duhamel. “Many companies will attempt to onboard new hires into their role as quickly as possible.”
Companies may also be inclined to place less experienced employees into supervisory positions to deal with the influx of new workers, said Duhamel. This practice could compromise safety on a project, according to Construction Dive.
In order to ensure they have enough labor to perform the increased amount of work, Duhamel said that companies must be prepared to recruit and train workers in an efficient manner.
Contractors Look to Steel as an Innovative Solution
A growing number of contractors are embracing prefabrication to build sustainable structures with less labor, in a shorter amount of time and with lower costs..
According to Dodge Data & Analytics, 25% of contractors are now invested in prefabricated projects. This is expected to increase to 33% by 2024.
Catbird’s exterior skin features 100,000 lbs. of CFS studs, which were installed by 6 South Valley Prefab crew members instead of 60 or 70 working off scaffolding. Photo courtesy of South Valley Prefab.
Cold-formed steel (CFS) leads the way as the preferred framing material for prefabricated structures. An example of a successful prefabrication project is South Valley Prefab’s work at Catbird, a seven-story, 165-unit, extended-stay hotel in Denver, Colorado.
- South Valley Prefab prefabricated 277 individual CFS exterior finish panels a month prior to installation
- Only six installers were needed on site, whereas normally it would take up to 70 people to complete the panel installations
- The use of CFS eliminated 90 percent of on-site labor required by traditional construction practices
The Steel Framing Advantage
Cold-formed steel (CFS) leads the way as the preferred framing material for prefabricated structures for multiple reasons. CFS is:
- A pre-engineered material that can be cut to exact lengths
- Dimensionally stable and does not expand or contract with changes in moisture content
- Lightweight compared to wood and concrete
- Resilient and will not warp, split, crack or creep when exposed to the elements
- Sustainable and 100% recyclable
- Durabile and has a high tensile strength
- Non-combustible and is a safeguard against fire accidents
Investment in Green Building Technology
IIJA’s $65 billion in federal spending includes the most significant electric and grid infrastructure investment in American history, according to The Hill. It provides funding to deploy innovative “smart” grid technology, energy efficiency and weatherization.
The sustainability aid includes:
- Investments in green technology
- Funding for sustainable manufacturing
- Education and job training for green energy careers
- Sustainable residential and commercial infrastructure for energy efficient appliances and green buildings
Steel framing contains a minimum of 25% recycled steel and is continually and completely recyclable.
As a building material, steel can meet the sustainability requirements in standards such as the International Green Construction Code, and in green building rating systems like U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), where steel products can help earn points toward LEED v4 certification.
As for the construction market specifically:
- Steel framing contains a minimum of 25% recycled steel and is continually and completely recyclable — that is, “remade without any loss of quality”
- In contrast, most other construction products can only be down-cycled into lower-quality products
- While construction sites may have large amounts of construction waste to dispose, steel framing minimizes that problem since it can be easily recycled responsibly and “can become tomorrow’s refrigerator, soup can or car door”
Ready, Set … Go?
The construction industry must start preparing their crews, equipment and technology today, before new work comes in from the IIJA, according to Construction Pros.
The good news is the industry should see more money to rebuild the country’s crumbling infrastructure.
The challenge will be taking on more work at the level these IIJA projects are going to require. An influx of work will require more crews, more equipment and more technology to manage all of the pieces, says Construction Pros.
With preparation, contractors can position their businesses to be successful in completing projects on time. With CFS, contractors can build sustainable structures on budget with a reduced labor force.
Article cited by BuildSteel.org