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Why steel can be the material that helps reduce the housing deficit in Argentina
November 29, 2023
Currently, its use is evident both in the construction of new homes and in the reinforcement of pre-existing structures. With a construction cost that varies between USD 700 and USD 900 per m2
By José Luis Cieri
Steel structure to support and secure the existing
In the changing landscape of housing construction, a phenomenon is gaining ground and promises to be an effective response to the housing deficit. This is the prefabricated housing model, driven by materials such as wood, concrete and, in particular, (high resistance) steel.
These homes, built in a shorter time than traditional construction, led to a reduction in construction times, up to 50% less compared to conventional methods.
In a country where 1 in 3 households faces housing problems - data from organizations such as the Center for the Implementation of Public Policies for Equity and Growth (CIPPEC), the Civil Association for Equality and Justice (ACIJ) and TECHO Argentina -, these prefabricated homes could play a crucial role in solving the housing deficit in Argentina.
Since 2022, Argentina has seen a clear increase in construction projects, with more than 10,000 units under development across the country. The Argentine Steel Chamber (CAA) highlights the commitment to sustainability and efficiency in these constructions, using high-resistance concrete and sandwich panels that improve thermal and acoustic insulation.
Fernando Perroni, an architect specialized in dry construction, revealed to Infobae a revealing fact: “95% of the construction process of the modules intended for housing takes place in factories under controlled conditions. This method, known for its efficiency and precision, involves the complete production of the modules under factory conditions, carrying out detailed processes that range from the installation of sanitary parts and taps to the application of paint and the incorporation of electrical elements.
The versatility of these structures, which can be moved by trucks, guarantees speed and flexibility in their location in various locations chosen by users.
In this complex located in Ezeiza, steel was used to assemble the structure
“All homes include the necessary finishes to guarantee a functional and aesthetically complete home. From kitchen furniture and closets to wooden floors and carpentry,” Perroni said.
According to data provided by the CAA, in the next 18 months they plan to build 180 homes totaling 6,300 square meters and three residential buildings with commercial and recreational areas of 3,000 m2 each. “In total it is more than 16,000 m2, a fact that represents the largest development of industrialized pre-reinforced concrete construction in the last 30 years,” the entity reported.
These examples of sustainable homes provide a quick and effective response to the need for a roof. The cost-benefit ratio, with values ranging between USD 700 and USD 900 per m2, present an adequate option to combat the housing deficit, both on the side of housing construction promoted by the State and for private individuals who dream of own house.
In Añelo, near Vaca Muerta, steel is the protagonist for the homes and offices that are built there
In addition to Añelo near Vaca Muerta, similar methods of sustainable and rapid construction are also being implemented in other areas of Argentina. In the capital of Córdoba is the Harmonie Chateau, an eco-sustainable condominium with apartments of up to 3 bedrooms. The Canter Group, in charge of building these structures in said city, is close to completing the MID Dalí, a new sustainable building. There, each bedroom has EPS panels, induction cooktops, electric ovens, and thermal and acoustic insulation.
Project in Córdoba capital
For its part, steel framing is strongly applied in the province of Buenos Aires. In the Ezeiza area, the first residential condominium (low-rise and high-density) was developed using nearly 90 tons of steel for its construction. The building, known as Ezeiza Park, is 2,400 m2 and has 42 two-room apartments. Its structure and the system in which it was raised guarantees a low environmental impact.
The steel frame is increasingly used in large cities such as gated communities and country houses on the outskirts of cities.
Also in private neighborhoods and areas of villas there are hundreds of homes under construction through steel frame.
Recovery of a former factory plant
In the Boedo neighborhood, at the intersection of José Mármol and Metán, a project is advancing that merges the historical with the contemporary. Under the name “El Industrial”, this initiative includes the construction of lofts, apartments and commercial premises. The proposal is not only limited to the refunctionalization of the existing structure, but also incorporates modern elements to guarantee current comfort.
This is how El Industrial is refunctionalized, where steel was used to build the structure of a former manufacturing plant that is more than 100 years old
The history of the property goes back more than 100 years. Initially it housed a refrigerator, and over time, it witnessed the transformation into an ice factory and warehouse.
Architect Sergio Topor, director of the STyAS architecture studio in charge of the project and construction management, told Infobae that “they opted for steel because it proposes a low-impact technology, with sustainable materials, and that allows us a simple response and execution. fast". Currently, the work has its entire structure and gray work phase completed, and the completion stage is beginning.
“Steel is a material that was widely used in Argentina in the 19th century, but that technology was replaced by the massive use of reinforced concrete. “Steel is a very noble material, which allows you to work with speed, precision and without waste, highly sustainable and 100% recoverable,” Topor clarified.
In this work, cellular concrete bricks are combined with steel
In El Industrial the walls are closed with blocks of Autoclave Cured Cellular Concrete (HCCA) that provide thermal and acoustic insulation, a very rational use of covering materials, plastering, plastering or ceramic.
The walls are delivered with plaster plaster, and in some sectors of the remodeled building, exposed brick is left as a finish. The IDERO firm calculated and executed the existing structure.
Steel is a sustainable and renewable material
Housing prices there start at USD 1,500 per m2 with a price below USD 100,000 for 1 and 2 room apartments.
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