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The Auklan construction system that gives back the courage to build

We live in a world that is in constant motion. Technological innovation is reshaping traditional production and business models, and it is not avoiding the construction industry either. How is it possible to combine innovative architectural inspiration into commercial reality faster and more efficiently than ever before?

By using thin-walled steel structures, Auklan brings to the Czech Republic the vision of producing modern, functional and aesthetically pleasing spaces, 12 months a year regardless of the weather, in addition to automating production in millimetre precision engineering. The logic of the industrialisation is to produce complete walls in steel in industrial conditions, with production being carried out by computer controlled machines that guarantee engineering precision and eliminate human error. Here, the pre-assembly of metal structures and the creation of prefabricated parts, known as "2D-panels", take place simultaneously.

On site, simplicity and speed of unloading and actual construction are key. The elements are made to fit in the correct and only way possible. There is no need to measure, cut, drill or otherwise modify anything. The separate structures and the prefabricated panels are transported to the site and assembled together on the foundation slab. The individual and pre-assembled components are unloaded by hand or with the aid of smaller machinery and stored on stacking platforms to prevent contact with the ground and any damage. Installation is then not only highly efficient and fast, but also, compared to traditional masonry systems, considerable savings can be made on the construction cost per cubic metre of built-up space.

In 2023, approximately 40,000 housing units were under construction, 40 percent of which were in apartment buildings, with the average construction time for an apartment or single-family home being between 33 and 40 months. Thanks to Auklan's technology, larger buildings can be produced in fewer units of months. Speed is one of the key aspects of financing. The idea that by speeding up the entire project, you as an owner can live 70% faster or as an investor can offer the buildings to the target group two to three years earlier is a strong argument in choosing a construction method. Whether it is developers, direct homebuyers or the public administration in the case of municipal projects for health professionals, teachers, police officers or tenants for socially supported housing.

Although LGSF (Light Gauge Steel Framing) technology is still new to the relatively conservative Czech market, this method has been used abroad for decades, mainly due to the significant reduction in the need for manual labour, the speeding up of the construction process and the emphasis on sustainable construction. All these aspects can be attributed to systematic automation and digitalization, which greatly contributes to speeding up all processes and minimizing human errors.

The portfolio of projects that can be designed using the LGSF method is also very broad. From innovative single-family homes to commercial buildings and façade structures or telescopic structures for PV, Auklan structures provide the flexibility and design freedom to build to low-energy or passive standards. In addition, these structural systems for residential construction already meet the requirements for ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) criteria that will come into force in 2030.

The Auklan construction system offers high design variability, fast, accurate and cost-effective production and easy installation. The advantage is the provision of rough construction from the foundations onwards, which ensures a smooth flow in work coordination, communication, materiality, waste management and material movement. This also contributes to an undeniable competitive advantage in significantly reducing construction time, while maintaining all the building characteristics such as noise protection, thermal, mechanical, strength and fire protection properties.

At the same time, however, the surface and material treatments of thin-walled steel structures do not limit any architectural and design proposals, on the contrary, they always fully respect them. The ambitions of the startup Auklan are therefore not small - by building houses, residential properties, but also industrial halls or amenities from steel on an industrial scale, it wants to lead the Czech Republic out of the protracted construction crisis and make housing in the Czech Republic affordable again. Thousands of houses around the world are built on steel structures. Build quickly, efficiently and sustainably with Auklan technology.

Source: Estate Magazine

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