Background
Intellistructure is based in Panama City, Florida and specializes in providing innovative steel framing and structural components to the US residential construction industry across the East Coast regions that are vulnerable to hurricanes, high windstorms and heavy rainfalls. The frequency of hurricanes demands a construction solution that can withstand such natural disasters.
To address these challenges, Intellistructure turned to light gauge steel framing technology. This strategic move resulted in a significant increase in the speed of construction, straighter walls and eliminated common issues associated with wood framing as well as benefiting subsequent construction trades.
Cameron Tatanish, Director of Operations at Intellistructure sees design as the most important part of the process. The precision of FRAMECAD's software enables detailed design and engineering, guaranteeing the strength and robustness of steel framing.
The results were impressive and transformative. Homes constructed with light gauge steel (LGS) framing exhibited resilience against hurricanes, providing peace of mind to homeowners. Intellistructure was able to build houses three times quicker than using traditional wood framing and was able to meet the demands of a fast-growing region. The environmental impact was reduced and aligned with sustainability practices. The collaborative integration with various trades demonstrated the seamless adoption of this construction method.
Intellistructure partner, Hunter Collins, a builder from Samuel Taylor Homes said, “the feedback from our customers has been exceptional. In 2018 we were the builder that had homes standing after the hurricane, this made us proud of the product we were using.”
Cameron said, “bringing FRAMECAD to our community has been well-received, it has provided peace of mind in hurricane-prone areas.”
The Future
Looking ahead, Intellistructure envisions rapid growth, supported by FRAMECAD's partnership. They foresee a future where cold-formed steel (CFS) framing becomes the construction standard due to its efficiency, environmental benefits, and resilience against natural disasters.
Cameron said, “we plan for rapid growth. This year alone over the first 7 months of the year we've seen a 500% growth in the steel we're producing each week and there are no signs of that slowing down anytime soon.”
Summary
The collaboration between Intellistructure and FRAMECAD is a testament to the transformative impact of adopting light gauge steel framing technology in construction. This success story not only highlights the immediate benefits of efficiency and resilience but also paints a promising picture for the future of the US residential construction industry.