Studcast - Benefits & Sustainability

Benefits & Sustainability

Both the material and process fit within the principles of sustainable construction.

A studcast wall is both frame and skin. It can be dropped into place and bolted down, framing and enclosing the structure in a single step. This creates time and material savings that can potentially substantially reduce construction costs and time. This is also an environmental benefit, as reducing construction time reduces energy consumption of construction equipment and the impact of workers on the site.

It has a built-in cavity for insulating materials and utilities. It needs no additional furring to receive interior finishes.

Because studcast is made of concrete and steel, it does not support mold growth or pest infestation. It is also highly resistant to moisture infiltration, freeze/thaw, and condensation. It releases no volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

The automated roll forming system produces components to the exact length needed so there is minimal waste.

Recycled material can be incorporated into studcast. Recycled steel can be used as raw material for the studs. The concrete can contain recycled aggregate and be made from locally extracted materials. Some manufacturers have 25% or more recycled content.

Because each square foot of wall weighs so little, transportation-related energy consumption and pollution are kept to a minimum, as is shipping cost. At the job site, walls can be handled with light equipment. For a low-rise structure - for instance a school or commercial building - a fork lift is all that is needed to erect a wall.

The low mass of the wall requires smaller foundations. This is a two-fold environmental benefit: first for the reduction in consumption and transportation of raw materials in general; second for the reduced consumption specifically of portland cement, whose production emits large quantities of carbon dioxide (CO2), a greenhouse gas.

Low mass walls have an additional benefit in high seismic activity zones, where they translate into less force shaking the structure during earthquake events.