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If you do a web search for current trends in U.S. urban planning, article after article will discuss similar issues. Urban planners face new challenges as a result of the recent economic downturn, and subsequent sluggish growth. A few examples include: a higher percentage of renters over owners due to foreclosures and defaults; delayed housing purchases by Generation Y; a growing desire for alternative transportation choices and shorter commutes; all coupled with a decreasing availability of urban land.
- SBCA President Scott Ward grew up in the business and credits industry pioneers for laying the foundation CMs can continue to build upon today.
- As the housing market improves, CMs need to focus on bringing new and skilled labor back into the industry.
- Technical schools, community colleges, high schools and wfd.sbcindustry.com are excellent resources for finding employees.
- The contractor should examine the trusses when they are delivered and determine if there is any damage that would impair the structural integrity of the trusses.
- BCSI recommends that trusses stored outside for more than a week be stacked on blocking and have a cover that provides adequate ventilation.
- The contractor is responsible for the construction means, methods, techniques, sequences, procedures, programs, and safety in connection with the receipt, storage, handling, installation, restraining, and bracing of the trusses.
In case you ever needed a picture to define the importance of diagonal bracing in the context of lateral restraint (i.e., top chord purlins as well), these photos of long span trusses say it all.
Meet Steve Baker from Plum Building Systems, LLC in Waukee, IA.
Apparently, the secret to surviving 50 years in the truss business is to begin by selling lumber, and then working your way into it. Heart Truss & Engineering in Lansing, MI, and Littfin Lumber (Truss) Company in Winsted, MN, are both celebrating half a century of success this year, and they share some common characteristics: one, they both hail from Midwestern states; two, their founders all started by selling lumber and building materials; and three, they all resisted the urge to expand beyond their means.
- President Steve Stroder looks back on the pace of change and some of the industry's top issues.
- SBCA took the tough stands that strong leadership requires to serve the best interests of all CMs when addressing the Southern Pine design value issue, which resulted in SBCA hosting the first Lumber Summit and the formation of the Lumber in Components Council.
- A revamped BCMC may very well turn out to be one of the best shows we have had in some time.
- Scott Ward takes on the leadership of SBCA and is the second father-son combination to serve WTCA/SBCA (Bob Ward President 1991, Scott 2013). The first pair was Don (1992 and 1993) and Ben (2009) Hershey.
- When comparing the energy efficiency of cold-formed steel and wood components, the R-value and U-factor are a good place to start.
- The R-value measures thermal resistance; it is the inverse of the time rate of heat flow through a building thermal envelope element from one of its bounding surfaces to the other for a unit temperature difference between the two surfaces.
- The U-factor measures thermal transmittance, the coefficient of heat transmission (air to air) through a building component or assembly, equal to the time rate of heat flow per unit area and unit temperature difference between the warm side and cold side air films.
No, this isn’t the latest haul from a fishing expedition; it’s actually trusses on their way to a jobsite. Northwest Building Components, Inc. in Rathdrum, ID, designed, manufactured and delivered the trusses for this project expecting to drop them off at the jobsite, which was a fishing cabin. Only when the driver arrived at the delivery location, a boat dock, did he realize this wasn’t a run-of-the-mill delivery.
Remembering the life and times of Bill McAlpine.
Take raw ore, throw it into the fires of hell & out comes steel.
- The inaugural Lumber Summit held May 14-15 in Charlotte, NC, brought together key lumber industry leaders, the top five lumber producers in North America, and component manufacturers representing approximately 700 million board feet of U.S. structural lumber purchases.
- The SBCA Lumber Collaboration Council (LCC) resulted from the success of the summit.
- A recent industry plant tour furthered relationships with the fire service and is a strong reminder to embrace plant tours as our most effective outreach tool.
- The exception to IRC Section R602.3.2 allows for the use of a single top plate in a wood stud wall if the design meets specific requirements.
- By cutting the volume of lumber in the top plate in half, a single top plate allows more space for insulation and can reduce thermal bridging through the lumber, which increases the thermal efficiency of the wall system.
- When trusses are centered over the studs with a tolerance of not more than 1", the stud spacing can be increased to 24" o.c., which removes more lumber, improves energy efficiency and still provides a continuous load path.
- To determine if the use of a single top plate is beneficial, a number of factors must be weighed.
The modern truss was invented in the 1900s, but using triangles in construction has been a common practice for ages. While on vacation, a member of SBC staff stumbled upon this interesting truss-like ceiling at the Duomo di Pistoia or Cattedrale di San Zeno in Pistoia, Italy. This ornately decorated portion of the roof spans a large section of pews running from an entrance up to an altar.
