A Greener Way To Build There are many advantages to timber frame construction, 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, 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? We certainly think so. For timber frame is recognised as the most environmentally friendly way to build. For example, timber frames:
Uses timber - a natural, renewable resource, from well managed softwood forests - mostly in Scandinavia but also here in Ireland. 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 Ireland some 11.7% of homes are timber frame, a proportion that is growing steadily. In Scotland, some 50% of all new build houses are timber frame.
But what about cutting down all those trees? 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 "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...  Quite simply a timber frame house is speedy to construct. In ideal conditions it can be watertight in a couple of days with completion in as little as eight to twelve 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. Add it all up, and its little wonder that more and more people are turning to timber frame as their preferred method of construction.
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The Enviornment 
