Timber Frame Construction, compared to stick built or conventional framing, is a very sustainable building technology. Unlike stick building, the materials used in a timber frame will inevitably be reclaimed and recycled. In fact, many timber frames are made from reclaimed and recycled frames from barns, bridges, warehouses, and factory buildings. An argument is sometimes made that Timber Frames use old growth lumber. In fact, some do. But Timber Frame homes typically last much longer than conventionally framed homes. Timber Frames in Europe and Asia are more than 1000 years old. One way to preserve old growth forests is to build homes that last a lot longer so fewer trees will be cut for construction purposes. One other fact about Timber Frames is that they are frequently build from fast growing farm raised southern yellow pine which is kiln dried. Farm raised Southern Yellow pine is a renewable resource.

Further supporting Timber Frame as a sustainable building method is that Timber Frame combined with SIP panels provides a highly insulated, tight structure that uses much less energy for heating and cooling than conventionally framed structures.

A Timber Frame home, though generally more expensive to build than a conventionally framed home, also brings with it the beauty of posts and beams, open floor plans and soaring ceilings. So Timber Frame construction is not only good for the planet, but beautiful as well.

So much of what we build today is junk. And by junk I mean, it’s not going to be around in 100 years. In a short 100 years that new house you see going up in the new ticky-tack subdivision across the road is going to be bulldozed flat to make room for more junk. Because they just don’t build things the way they used to… with an eye to the future and concerns for the longevity of the structure. And pretty much every piece and parcel of today’s brand new subdivision home is going to end up in a landfill. Because hardly any of it is recyclable.

The Dimensional Lumber Trap

I know it was supposed to be a big deal when dimensional lumber became the primary structural ingredient of smaller buildings. It was supposed to revolutionize the construction of single family and smaller multi-family dwellings. The 2x4s and their ilk make up most of the structural components of todays subdivision clones. Oh, there are some heavier structural components, but a home is only as strong structurally as its weakest link, and most of these homes are shoddily framed with small dimensional lumber. That’s the cheapest way to do it and as much as we claim to be concerned about sustainability, we’re all about affordable housing now. And think of this: what if a home did last for 20 generations instead of 5? If that were the case, then we would need a lot fewer homes each year because fewer homes would need to be replaced. And that’s not a good thing for all those people who work in the second largest industry in the U.S. Farming is the first. Construction is the second. Junk food and junk houses.

Building Things That Last For Centuries

So there you have it. Construction has many thousands of years of history and we are now building cheap, non-recyclable or reclaimable housing instead of housing that could indeed, last centuries. 1000 years ago in Asia and Europe they were building buildings that are still around today. They are made of stone and timbers carefully chosen for longevity, insect resistance, for their ability to perform through the centuries, to withstand hurricanes, earthquakes, and man’s occupancy. Certainly we have the resources to build like that today. And in some cases we are. Timber Frame structures and buildings constructed of larger manufactured structural members are built to last. They are the aberration, not the norm. Look around you. How many of the newer structures you see will still be standing in more than 100 years much less 1000? We don’t build it to last. We build it so it will be relatively easy to demolish. If the Roman Coliseum were built today it certainly wouldn’t last more than about 40 years. Don’t you think? Despite all we’ve learned about building since the time of the Egyptians and the Mayans and the Romans and all the great forefathers of modern construction, we don’t build any better. Rather, we build worse. We don’t build for tomorrow. We build for now. And now is a very temporary thing.

That’s why I say, all the world’s best builders are dead.

1. Proves that you’re a leader and a roll model
2. Demonstrates that beauty is more than skin deep
3. Gives you something to talk and/or brag about at cocktail parties
4. Shows your good taste, common sense, and innate intelligence
5. Helps promote a new, sustainable economy
6. Protects the kritters large and small
7. Proves you’re cool for keeping the planet cool
8. Shows the Kiddies that you care
9. Just plain good Karma
10. Makes you feel good all over

LEED for Homes could see changes in the future. Eco Home magazine reports that revised LEED for Homes requirements are projected to be released in November 2012. The purpose for the LEED for Homes updates is to create a more streamlined certification process that will reduce paperwork and shift to a performance-based criteria.

