Photo Credit: Modeco Construction
A global, novel virus that keeps us contained is changing the way we interact in both our personal and professional daily lives.
Some changes are presenting opportunities for business-minded entrepreneurs to develop and market new products featuring cold-formed steel (CFS) studs. Here are 2 examples showing how CFS can meet changing societal needs caused by COVID-19.
Backyard Office Pods
In 2019, Trevor Gilbert launched his construction company, Modeco Construction, focusing on building prefabricated modular bathrooms for apartment developments.
Toronto Life reported that when the pandemic hit Gilbert and his wife, Brittany, were both struggling to work from home and raise a toddler. So in March, Gilbert imported a roll-former, a machine that fabricates specific configurations of steel framing.
“It arrived on March 10 and everything shut down less than a week later,” Gilbert says. “Most of the builders I was working with put their projects on hold.”
Instead of forming bathroom pods, Gilbert started rolling metal studs for office pods to create a place for busy professionals to work in a separate space at home.
“I imagined an office pod that I could easily build with slight adjustments to my machine,” says Gilbert.
Modeco Construction’s manufacturing process uses customized light-gauge structural steel framing and select sustainable materials to create an innovative and resilient space structure. Photo Credit: Modeco Construction
He adds: “My biggest hurdle was figuring out a quick and affordable way to build an energy-efficient wall and roof that could withstand the elements. It was a crash course in understanding which sustainable materials had the longest life span.”
Home Office Studio Pods (HOSPods) from Modeco Construction feature:
- Light-gauge steel framing
- Durable steel roofs
- Select metal or stucco exterior walls
Modeco Construction sells the pods online, promoting them as “customized light-gauge structural steel framing (offices) to create an innovative and resilient space to suit your needs.”
But, that’s not all. Cold-formed steel studs are also revolutionizing hospital pods…
Read the full article at BuildSteel.org