Comparing BONE Structure vs STEEL Structure Homes
A Comprehensive Article Honoring the Past, Celebrating Innovation, and Showcasing the Future of Steel Framing
Steel-framed residential construction has long held the promise of revolutionizing how we build our homes. Over the past two decades, few names have been as pivotal in this transformative journey as BONE Structure, founded by the visionary entrepreneur Marc Bovet. At its height, BONE Structure seemed poised to forever alter the landscape of custom home building by introducing a more sustainable, more efficient, and incredibly precise method of assembling steel-framed residences. Despite the company’s eventual closure—brought about by an unfortunate series of events, alongside the tragic passing of its founder—the legacy of BONE Structure lives on in the form of new ventures that seek to refine and push the boundaries of steel framing even further.
Among these new ventures is STEEL Structure Homes, a company spearheaded by Chad B. Briand. Chad, a veteran in the construction industry with over 20 years of experience—nearly a decade of which was devoted to building BONE Structure homes—has taken the foundations laid by Bovet and his engineering team and elevated them to a new level. The story of STEEL Structure Homes, which Chad built from the ground up, is both a tribute to Marc Bovet’s pioneering vision and a clear demonstration of how building methods can be improved through continuous innovation.
This article offers a detailed exploration of BONE Structure’s origins, rise, and legacy—particularly focusing on its founder, Marc Bovet—before delving into the formation of STEEL Structure Homes. We will illuminate who Chad B. Briand is, the values and principles that shaped him, and how his experiences culminated in a reinvention of steel-frame home construction. We will also critically examine the benefits of steel framing, paying particular attention to the environmental argument that, while steel production does generate carbon emissions, its strategic use can help preserve forests and reduce our reliance on wood—thus protecting the ecological lifeblood of our planet. In doing so, we will incorporate technical data, case studies, and real-world insights, offering prospective homeowners, builders, and curious readers a comprehensive look at how steel structures are reshaping residential construction.
INTRODUCTION TO BONE STRUCTURE: REVOLUTIONIZING STEEL-FRAMED HOMES
BONE Structure was officially founded in 2005 and headquartered in Laval, Quebec. The company’s inception stemmed from the drive of its visionary founder, Marc Bovet, who was born in Switzerland on July 12, 1963 and later immigrated to Canada. Educated in industrial design and engineering, Bovet had spent nearly two decades honing his skills at Bombardier—one of the world’s foremost aerospace and transportation companies. This background exposed him to modular construction, precision manufacturing, and the core principles of aerospace engineering: lightweight materials, minimal waste, and exact tolerances.
Applying the lessons from Bombardier to the realm of residential construction, Bovet recognized how traditional wood-framed methods often suffered from warping, rot, pest infestations, and large amounts of waste—up to 30% of purchased lumber could end up as scrap. From his vantage point, the solution was obvious: adapt the precision and technological sophistication of aerospace engineering to build stronger, more efficient homes. Thus, BONE Structure was born, introducing an innovative, puzzle-like system wherein cold-formed steel components—beams, joists, columns, and trusses—were cut using CNC (Computer Numerical Control) to millimeter accuracy. These parts would be shipped to the construction site for fast, waste-minimized assembly.
By 2010, BONE Structure had expanded to employ over 100 engineers, designers, and construction specialists. Its annual production of 50+ prefabricated steel kit homes was shipped across North America, with strong market demand in Quebec, Ontario, and California. The advantages of the system were numerous: near-zero on-site waste, open-concept designs with large clear spans, and the ability to incorporate high-performance insulation and airtight building envelopes, leading to net-zero energy potential. The method also won acclaim for its modern aesthetic, strategic collaborations with architects and developers, and the capacity to address environmental concerns by limiting the use of wood.
Although BONE Structure soared to recognition as a premier innovator in the steel-framed residential market, a convergence of unfortunate events and the tragic loss of Marc Bovet led to the company’s closure. However, Bovet’s influence remained undeniable: he had proved that steel-framed homes could excel in sustainability, energy efficiency, speed of construction, and architectural beauty. His example shaped an entire generation of builders and engineers eager to carry the torch of steel-based innovation.
MARC BOVET’S VISION: THE DRIVE FOR PRECISION AND EFFICIENCY
From an early age, Marc Bovet showed a relentless curiosity about how things worked. Raised in a family of engineers, he was immersed in problem-solving discussions, nurturing a mindset that favored systematic innovation over tradition. At Bombardier, he witnessed how modular approaches could drastically reduce production timelines, enhance quality control, and minimize material waste—principles not commonly applied to residential construction at the time. Determined to modernize homebuilding, he developed the concept of a puzzle-like steel framing system that incorporated advanced digital design and precise manufacturing.
