October 2001
Steel vs. Wood Cost and Short Term Energy Comparison Valparaiso Demonstration Homes study evaluated the cost and short-term energy comparison of steel and wood construction in the Valparaiso demonstration homes. The project included constructing two identical side-by-side homes—one framed with conventional dimensional lumber and the other with cold-formed steel—at three different locations in the U.S. as part of a multi-year study of cost and energy comparisons of steel and wood houses. The study conducted blower door tests (to determine levels of air infiltration) and co-heat tests (to evaluate short-term energy consumption) on both homes and also compared installed costs of steel framing material and conventional wood framing.
Prepared for:
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Office of Policy Development and Research
Washington, DC
The North American Steel Framing Alliance (NASFA)
Washington, DC 20036
The National Association of Home Builders
Washington, DC
96 pages