Evening star., 1947-10-08

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this direction.
All are being increasingly utilizeo
in today's homebuilding. They pre-
sent definite possibilities for real.
izing the goal of lower cost housing
The extent to which development
and use of these and other technica
improvements in materials ane
methods can be accelerated, and the
resulting production, assembly anc
erection savings passed along te
consumers, will, in large measure
determine how rapidly that goa
can be reached.
Testing and Research Expanded.
One Of the major factors in de-
velopment and acceptance of new
materials and systems Is the evolu-
ton of suitable test procedures ano
methods to determine performance
characteristics, and the acceptance
of performance standards by code
authorities as basis for their use
rather than specification codes
which may not always apply.
Traditional materials have been
tested through long years of exper-
fence, but the new ones must under
20 rigorous tests before they can
be accepted.
The last year has witnessed great
amount of activity in this field by
industry, Government and univer-
stiles. Performance standards have
been prepared and the housing
agencies during the past year have
sponsored numerous tests and
analyses to determine the accept
ability of new materials and prefab-
ricated construction systems.
There is, however, a great need
for continued testing of new ma
terials and systems, further develop
ment of testing procedures and
methods and for expanded applied
research in all phases of housing
technology.
Research Projects Under Way.
In this connection, the Housing
and Home Finance Agency, success
sor to the National Housing Agency,
is completing a number of basic
applied research projects begun last
year.
Briefly, these testing and develop
mental studies cover plumbing sys-
TENS And the preparation OF a sug-
gested uniform plumbing code
lightweight concrete, condensation
control, Individual sewage disposal
systems, insulation and ventilation
requirements and other technical
problems which have an important
bearing on better housing at lower
costs.
1t is hoped that the data obtained
from these studies will be of def
mite assistance to home builders and
producers of housing materials.
Numerous other research projects
are being sponsored by universities,
industry and trade associations. 1t
Is significant that the Bureau OF
Standards has recently organized a
new Division of Building Technology
which combines a number of sec
tions concerned, with several as
poets of building and materials de-
velopment. Its organization repre-
sents increasing recognition of the
many technical housing problems
needing attention and Of the eX-
panded activity in the field of new
housing developments.
Similarly, as a result of the Gov
ernments housing program and in
creased BODYBUILDING activity, The
Forest Products Laboratory of the
Department of Agriculture, long
noted for it's contributions to wood
technology, has expanded its studies
and applied research in housing,
New Structural Systems.
Today's housing presents numer-
Gus examples of advancing tech
nology. The stressed skin" ply
wood panel system, one of the earl
Ter new developments in house con-
struction, has become widely ac-
cepted. Sheets of plywood are glued
and nailed to wood studding to
form a load-bearing panel. This
permits the use of lighter stud Sec
tions than in conventional framing
Many manufacturers are now pro-
ducing houses with this system
which, In addition to considerable
reduction in the amount of ma
t. tails used, permits rapid field
erection.
Several companies are producing
houses with wood post and girder
framing systems and panel inserts
of various materials. In these sys-
TENS the load-bearing elements OF
the structure are widely spaced
columns and connecting girders at
the roof caves. The wide spacing
of the columns permits use of large
size panels, relatively light in weight,
since they are nonload bearing.
A significant factor in use of these