Key to Bovet’s philosophy was a refusal to accept the inefficiencies prevalent in wood-framed construction. He saw no reason why a house, typically the single biggest investment many people make, should be cobbled together with error-prone methods. Instead, Bovet imagined homes built with an engineer’s precision, resulting in less on-site guesswork, fewer structural vulnerabilities, and near-zero material wastage. The very name “BONE Structure” evoked the idea of a skeletal system that could be quickly and efficiently assembled while retaining enormous strength and flexibility.
During his leadership, BONE Structure thrived on the idea that steel could be not just an alternative to wood, but a superior choice. Although steel manufacturing is energy-intensive, Bovet viewed this as a trade-off offset by reduced deforestation, the easy recyclability of steel, and the capability for extreme energy efficiency once the home was completed. Under his guidance, BONE Structure employed collaborative teams of specialists—engineers, architects, and sustainability experts—resulting in numerous demonstration projects that showcased stunning aesthetics and high-performance building envelopes.
Bovet’s passing was deeply felt by colleagues, clients, and an entire industry that had begun to see steel-framed homes as a viable replacement for the outdated wood model. Yet, while his life ended unexpectedly, his legacy of precise, eco-conscious homebuilding lived on.
ENTER CHAD B. BRIAND: BUILDING UPON A LEGACY
Chad B. Briand, born on August 26, 1977, in Mississauga, Ontario, was raised in a household led by a single father who managed a limousine company in Toronto Ontario Canada. Growing up, Chad absorbed the values of discipline, entrepreneurship, and hands-on labor. Chad also participated in Scouts, Cadets, and the Junior Rangers, experiences that honed his problem-solving abilities and leadership skills.
Early on, Chad discovered a passion for construction, eventually dedicating more than 20 years to building custom homes. During childhood weekends, his father would often take him to tour new and model homes, where Chad would collect brochures, bring them back home, and trace the floor plans and layouts. Even at the age of six, Chad found himself erasing interior wall sections and reconfiguring them to his liking—a sign of his budding interest in home design. He also enrolled in drafting, construction courses and a specialized construction co-op program, immersing himself in the practical aspects of homebuilding, from foundational framing to project coordination.
After finishing high school, Chad briefly pursued another passion: building custom cars. For about four years, he worked as an auto body mechanic, learning the finer points of automotive aesthetics and restoration. Despite his enthusiasm for cars, he soon realized that autobody work was more of a hobby than a long-term career goal. Stepping away from auto body, Chad turned his attention fully to construction, starting with landscape construction and hardscaping—designing decks, water features, and specialized stonework. He moved on to work with a framing company, a commercial construction firm, and a demolition excavation outfit, continuously broadening his skill set.
In time, Chad launched his own demolition and excavation company, Global Deconstruction, which he operated successfully for eight years. As the business grew, he found himself taking on more framing, renovation, and project management tasks, reflecting his deepening interest in the broader scope of construction. Eventually, he decided to leave his company to work with RWH Construction—a leading custom home builder in Fenelon Falls—where he was first introduced to BONE Structure and its revolutionary steel-framing approach.
His exacting nature and eagerness to innovate led him to embrace new technologies, so when BONE Structure’s steel-framing method began making waves across Canada, he recognized a genuine opportunity. For nearly a decade, Chad specialized in constructing BONE homes, learning the finer points of steel framing, engineering fundamentals, sales, and manufacturing. Observing BONE Structure’s successes—and its occasional inefficiencies—he began to formulate ways to optimize the process, harnessing his knack for deconstructing established methods and reimagining them more efficiently.
Following the closure of BONE Structure, Chad found himself in a unique position. Possessing firsthand experience of Bovet’s steel-framing approach and driven by a moral imperative to keep the concept alive, Chad established STEEL Structure Homes. He often remarks that it was never his life’s plan to focus exclusively on steel-frame homes, yet the sudden gap left by BONE Structure, coupled with his admiration for Marc Bovet’s work, propelled him to continue—and evolve—a critical piece of modern homebuilding.
STEEL STRUCTURE HOMES: INNOVATION AND REFINEMENT
While STEEL Structure Homes draws heavily from BONE Structure’s methodology, Chad and his team have introduced several refinements that broaden accessibility, reduce material costs, and accelerate construction timelines. Chief among these is the realization that complete builds could be achieved with 30% less steel compared to early BONE designs, while also cutting construction time by up to 30%.
- Material Innovations: By collaborating with metallurgists and structural engineers, STEEL Structure Homes employs steel alloys that are both lighter and stronger, minimizing over-engineering. In earlier iterations of steel-framed systems, thicker or heavier-gauge steel was often used indiscriminately, driving up costs and construction weight.
