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Timber Frames are GreenFirst, let me attempt to define
green. Almost every imaginable slice of the building industry
has claimed to be green even if it means only the use of wood or
bamboo flooring or "organic" cellulose for insulation.
To
be green, a building should be durable, flexible, efficient,
sustainable in all implications, and well built. Looking at
these attributes, a thoughtful person might think "Aha!
Quality!"
Lets take a step back to look at
buildings which have been successful for centuries (ie., lived
in, useful, and enjoyed). Many timber frame buildings,
residential and otherwise, have been in use for centuries in
Europe, Japan, and North America. Indeed, most structures built
were timber frame until the advent of cheap nails and water or
steam power to mass produce small dimension lumber, about 1845.
Since then, the quality of framing construction, in general, has
deteriorated. Consider the need to hold the corners together
with plywood in many current frames.
Timber frame
buildings last remarkably well. They are inherently strong, and
wooden pegs do not rust. Part of this tendency to last well is
the framer's skill and desire to create a showpiece for
centuries, and the homeowner's pride in the ownership of such a
building. With today's improved roofing, flashing, and other
materials, modern timber frames are likely to outlast their
forebears which have lasted centuries. |
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Flexibility is another important quality. There are no load
bearing walls in a timber frame, so walls may be moved or
removed as the need arises, easily, with no concern of weakening
the structure of the building. Even if the building is razed,
the timbers may easily be recycled.
Efficiency is of
paramount importance with energy costs high and rising. The
current best insulation, structural insulated panels or SIPS,
was first used by Frank Lloyd Wright, and later by the
refrigeration industry for walk-in refrigeration units. Now
these extremely efficient panels are used on the walls and roofs
of timber frames to produce very strong and durable insulating
envelopes around the building.
This results in
remarkably decreased costs of heating and cooling. Often, to
encourage efficient building, there are tax credits on the
local, state, and federal levels as well as local electric
company discounts for buildings qualifying for the LEED or
Healthy Built Homes programs. Your accountant can provide advice
on this. Please click on the links below for more information.
CABIN CREEK TIMBER FRAMES
828-369-5899
6624
Georgia Road Franklin, NC 28734
www.cabincreektimberframes.com
jbell@cabincreektimberframes.com
Sips.org
Suretight.com
Hers or Home Energy Rating System
www.energy.ca.gov/HERS/index.html
www.healthybuilthomes.org
Energy Star www.energystar.gov
LEED
www.usgbc.org
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