More and more we have become aware of the
impact of building upon our environment. We can work to build
home that sits lightly on the land, minimizing the effect of
building. Many of the decisions we make as we design and build
our homes have long-ranging results. Building a green,
sustainable home gives us the opportunity to maximize the
efficient use of resources, have a healthier building, and have
long term cost savings.
Green and sustainable buildings will use
products that are readily renewable, provide for long term
energy efficiency and will maintain their structural integrity
far longer than typical buildings. Timber frames are by nature
of their structure, green, and when enclosed with insulated
panels, provide energy savings for years to come.
 Benefits of a timber frame that equate with
green building:
- Maximum building life
- Design flexibility
- Energy Conservation
Timber is a renewable resource. Some
timbers, such as eastern white pine, are a rapidly renewable
resource. Timbers harvested regionally require minimal
embodied energy. The timbers are sawn and planed into massive
support posts and beams, unlike typical 2X material that is
often milled across the country from the building site. These
same 2X’s are kiln-dried, requiring additional embodied energy
to make them stable enough to use. Traditionally timber frames
are built with green (un-dried) timbers, allowing the timbers to
dry naturally in the home.
A conventional, stick-framed wall is built
with 2X studs nailed in place on 16” centers. Insulation,
either batts or blown-in, is used to fill the voids between the
studs usually to an R-16. However, the R-value of the wall is
degraded at every stud to less than R-4.5. A Goshen structural
insulated panel (SIP) wall has a whole wall value of R-24. The
long term savings in dollars and minimizing the use of energy is
typically 50-60%.
The appearance of your green home should be
aesthetically pleasing. It should fit the local vernacular
design form of your area and it should look and feel like
“home”. A green home should live well and rest easily on it’s
land. It should be a healthy home, with abundant natural
light and natural ventilation.
A green home will be well sited, taking
advantage of the sun in the winter to heat the home, but being
careful to shield the windows from excessive sun in the
summer. Timbers provide thermal mass that can absorb the heat
during the day and release it at night. This action is
optimized by the exceptional insulation provided by insulated
panels.
A timber frame with panel enclosure
minimizes waste, another important green concept. Since both
timber frame and panels are built in a controlled environment,
making best use of materials, there is very little waste either
in production or on site.
A green, sustainable home will provide a
home that uses resources sensibly while reducing the impact of
building on the environment. A well-sited timber frame with
structural insulated panel enclosure goes a long way toward
building a better tomorrow as you build your home today. |
