Today’s era of market shifts and rapid change in construction technologies, standards and code requirements has been accompanied by an avalanche of information being jammed through a plethora of new communications channels. It’s as much of a challenge to sift out the relevant information as it is to determine how these changes affect your business and the industry.
To help members and others stay on top of the issues affecting the cold-formed steel industry, the Steel Framing Industry Association has launched the Professional Development Series of webinars and educational programs. Course topics encompass a wide scope of technical, sales/marketing, and management issues that affect cold-formed steel. Programs also target varying levels of experience to serve a range of educational needs, from the construction professional just learning about cold-formed steel, to the seasoned manager who wants to increase business planning effectiveness.All courses are available at no charge as a benefit of SFIA membership. Non-members can join the SFIA at www.steelframingassociation.org/membership-information/apply-sfia, or by contacting [email protected].
The SFIA is an approved provider by the American Institute of Architects/Continuing Education System and many of the courses offer learning units that are needed by licensed architects to meet state mandatory continuing education requirements and AIA continuing education requirement for membership renewal.
Courses for the third quarter of 2013 include the following (all times are Eastern, and all courses last one hour):
Sharpen Your Sales and Marketing: New SFIA/AISI Research Reveals What Will Persuade Builders and Architects to Choose CFS Today (July 18, 2013, 2 p.m.). The 2009 meltdown of the construction market significantly re-shaped the construction industry, including attitudes and priorities of the owners and architects.To understand how these changes have affected the selection of structural materials and perceptions of cold-formed steel, the SFIA and American Iron and Steel Institute collaborated on one of the most in-depth studies conducted by the industry. The results are helping guide and focus industry efforts to strengthen the competitive position of steel framing, but also have yielded valuable insights into how members can increase the effectiveness of their marketing efforts.
The presenter for this program is Kathy Flament, president of Flament Associates, a network of marketing research professionals who contribute to organizations’ decision making. Industries served are construction, energy, financial services, IT, manufacturing and advertising. Flament was the lead researcher on the SFIA/AISI project.
SFIA101: A Guide to High Performance Cold-Formed Steel Assemblies (July 25, 2 p.m.). The principles of building science illustrate how cold-formed steel framed assemblies can achieve project performance requirements.Participants will explore the inherent fire resistance of cold-formed steel using recognized ASTM test standards, investigate how the principles if acoustical performance combine to provide high Sound Transmission Classification assemblies, learn the basic structural procedures to design and detail a simple non-load bearing cold-formed steel assembly and envision the required steps to control moisture migration in cold-formed steel assembly.
Robert Grupe, president of Grupe Consulting LLC, is the presenter for this program, as well as SFIA102 and SFIA103 (see below). Grupe spent more than 38 years with United States Gypsum Company. During his time at USG Grupe has held various technical and management positions. Activities included product and system design and technical consultation to the AEC community. He currently is a consultant to the construction industry where he has worked on several large scale international construction projects. He has authored numerous articles and given presentations on fire, sound and environmental issues as they relate to wall and ceiling assemblies.
SFIA102: Cold-Formed Steel and Mid-Rise Construction (August 6, 2 p.m.). This program will explore the capacity of cold-formed steel structures to meet the requirements for mid-rise construction, investigate the building code requirements for cold-formed steel assemblies, learn some basic detailing techniques for designing cold-formed steel assemblies and examine actual examples of mid-rise structures using cold-formed steel assemblies. (Presenter: Robert Grupe)
SFIA103: Cold-Formed Steel and Sustainability (August 27, 2 p.m.). The course illustrates how cold-formed steel framing provides a highly-sustainable design solution. Starting from raw materials and ending of service life, this course will trace the embodied energy of cold-formed steel framing. It will also reveal how the industry has effectively reduced its carbon footprint through technology advances and process change. Special emphasis will be made to underscore cold-formed steel’s recycled content, and how it has become more of a regional material. (Presenter: Robert Grupe)
Design and Construction Issues with Wood Framing (Sept. 26, 2 p.m.). This unique program takes a factual, straightforward look at some of the characteristics of wood that complicate design and construction, slowing assembly and erection times, and increasing costs. The session also reviews the recent re-grading of the mechanical properties of Southern Pine resulting in reductions to strength and allowable spans for one of the most commonly used types of framing lumber.
The speaker for this session is Don Allen, P.E. He is senior engineer at DSi Engineering, Inc. and has been involved in commercial and residential steel framing since 1990. His designs include some of the light steel framing in the Georgia Dome and Atlanta Olympic Stadium, as well as several hundred projects across the United States. For eight years, Allen concurrently served as technical director for the Steel Stud Manufacturers Association, the Steel Framing Alliance, and the Cold-Formed Steel Engineers Institute. Allen regularly lectures and writes on cold-formed steel design and construction issues for industry publications, and is a LEED®-accredited professional.
Registration for the SFIA Professional Development Series is available at www.steelframingassociation.org/educationprograms.
—information provided by the Steel Framing Industry Association, www.steelframingassociation.org
