SBCA’s experience on the National Mall in June reinforced the importance of consumer education.
This year was the third year that the Structural Building Components Association (SBCA) exhibited on the National Mall for the US Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) Innovative Housing Showcase.
SBCA partnered with one of its members, 84 Lumber, to construct a two-story, 2,400 square foot house in less than eight hours using floor panels, wall panels and roof truss panels. This event highlighted the many benefits and advantages that building components provide, including reduced jobsite waste production, improved cycle times, affordability, accessibility and availability, and innovation.
Over the three-day event, SBCA staff encountered thousands of people walking through the two-story structure. Nearly every person who came through wanted to learn more about the process used to build the home, and how it was completed in less than eight hours.
Their questions focused on what a truss/component is, how one gets trusses for their build, and how this differs from other building methods. Through this effort, SBCA brought increased awareness to the general public, policymakers, builders, architects, and more, spreading the word of structural building components.
When thinking about a target audience, it’s important to remember that not everybody is familiar with and/or understands the inner workings of construction or the process of building a home. Often, the first question most people asked when entering the house was: “How did you build this in under eight hours?”
The simple answer is that we did it by using components. But then many asked: “What are components?” We told them that structural building components are roof trusses, floor trusses and wall panels, which are custom designed and built in specialized manufacturing facilities. SBCA explained that components are used in all types of construction from residential (both single-family and multifamily) to commercial to agricultural.
The questions didn’t stop there; they were followed by: “How does this differ from other ways of building a house?” and “Is this customizable?” Such questions allowed SBCA staff to point out the trusses and wall panels in the house and to explain that what they were seeing was likely the same as what they would see on a stick-framed jobsite. The difference is that the measuring, cutting and assembling of the lumber occurs in an offsite manufacturing facility.
We let them know that, at the plant, the production team uses various technologies to measure, cut and assemble the lumber into components and, once the project is complete, those components get transported to the jobsite and assembled into a completed frame — just as 84 Lumber’s crew did on the National Mall earlier that week.
Most people did not know that components allow for a vast range of customization, and that a lot of homes require several truss profiles that allow for design flexibility while maintaining an efficient solution. Understanding these points made them more receptive to a home built using components.
Price was also a focal point. The advantages of building with components are significant, costing around $36,000, while a stick-built option costs around $62,000. Framing the house with manufactured components enables significant cost savings to the homebuilder and ultimately the homeowner (see more information at www.sbcacomponents.com/ihs).
A lot of the conversations with attendees ended with, “Where can I find trusses near me?” People who walked through the house were hooked once they learned about components, how the house was framed in under eight hours and the cost savings this type of framing provides. The attendees wanted to ensure they could utilize offsite building components (i.e. trusses and wall panels) for their next build, whether that was a new home, an ADU, or a remodel.
Overall, people on the National Mall were curious about structural building components and various methods of home construction. They wanted to learn and understand how their homes were built and about modern techniques for building new homes. They were excited about the innovation and customization possibilities trusses bring to the building process.
People want a traditional home that they can make their own, enjoy life in, create memories in, and love for many years to come – they just want it to be affordable and accessible. Those who walked through SBCA’s structure on the National Mall for HUD’s Innovative Housing Showcase were happy to hear that components, such as roof trusses and wall panels, provide that opportunity.
What was a key takeaway gained from this event? While builders and on-site trades are the main beneficiaries of the advantages of offsite manufactured components like roof trusses, wall panels, and floor trusses, the homebuyer wins as well. Their home can be ready for a quicker move in and the performance of their floors and roofs will be better. The builder can benefit by sharing these facts with the homebuyer.
To learn more about SBCA and structural building components, visit www.sbcacomponents.com.
Christine Wagner is Director of Communications/Managing Editor for the Structural Building Components Association (SBCA) and the National Framers Council (NFC).
