In the world of sustainable home-building, it doesn’t get much better than timber frame homes. Sustainable timber frame construction is one of the most eco-friendly building methods you can use—which is probably not surprising, given that it’s also one of the most ancient ways of building a home still used today.
At Hamill Creek, we are proud to say that our work is inherently eco-friendly. When you look at how we engineer our timber frame homes, you will quickly see that minimizing our environmental impact is baked into the process. For clients that want to maximize energy efficiency and sustainability, we can go even further in the design process. It all depends on your vision and your budget.
For more information on sustainable home-building, please get in touch. We are standing by to answer your questions!
The Rise in Eco-Friendly Timber Frame Construction
Homebuyers and the general public have never been more interested in sustainability and green homes. Perhaps that’s why timber frame construction has been increasing in popularity as well. The public is attracted to natural building materials like timber and no building style gets you closer to natural wood than timber framing.
Designers like those at Hamill Creek are pushing the envelope even further to achieve even more sustainability. Incorporating as many energy-saving technologies as possible, experimenting with passive heating and cooling, and focusing on sustainable timber sourcing—the industry is only improving in its ability to reduce the environmental impact of home building.
Benefits of Timber Frame Construction
Hamill Creek president and owner Dwight Smith was recently featured in an article about timber frame home sustainability in Timber Home Living. In the interview, he outlines some of the key benefits of this type of construction.
“Wood grows naturally and it is the only major building material that’s renewable and sustainable over the long term,” Dwight said.
He went on to explain that wood outperforms steel and concrete when using the EPA-preferred life-cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. The LCA considers the materials and assemblies used and looks at their environmental impacts over their lifetime. Repeated studies show that wood is better for the environment than steel or concrete when it comes to resource use, embodied energy, global warming, and air and water pollution avoidance.
Sustainable Practices
There are many ways that timber framing incorporates sustainable practices to protect the environment. The material is completely non-toxic and there is no risk of it breaking down into components that harm the environment. It’s lighter than many other materials, making it less energy-intensive to transport. It’s also naturally insulating, so it helps avoid excess energy loss from the home.
What is the most sustainable timber for building? Well, growing any timber is helpful because trees absorb a lot of CO2 from the atmosphere. There are a variety of woods that are considered sustainable, including:
- Douglas Fir
- Western Red Cedar
Sustainable Design Options
What makes a timber frame home sustainable? There are many ways a timber frame home can be designed to be more sustainable. Granted, just using wood as the primary building material makes sustainable timber frame construction superior in this area. But there are more things that you can do to design a sustainable home.
Designing the home for passive heating and cooling can drastically reduce your energy needs. It’s an age-old approach to building, but it does take some specialized knowledge and careful planning to do it right. The basics include orienting the home to take advantage of sunlight in winter and minimize it in summer, planting trees to provide extra shade from the sun, and incorporating high-quality windows and ventilation to control airflow.
Our team can help you design the most sustainable home possible for your budget.
Future of Timber Frame Homes
The future of timber frame homes is definitely going towards maximum sustainability. Technology is constantly improving in this area, offering more energy-efficient options, more effective design strategies, and more sustainable materials.
To take advantage of these advanced technologies, it’s important to work with designers and builders who stay up-to-date with the latest trends.
Let Us Help with Your Eco-Friendly Timber Frame Build
Transform your home with the expertise of Hamill Creek. We specialize in timber frame construction and sustainable building practices, ensuring you reap all the benefits of a timber frame home while achieving the style and aesthetic you desire. Reach out to us today to start your journey towards an eco-friendly and stylish living space.
Blog Archive / Key Considerations for Contractors Building a Timber Frame Home