If it's used onsite, the system includes a big roll of steel. The builder works with Nuconsteel to set up the computer program that shoots out the "studs." At the show, the vendors did a demonstration where they assembled a wall in just a few minutes. I had a few questions that were answered in fairly short order (Does it interfere with radio broadcasts? Not appreciably. Does it cost the same as wood framing? Material costs are slightly higher, but labor costs are much lower. Any other issues? Drywall has to be screwed in, rather than nailed; also, there's more room for insulation, and mold isn't an issue because it can't grow on steel studs.)

Another cool thing I ran across was The Builder Cam. This system allows project managers to watch their buildings -- from several different angles -- in real time as they're being built, from the comfort of their office. In addition, if the cameras are being used on residential projects, they can be left in place after construction is complete and used as part of a home security system.

Anyway, those are some of the things that were top-of-mind as I spent my final hours at the show. Hope you've enjoyed reading our blogs as the days have gone by. Now that we've had some experience putting them together, we'll see about doing more of them in the future.

-Ralph