“Reflecting a growing interest in the use of metal is EcoSteel, a Southern California based supplier of prefabricated, pre-insulated building materials, which opened an office in Santa Rosa in 2017 and is working in partnership with E West Construction on several North Bay projects. Joss Hudson, founder of EcoSteel, explains that one of the key advantages is the steel insulated panel system the company uses for roofs and walls. The concept comes from Reprint from the commercial refrigeration industry, and he reports it’s the most energy-efficient building insulator on the market. “If you want to build a commercial refrigerating building for frozen foods, you’ll use this technology,” he says. It’s an important consideration because the California Public Utilities Commission is aiming for all new residential construction to be Zero Net Energy by 2020, with actual energy consumed less or equal to the on-site renewable energy a building generates. The short-term focus is the building envelope because better methods of insulation and framing are an effective way to reduce consumption and help meet the standards. EcoSteel’s panels come pre-finished from the manufacturer, and the insulated envelope is on the outside of the building, rather than its more common place between the interior and exterior walls. “It’s the concept of ‘outsulation,’ not insulation,” says Hudson.”