1)     The practice of increasing the efficiency of buildings and their use of energy, water, and materials, and reducing building impacts on human health and the environment, through better siting, design, construction, operation, and maintenance.

2)     Timber frames

I guess that says it all.  Timber frames were designed and built green long before building green became buzzwords.  Timbers are a renewable resource.  Enclosing timber frame homes with insulated panels ensure that the energy used to heat and cool them will be minimized.  That is a huge step in building green.

So if you are thinking about building a sustainable, energy efficient home, your best first step is to build an original green home … a timber frame.

The appeal of a timber framed home comes in many forms from the strength of their timbers to the elegance in which they all come together to form a hand crafted structure. Each home is unique to the owners that have had it built and is a testimony to the longevity and beauty of that structure. It has been crafted to last for many lifetimes, which is a feature that all can appreciate. That attribute still rings even in today’s world.

Timber framed homes have been around for hundreds of years. My home in the Bahamas is a timber framed home and is well over 100 years old. No small feat considering that it sits on a cay ( small island) of approximately 40 acres and has been through numerous hurricanes in its lifetime. Just this year we were hit by Hurricane Irene with winds over 140mph and true to her nature, she stood proud through another storm. Our home has all the original Roman numerals from the original builders of years gone by showing their hard work and dedication to their craft.  We have made changes and updates but the structure itself remains the same as when it was first built many years ago.

Homes like this, and in those in less hostile environments, have and will withstand the tests of time. A true testament to their strength and ability to withstand years of various owners and the forces that nature can throw at them. They have proven their lasting value and continue to do so even in our present throw away society. A timber framed home lives on for many generations to come and for many generations of different families.

Guest contributor Todd Vendituoli owns and runs Todd  Vendituoli Construction in W. Burke, Vt

Visit his blog: http://thebuildingblox.blogspot.com/

Follow Todd on Twitter  @TALV58

The Pond and the Cottage are beautiful examples of timber frame homes.  They are both available for sale and for rent here in Franklin, North Carolina…just west of Asheville.

So today we’re sharing videos of these beautiful homes.  Walk through them and enjoy the beauty…it is certainly worth sharing.

Thank you for allowing us to share the beauty!

Your mission will be to develop a plan that will live well, serve you well, be efficient, and be beautiful.  That’s not a small task.  You’ll need all the help you can get to find just the right timber frame plan.  Some home plans will work in one way and others in another.

That’s where our latest plan book comes in.  The timber frame photos and timber frame home plans included will give you a place to start.  You can narrow down what you like and what doesn’t work for you.  Then you can begin to work toward the perfect home plan.  And the talented Goshen team is ready to work with you to design that perfect home.

Goshen’s CD has small home plans, large home plans, fully timber framed plans, and hybrid home plans.   You can peruse them at your leisure and print them to share with others.  (But remember they are all Goshen copyrighted plans, so don’t ask someone else to build them for you.)

Also included are three videos to show you how a timber frame comes together.  That’s an exciting day for most homeowners.

So drop us a note at plans@timberframemag.com and we’ll get a CD off to you.  Or, if you’d like, we’ll send you a download link to the files on the CD.

These plans are the perfect first step on your journey.