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Aspects of Residential Construction

This research investigates the materials used, the energy consumption characteristics, and the waste management practices in residential construction. The findings of this investigation are presented in the following section.

The findings of the investigation are presented in this section. Each topical area of interest·materials used, energy consumption, and waste management·is addressed separately.

The high cost, deteriorating quality and uncertain supply of lumber is driving construction firms to search for alternatives to lumber (Studt, 1994, p. 43). Some of the leading wood substitutes are steel framing, concrete and steel, laminates and, plastic construction materials. The leading alternative to traditional sawn lumber is steel framing. Rising lumber costs have results in an increased market share for steel framing from a one-percent in 1992 to more than 10 percent. The high consistency of steel means less material is needed, which results in lower installation costs and more efficient loading designs.

Price is not the only problem with lumber. Quality also is a serious problem. Builders often discard up to 25 percent of their lumber due to warping, knots, and low strengths obtained in contemporary rapid-growth forest products.

A National Science Foundation-funded study developed three-layer thick-laminate lumber products that improve the performance of low quality lumber. By creating balanced laminates, the bow and crook characteristics of lumber was improved up to 80 percent and strengths were increased as much as 140 percent.

Use of concrete as an alternative material in residential construction had been restricted to moderate climates due to the relatively low insulative capabilities of the material. Development of foam-insulated concrete wall systems and light-weight concrete formulations, has renewed interest in the use of concrete in colder climates. Using short steel fibers to reinforce ...

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Aspects of Residential Construction. (1969, December 31). In LotsofEssays.com. Retrieved 13:34, March 28, 2024, from https://www.lotsofessays.com/viewpaper/1694914.html