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Advantages of steel-framed dry construction on site

Dry construction

Advantages of steel-framed dry construction on site

13 Sep, 2022

In today's building scenario, where it is necessary to reconcile construction speed, cost-effectiveness and a low environmental impact, dry construction is the answer to the current qualitative and performance requirements of the construction market.

In fact, they make it possible to provide high-performance and high-quality solutions compared to the usual construction process, from the point of view of costs, time and performance, as we will analyze below.

The convenience of dry construction

By now, even on the Italian market there is a wide range of buildings constructed with the dry system, and the reason for the rapid spread lies precisely in the numerous advantages, from the design stage through to disposal:

  • High seismic response: given the deformation capacity and high ductility of materials such as steel, these systems react naturally to seismic actions, better than traditional materials
  • Durable and healthy structures: steel dry constructions have a higher fire resistance than conventional constructions, and are not subject to corrosion and moisture, due to the inherent characteristics of this material
  • Excellent thermal-acoustic performance, also achieved through the installation of sound-absorbing and heat-insulating sandwich panels that form the building enclosure
  • Lightweight components, easy to transport and install: the elements used in dry systems are lightweight, and being prefabricated and modular they facilitate transport and make both installation and replacement quick
  • Quality control: dry construction by means of certified installation cycles reduces uncertainties and errors on site, and improves the final quality of the artefact
  • Dry systems can adapt to different architectural forms and design requirements
  • Speed of execution: working times and stages can be fairly well predicted, limiting downtime to a minimum
  • Low impact on the environment: as the process is very precise and waterless, the site will be less prone to waste and refuse, so the environmental impact will also be lower.

Let us now look specifically at these last two points, perhaps the most obvious of the advantages of the dry system, making it the construction method of the future.

The building site of the future is dry: economy and timing

The building scenario is increasingly moving towards new needs, and between energy efficiency and new regulatory requirements, it requires technologies that can keep up with the needs of customers, both for new construction and for the renovation of existing buildings.

Among the various solutions, the best candidate is definitely the dry construction system, which makes it extremely easy to insert and replace systems (a relevant component for energy efficiency issues) within the wall and ceiling solutions.
Furthermore, these are certified and tested systems that guarantee high levels of thermal and acoustic insulation.

Dry construction is therefore a clean construction site, which proceeds quickly and drastically reduces water waste.

In addition, by reducing the fixed costs of the construction site (scaffolding, connections, vehicle hire, etc.), the workers will be able to divide their time more advantageously.

Advantages of steel dry construction

The need to think about new building systems in construction is the answer to the most pressing questions of the modern building scenario, namely the question of reconciling quality, performance and time.

In this regard, one of the best performing dry systems is certainly the steel-framed system, due to its inherent characteristics:

  • Lightweight and space-saving, ensuring solidity and at the same time aesthetic-architectural quality
  • Very high fire resistance, i.e. the ability of the steel structure to maintain stability, gas tightness and thermal insulation
  • Ductility and elasticity, giving the building excellent earthquake-resistant characteristics
  • Design freedom: being a system composed of steel load-bearing elements, the steel structure allows for spaces with large spans, resulting in an unprecedented freedom of expression and design
  • High durability, keeping its technological and mechanical properties constant over time. 

Delifta: improving the performance of dry construction sites

To support dry construction with a steel load-bearing structure, Manni Green Tech, the Manni Group division that for years has been developing new technologies for the construction of buildings through prefabricated and sustainable solutions, has developed Delifta. Read about this in the interview with Alessandra Bellutti, Marketing & Technical Manager for Manni Green-Tech.

This is a series of prefabricated enclosure solutions, thanks to which Manni Group is able to assist the client from the construction of the structure to the completion of the entire enclosure by also integrating IoT technologies and safety systems.

They can also be customised with different performance levels depending on acoustic, thermal and fire performance requirements.

In these certified systems, the structural profiles are covered with reinforced concrete slabs, coated gypsum and Isopan sandwich panels. Among the advantages they bring to the site are:

  • Speed of installation, thanks to mechanical assembly of the elements
  • Lightness of the elements and consequent ease of transport
  • Flexibility of the system, which can be integrated with the installation of hydro-electric and renewable energy plants.

Among the inherent peculiarities of Delifta are:

  • Excellent seismic performance
  • High performance in thermal and acoustic insulation and fire resistance, all systems being certified to current standards
  • Low maintenance
  • High durability due to the very nature of the steel core and the characteristics of the other components used
  • Design flexibility due to the multiple possibilities of finishes that adapt to the architectural context in which the building is inserted

In general, steel-framed dry construction systems are very advantageous both for the construction site, which is speeded up, optimised and economised, and for the building itself, which will have a natural vocation to be integrated with new and better performing technologies.

Learn more about the Delifta system and the advantages of dry steel construction by visiting the Manni Green Tech website.

Written by

Alessandra Bellutti - Marketing and Technical Manager - Manni Green Tech srl
Alessandra Bellutti - Marketing and Technical Manager - Manni Green Tech srl

Alessandra Bellutti, who holds a degree in Architecture and Construction from the Polytechnic University of Milan, has specialised in Project Management for Manni Energy, managing worksites and onsite operations in Italy and the United Kingdom and acquiring many years of experience in the sector of energy efficiency and renewable source systems. A few months ago, she joined the Manni Green Tech start-up as Marketing & Technical Manager to combine her experience acquired onsite with prefabricated building technology, tasked with product development.

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