A Greener Way To Build
There are many advantages to timber frame construction - and we'll look at those in a minute- but one of this method's best qualities is its environmental credibility. Timber frame experts have long upheld the method's eco- friendliness: but the belief has been that the house-buying and building public weren't too worried about how "green" their homes were. They were more worried about location, cost, design and so on. And, quite rightly, they still are. But the "green" agenda now permeates many aspects of our lives - just look at the GM foods debate- and we are realising that the choices we make as purchasers actually make a difference to our environment - and to the products that are offered to us. Consumer power is a potent force, and many of us are waking up to that fact!
So, what if there was a method of construction which was
fast
efficient
modern
price competitive
design flexible
AND environmentally friendly?
Wouldn't that be a winner?
The UK Timber Frame Association the UK wide organisation which speaks for timber frame, certainly thinks so. For timber frame is recognised as the most environmentally friendly way to build. For example, timber frame:
Uses timber, a natural, renewable resource Sources its timber from well managed softwood forests, mostly in Scandinavia but also from the UK Insulates its structures with CFC free insulation Gives a thermal performance more energy efficient than that required by Building Regulations
Timber frame is the world's most widely used construction method, accounting for 70% of low rise construction in the developed world. In the UK some 11.7% of homes are timber frame, a proportion which is growing steadily. In Scotland, some 60% of all new build houses are timber frame and over 90% of all self build is timber frame. In England and Wales some 6% of all new build housing is timber frame.
Dr David Bellamy the colourful environmentalist and broadcaster says: "If you have to build something - and there's going to be 1 billion people on earth one day they will all want nice houses to live in - they've got to be built in timber frame."
But what about cutting down all those trees, do I hear you ask? True enough, trees, with their oxygen producing capability are known as the lungs of the earth. Mature trees, however, absorb far less carbon dioxide and produce less oxygen than those at earlier stages of growth. So the harvesting of older trees for construction purposes, and their replacement with saplings - two planted for every one harvested in Scandinavian forests- ensures a constant cycle of CO2 absorption and oxygen production, helping us cut down on greenhouse gases. Indeed research confirms that if all homes built in the UK since 1945 had been constructed in modern timber frame, more than 300m tons of CO2 emissions would have been eliminated.
Although the annual total of new homes built each year in the UK accounts for just under 1 per cent of the total housing stock, it is an important percentage. Energy efficient, well- insulated TF homes using CFC free material would reduce the overall requirements for power from this sector, and as new houses replace older stock so the demands on fossil fuels would decrease. The contention, therefore, from the UKTFA is that timber frame is the environmentally responsible way to build.
Although the "green" credentials of TF housing make this method of construction attractive to environmentally conscious house hunters, there are a number of other benefits which account for timber frame's wider popularity, particularly with selfbuilders.
Quite simply a timber frame house is speedy to construct. In ideal conditions it can be watertight in two days with completion in as little as eight weeks, and since the components are manufactured under strict factory conditions, accurate on-site assembly is made easier. TF components are strong, but with the plus of being relatively lightweight they are easy to transport. This makes timber frame especially suitable for remote sites, and also in some cases for locations where ground conditions would not be suitable for a heavier form of construction.
A timber frame house is long lasting and compares well with all other standard forms of construction. It will easily last 60 years - a timescale demanded by most insurers and building societies, and is fully recognised for lending purposes by banks and building societies. Strong and warm, timber frame homes are also quiet - delivering an excellent acoustic performance, particularly through party walls.. Finally, timber frame homes are highly design -flexible, and are able to accept any standard finish - brick, tile, stone or render, for example. Add it all up and its little wonder that more and more people are turning to timber frame.