- Advanced Fabrication: Borrowing from BONE Structure’s CNC-based approach, STEEL Structure Homes integrates advanced automation, robotic welding, and improved software algorithms to reduce scrap and increase manufacturing speed. These tweaks lower overall project costs and waste.
- Optimized Assembly: Chad’s on-site management background led him to simplify how parts connect, reducing the number of fasteners needed while speeding up crew training.
- Sustainability Improvements: Building on Bovet’s philosophy, STEEL Structure Homes places even greater emphasis on sourcing recyclable steel and minimizing wood usage. Combined with envelope enhancements—like high-performance insulation, airtight construction, and lower thermal bridging—the result is a more eco-friendly home that yields lower operational carbon footprints.
The result is a platform sometimes described as “BONE Structure 2.0.” While Chad embraces the term to acknowledge BONE’s influence, he remains quick to highlight that STEEL Structure Homes is not just repeating what Bovet started, but pushing it forward in new directions.
STEEL VS. WOOD: THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AND THE NEED TO SAVE FORESTS
A key question often posed is whether steel-framed construction is really more sustainable than using wood—an ostensibly renewable resource. Critics argue that producing steel emits more carbon than harvesting timber, yet this perspective neglects the ecological crisis posed by rampant deforestation.
The Role of Forests
Trees are crucial to balancing Earth’s carbon cycle. They absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen, effectively filtering the planet’s atmosphere. However, according to data from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the world loses around 15.3 billion trees per year, and deforestation continues at the alarming rate of about 80,000 acres daily. This not only diminishes the planet’s ability to sequester carbon but also leads to the collapse of habitats, disrupting biodiversity and water cycles.
Mass timber—gaining traction as a new trend in large-scale wood construction—may exacerbate deforestation if not counterbalanced by robust forest management and replanting efforts. Older, mature forests serve as massive carbon sinks, and removing them reduces ecological stability. Chad views this as the core moral issue: our planet depends on healthy, expansive forests for its basic life-support processes, and over-reliance on lumber-based construction puts that in jeopardy. Steel, while requiring significant energy to produce, can be recycled repeatedly, retains structural consistency over time, and avoids the pitfalls of rotting or termite infestation.
Considering these trade-offs, STEEL Structure Homes is firmly aligned with the principle that prioritizing forest conservation is paramount. In Chad’s view, the planet can adapt to greener steelmaking processes—like using renewable energy in production—more readily than it can recover from mass deforestation. From preserving biodiversity to mitigating climate change, the strategic choice to minimize wood consumption can have far-reaching benefits.
TECHNICAL SPOTLIGHT: WHY STEEL OUTPERFORMS WOOD
Beyond the environmental arguments, steel framing provides tangible technical advantages:
- Dimensional Stability: Steel does not warp or twist with moisture or temperature changes, eliminating common issues such as drywall cracks and misaligned doors or windows.
- Pest Resistance: Termites, carpenter ants, and other pests cannot feed on steel, preventing costly damage that commonly afflicts wood-framed structures.
- Fire Safety: Steel is non-combustible, offering enhanced structural integrity under high temperatures compared to wood, which ignites and spreads fire more readily.
- Precision and Efficiency: Prefabricated steel components can be cut to exact specifications in a factory, speeding up on-site assembly. This manufacturing precision reduces errors, labor costs, and material waste.
- Longer Lifespans: Because steel resists rot and pest damage, it often requires fewer renovations and structural repairs over its lifetime.
Where BONE Structure introduced many of these benefits to the residential market, STEEL Structure Homes has refined them by lowering steel usage and streamlining assembly, further decreasing costs.
BONE STRUCTURE VS. STEEL STRUCTURE HOMES: A CONTINUUM OF PROGRESS
Despite the “versus” framing, these two entities are more accurately seen as points on a developmental spectrum rather than adversaries. BONE Structure laid the groundwork, funneling millions of dollars into research, prototyping, and marketing to prove that steel-framed homes could be a superior option to wood. STEEL Structure Homes expands on that foundation, making the process more efficient, affordable, and scalable.
Some early BONE Structure employees have noted the synergy between the original system and STEEL Structure Homes’ enhancements. By partnering with these former engineers, Chad has successfully integrated lessons learned from BONE Structure’s formative years into a new, revitalized model that further reduces costs, speeds up construction, and remains committed to eco-friendly practices. In this sense, STEEL Structure Homes pays homage to BONE Structure every day, even as it applies novel engineering solutions to modern homebuilding.
HONORING THE VISION OF MARC BOVET
A crucial part of this story is the enduring respect for Marc Bovet and his creation. Bovet was not merely a business owner but an inspiration to many in the steel-framed construction world.
