House of steel
Innovative, specially designed residential homes something new for this province
There are some pretty impressive looking homes on the drive down to the ocean from the side roads in Long Pond, Conception Bay South.
Huge houses are scattered along the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, offering residents some up-scale features and a breathtaking views.
But one home at the water’s edge stands out.
The two-storey, sleek, contemporary style structure is like nothing this province has ever seen — until recently.
It’s a BONE Structure home — a patented, revolutionary, light steel construction system used to build single and multifamily residential units or light commercial buildings.
It uses technology for those looking for a more efficient way to build high-quality, ultra energy-efficient, modern homes.
BONE Structure was founded in Quebec in 2005 by owner CEO Marc Bovet, who recognized the shortcomings of the conventional building industry when he endeavored to build a home for his own family in Montreal.
Steven Gardiner of St. John’s is one of two project managers for the company. He, along with Sean Gillespie, own New east Development Corp.
Gardiner is all smiles as he greets you outside the home.
He proudly speaks about the home’s technology, design features and efficiency.
“The first time I walked into one of these homes (in the Montreal area), I was awestruck,” Gardiner said. “The way the system was integrated and the architectural design freedom that it allows the user is just incredible.”
The home’s envelope materials are shipped from Quebec and are pre-cut, pre-punched and pre-manufactured to be assembled by local builders on site.
“It’s like an adult Mecanno set, like a steel Lego set,” Gardiner said. “It’s all put together with self-tapping screws, nuts and bolts. No hammers, no nails, no glue, no adhesive.”
The use of recycled steel makes it environmentally friendly in many respects.
“One of the big knocks on the residential construction industry is, if you visit typical subdivisions with new houses being built, there’s a lot of construction wastage,” he said.
“It’s estimated that 60 per cent of landfills in North America are composed of construction wastage. There’s no wastage here.”
The BONE structure home is also assembled in about half the time it takes to build a standard timber home.
This three-bedroom, $1-million house, located in The Channel at Long Pond development, is only one of two in the province. The first was built last year in Green’s Harbour.
While it’s a new concept to Canada, it’s not new to other parts of the world. Steel structure homes are quite popular in Europe and Australia, while gaining popularity in North America, Gardiner said.
Entering the main floor for the house, the first thing you notice is the brightness and openness of the space.
With a wall of windows that offers a nice view of Conception Bay, the large living room, kitchen and dining area are all in the one area.
The steel frame provides a 25-foot span with no bearing wall and double height ceilings with no additional structural engineering or components required as does conventional wood-framed structures.
“See the width of this room?” Gardiner said, pointing to the main floor area. “There’s no wall in between. It’s a great feature.”
Another benefit of the BONE structure framing system, Gardiner said, is its capacity to allow for the inclusion of concrete upper floors, providing little to no sound transfer and expanded options for hydronic in-floor heating systems.
The roof is made of highly energy efficient Structural Insulated Panels, providing insulation values exceeding R50 and walls with an insulation factor of R28.
Designs can integrate highquality commercial grade aluminum windows and entrance systems providing a thermal envelope that surpasses most international standards.
New east employs local companies to compete the construction of the home, including plumbers, electricians and those specializing in HVAC, spray foam insulation, with interior design services provided by SAM Design and bathrooms by Cherry Nook.
Gardiner —who also owns New east Construction Ltd. with Gillespie — said the only outside labour used on each build is a project manager, “to accelerate the learning curve.”
Buyers can choose from a wide array of floor plans and can make changes to the layout to meet their needs.
“You don’t need to change the engineering of the bearing walls because it’s all steel, which allows for wide spans and architectural design freedom,” Gardiner said.
“The home in Green’s Harbour looks somewhat different from this one,” he said. “You can make them look whatever way you want.”
$4 a foot
Engineered plans for the home cost about $4 per square foot, compared to the tens of thousands of dollars it can cost to have a notable architect draw up plans for a singlefamily dwelling.
“You can press a button and get into a set of swanky house plans for a fraction of the cost,” Gardiner said.
“Once you get the structure up, then the exterior creative pallet becomes fully exposed to you, in so far as you can put any type of cladding on the houses.”
The Long Pond home, he said, has cape cod wood siding, with black aluminum accent features and cultured stone, but homeowners can choose any material, such as yellow clapboard for a saltbox look.
“It’s ultra-modern, in terms of the concept, the steel, the insulation value, the design feature, but as it relates to the exterior and the look, you can do whatever you want,” he said.
It’s also a home that won’t be harmful to your health.
Because of the steel construction, mould and mildew won’t accumulate, as it does in many older timber-framed homes.
Gardiner explained that BONE structure homes don’t provide a substrate for mould to grow on — or cracks for air and moisture penetration. Since steel is inert, it doesn’t release terpenes (volatile gases) like wood or toxins like treated lumber.
The home, now recently completed, is for sale.
“Although the market for high-end homes has somewhat diminished in this region, we do feel that BONE Structure system offers an invaluable and incomparable product that will resonate and attract homebuyers who want beautiful living spaces coupled with the latest in energy efficiency,” Gardiner said.
He’s confident the concept will catch on.
“I’m planning to build one of these for myself,” he said. “I just love it and I know others will too.”
The BONE Structure model home will be opened to the general public on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 23-24, from noon to 5 p.m. or by appointment. Visit www.neweastdc.com for information.
“One of the big knocks on the residential construction industry is, if you visit typical subdivisions with new houses being built, there’s a lot of construction wastage. It’s estimated that 60 per cent of landfills in North America are composed of construction wastage. There’s no wastage here.” Steve Gardiner