Take a moment to recall how have you changed your everyday routine to become more environmentally cautious. Many people have adjusted their lifestyle for the greater good. They cycle, sort their trash, use glass water bottles, etc.
All these are small but necessary steps toward long term sustainability and improving the health of our planet. But when it comes to the places where we live, work, go to the gym, drink our coffee, etc. the construction companies are the ones that take over and are responsible for sustainability.
For the past 100 years, we are witnessing how concrete and steel buildings are replacing traditional low rise timber frame houses. For a long time, this was the only solution for cities to facilitate the ever-expanding urbanization. But the engineering of timber structures has gone a long way since. And now more than ever, the timber as a construction material is ready to make a comeback and leave a positive environmental impact along the way. More and more countries in the EU are shifting their local regulations in favor of timber construction. Countries are switching from material specifications to norms and requirements. This switch enables engineers to look for ways how to use timber more effectively while obeying the law.
When compared to other construction materials, timber has many environmental advantages.
From the moment the material is sourced until it is used in construction, a lot of handling and transportation takes place. Timber is a light material. Therefore timber handling process creates less CO2 emissions when compared to concrete, steel and other construction materials. The lightweight also compliments the timber structures ability to remain stable in seismic regions.
A lot of people are concerned about fire resistance when it comes to timber buildings. Here we can take a look at how nature is adapting to forest fires. Timber is a material that will churn rather than burn or melt at high temperatures. This means that it is possible to calculate how long the structure will hold until it collapses. Due to the new regulations, timber frame buildings are engineered in a way to withhold fire for a specific time, and still remain structural integrity afterwards.
We are a company that has experience working with prefabricated timber frame structures for over 20 years now. In the process, we only use timber sourced from trusted vendors who value sustainability. By manufacturing our houses, we are limiting the time we spend on a construction site. This means that we can control and reduce the impact we leave on the environment. Be sure to do your own research on the matter. And we hope that you will see the benefit of choosing timber.
An excellent place to start: A Sustainable Timber Skyline: The Future of Design | Ben Kaiser | TEDxPortland (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vetYAeh9MUI)