Chad frequently acknowledges that, had BONE Structure survived, he might have remained part of its ecosystem. Yet, the turn of events placed him at the helm of an emerging enterprise. With STEEL Structure Homes, he continues Bovet’s work of bridging aerospace-style precision with residential practicality—only now with iterative improvements that Bovet himself might have embraced had events unfolded differently.
In many respects, the parallels between Bovet and Briand are striking. Both men approached homebuilding from backgrounds that emphasized accuracy, efficiency, and methodical thinking. Both challenged conventional wisdom about wood framing, seeking to prove that steel was not merely for skyscrapers and industrial settings but could provide a better, longer-lasting, and more sustainable option for single-family residences. Their stories intersect at a pivotal juncture in history, when the stakes for climate change and resource preservation could not be higher.
LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY: LOOKING TOWARD THE FUTURE
One of the great appeals of steel construction is its longevity. A home framed in steel can endure for generations with minimal structural repairs, lowering lifecycle costs and preventing the wasteful cycle of demolition and rebuilding. When combined with best-in-class insulation and envelope design, steel-framed homes can also meet stringent certifications such as LEED, Passive House, or Net-Zero Energy, future-proofing them against rising energy standards.
BONE Structure took the first giant leap by demonstrating that a steel-framed home could be sleek, efficient, and realistic for broader adoption. STEEL Structure Homes refines that concept, introducing new alloys, manufacturing processes, and design optimizations that drastically reduce overhead while preserving or enhancing performance. At the same time, they champion a conservation mindset, reminding us that advanced materials engineering can help shield forests—nature’s critical carbon sinks—from the chainsaws.
WHY TREES MATTER: DEFORESTATION AS THE GREATER THREAT
Although discussions around steel vs. wood often focus on carbon footprints, Chad and many steel-framing advocates take a broader view. If trees are our planet’s lungs, then reckless deforestation is akin to suffocating ourselves in the long run. Even though reforestation is possible, the rate of tree loss can surpass the pace of replanting, particularly for mature forests that house complex ecosystems and store carbon in vast quantities.
Mass timber, which purports to be a more sustainable form of wood construction, still relies heavily on forestry. Without rock-solid policies ensuring new growth and protecting old-growth stands, the end result could be accelerated deforestation on a global scale. In contrast, steel, even if carbon-intensive to produce, can be recycled indefinitely and refined through greener production methods over time. Meanwhile, critical forests remain standing, continuing to purify our air and maintain biodiversity. This trade-off—sparing trees by using steel—may prove vital in mitigating climate change and protecting the planet’s natural resources for future generations.
CONCLUSION: A CONTINUING LEGACY
The story of BONE Structure and STEEL Structure Homes exemplifies how bold, innovative thinking can reshape entire industries. Under Marc Bovet, BONE Structure broke new ground, applying aerospace principles to home construction and proving that steel-framed residences could be not only strong and efficient but architecturally stunning and eco-friendly. While BONE Structure’s operations ended, its mission did not.
Chad B. Briand, influenced by a disciplined upbringing and guided by the passion he cultivated during his decade of building BONE homes, founded STEEL Structure Homes. By adopting and expanding upon the methods Bovet developed, Chad effectively created a new model—one that uses less steel, assembles faster, and leans on continuous innovation to preserve the essence of what Bovet had started. Their trajectories might have differed, but both Bovet and Briand have shown that genuine progress happens when we are unafraid to challenge entrenched norms, whether those norms involve traditional wood framing or outdated manufacturing processes.
Above all, the move away from wood and toward steel underscores a deeper moral imperative: save the forests. In a time of escalating climate threats, the forests we do not cut down may matter more than almost anything else we do. Steel can be produced in increasingly greener ways, and every steel beam that goes into a home is one less wooden stud extracted from nature’s carbon-capturing canopy. The synergy between Bovet’s original vision and Briand’s refined approach lays out a compelling blueprint for how we can build forward-thinking homes without compromising the planet’s ecological balance.
In the final analysis, labeling the relationship between BONE Structure and STEEL Structure Homes as “versus” misses the point. This is a continuum of innovation, where each iteration builds upon the last. The lessons Marc Bovet imparted—that precision, sustainability, and modern engineering can coexist—remain foundational. Today, STEEL Structure Homes continues that legacy, fostering better construction methods that protect our shared future. Ultimately, the path forward in homebuilding has been illuminated by the synergy of two visions, united by steel and guided by the belief that we owe our planet—and ourselves—nothing less than our very best.
CALL TO ACTION
Are you interested in exploring steel-framed construction for your next custom build? Follow us on social media, visit our website, and check out our other articles to learn more about how STEEL Structure Homes is forging the future of sustainable homebuilding. Join us in honoring the legacy Marc Bovet began, and help create a world where innovation, efficiency, and environmental responsibility come together in every home.
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