Do you know how a crayon is made? How about a Hostess Twinkie? If you or your kids have ever watched Mr. Rogers, chances are you probably do.
Mr. Rogers has a great approach. “Will you be my neighbor?” is a simple question. Kids around the world (possibly including you) accepted his invitation and learned a great deal about life through his half-hour shows. One of the most intriguing and memorable parts of his show are the brief glimpses he gives us of the various facilities, laboratories and studios where things are made.
Knowing what your Commercial General Liability (CGL) insurance policy can provide in terms of a construction defect lawsuit defense and payment is crucial.
With many property owners still owing more than their properties are worth, combined with the run-up in construction in the mid-2000s and resulting poor quality in many instances, I am led to conclude that thousands of construction defect suits will likely be filed in the next two or three years. Anti-construction defect litigation statutes adopted in many states will have little effect in stemming the tide. Component manufacturers will be among the many in the construction chain having to figure out how to defend and extricate themselves from such suits.
Knowing what your Commercial General Liability (CGL) insurance policy can provide in terms of a construction defect lawsuit defense and payment is crucial. Understanding the degree to which many insurance companies will go to neither defend nor pay on construction defect claims is even more important. Far too many construction subcontractors and suppliers, including component manufacturers, are, in my opinion, naive when it comes to knowing what to expect from, and how to effectively manage, their insurance companies over a construction defect lawsuit.
- After years of bad news, the survivors in our industry should be proud of their hard work and accomplishments.
- SBCA members throughout the country are reporting stronger sales and backlogs.
- Now is the time for CMs to determine how to elevate their individual companies and the industry, create more market share for components, and handle increased volume.
- Hoisting trusses is a more dangerous practice than most people think; both individual trusses and bundles of trusses should not be lifted at the peak.
- The recommended industry best practices for hoisting truss bundles are a bit different than those for single trusses, but the same basic concepts apply.
- BCSI and CFSBCSI outline industry best practices for hoisting trusses.
This project first featured in SBC Industry News piqued many readers’ interest. Now back by popular demand, this amazing 80'-wide Ponderosa Pine log truss built by Deadwood Log Homes shows that trusses come in all sizes—including enormous. So enormous, in fact, that Deadwood’s owner, Rick Johnson, has applied to have the truss considered by the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest log truss in the U.S.
Building Communities | Making Connections
Name: HB Simpson
Company: Allied Systems (VA)
Position: Safety Coordinator
Years in the industry: 17
Beyond super-sized energy efficiency, there are many other benefits to net-zero homes.
When it comes to code compliance for your new product, consider a road less traveled that can be much quicker and more robust than the traditional path.
- Access to vendors and their in-depth perspectives, coupled with the opportunity to discuss ideas and common challenges with manufacturers from all over the country, defines BCMC.
- Take part in BCMC Build and help construct a home for a very deserving family.
- This year’s show features more workshops and business planning sessions to help component manufacturers prepare as the housing market reemerges.
- Based on the recommendations of the IRC, IBC and ASCE 7, truss or rafter uplift connections should be designed for applied wind loads using MWFRS analysis.
- Individual truss and rafter members should be designed using C&C generated wind loads.
- The SBCA Load Guide includes information about uplift connections for structural building components.
The March 2012 issue of SBC highlighted the benefits of assembling wood roof trusses on the ground. Here, we see an example using cold-formed steel trusses for a Winco Foods Store in Mesa, AZ. Westco Steel Systems designed the store’s roof so the contractor could build each section on the ground and hoist it into place as a fabricated section.
Building Communities | Making Connections
Name: Corey Magelby
Company: Homewood Truss (Sacramento, CA)
Position: Truss Design & Sales
Years in the industry: 23
Spend a few minutes with the thoughts of CMs doing business in markets where business is picking up and make sure your company is ready for recovery when it comes.
By 2016, one out of every three builders anticipate they will be dedicated to green building work on over 90 percent of residential projects, up from 17 percent in 2011.The increase in “green” home building provides an opportunity for component manufacturers to work with builders to arrive at a win-win scenario.
- According to an SBC One Minute Poll, CMs name finding and retaining good employees as one of their top challenges as business picks up.
- Good workers are all around us and a lot of them are still looking for a job that is worthy of their devotion and work ethic.
- Implementing recruiting strategies in and around your community can produce some of the best results with great, long-term employees.