LEED for Homes Technical Development Manager Asa Foss said during the 2010 Greenbuild conference that “LEED has always pushed codes… And whenever we stretch the LEED requirements we try to balance how far to go and how fast.”

Some of the proposed changes include the following:

• Changing the certification points scale from 136 points to 100 points to align with other rating systems.
• Updating Energy and Atmosphere credits to meet new Energy Star for Homes Version 3.0 requirements.
• Requiring all projects to complete Energy Star 3.0 HVAC inspection checklists.

Eco Home magazine also reports that this new approach to LEED-certification would “reward design decisions that affect performance in ways that a prescriptive path can’t, and offer fairer comparisons between homes – including existing homes.”

What do you think about the proposed changes for LEED for Homes? Share your thoughts with us! If you would like more information on LEED for Homes, please visit www.ecohomemagazine.com or www.usgbc.org.

Photo credit: Ecohomemagazine.com.

Top Ten Reasons Why Design and Build Simply Works Better

The Steamboat Project was Design Build

1. Comprehensive budget – prepared by experienced number crunchers who are intimate with every phase of the project from planning through design to construction and interior design.
2. Beginning to end supervision – One entity supervises the project from inception to completion creating continuity and project expertise.
3. Seamless multi-disciplined integration – All the necessary disciplines (architecture, planning, engineering, construction, interior design) are housed under the same roof and answer to the same authority creating simplified workflow.
4. Single entity accountability –  If something ain’t right, one entity is responsible for correcting the supervision and has the authority to do it.
5. Breadth of knowledge – The team is experienced in all phases of a homebuilding project, not just a particular discipline. The result is a synergistic knowledge base.
6. Parallel track design and construction – During design, construction budget, timeframe, and  logistical issues are examined while during construction, design changes can be readily implemented.
7. Design guidance and input – Builder sits at the design table. Who better to provide relevant design guidance than someone experienced in homebuilding.
8. Budgetary input during design – A builder intimate with the design process can provide cost management advice during the design phase.
9. Proven team member/players – The team members know each other well having worked on many projects together
10. Accessibility – The client always has access to the entire team through any single team member.

Note: Design and Build projects by Trilogy Partners include Caleb’s Journey, Rounds Road, Calecho, Steamboat, Kauai, and others featured in the project gallery.

Design Rendering of Trilogy Design Build Project "Calecho"

Trilogy is a Design Build residential construction company. But just what is Design Build?

What It Isn’t

Let me answer that question by first giving and example of what Design Build is not. Suppose you want to build your dream home (or any home, for that matter.) What’s the first thing you do? Right, buy a lot. So you contact a real estate agent who helps you find a lot. Now you own a lot. It may be , in industry parlance, a highly build-able lot. Or it may require expensive infrastructure that you weren’t counting on. You’ll find that out later on. Okay, still you own the lot. Now you need someone to design a house for the lot. Taking a deep breath you initiate an interview process and then hire an architect. An engineer. And you may or may not need other specialists or someone to help with planning, building permits and all the other details necessary before you can even begin to build. Then you need to hire a builder. You audition a bunch of builders. You may ask for a bid from each one. The bid is based on a budget based on the drawings the architect and engineer have produced. Some of the bids are low, some high. Some of the builders say the plans are adequate for construction. Others say the plans are inadequate and they  need more information, something the architect disputes. So you lay awake at night. Which builder do you hire? One builder says your lot will be difficult to build on. Another says it’s a piece of cake. Do you hire the lowest bid? What if a builder with a fantastic reputation comes in at a higher price. Is he worth the extra money? And then a couple of the builders say they don’t like fixed price budgets and that their clients prefer Cost Plus contracts and budgets. What are they talking about? The one thing you know for sure. Every builder, the architect, the engineer, the interior designer, everyone associated with the project seems to have a different opinion about every question you ask.

This is not Design Build. Design Build proposes a completely different organizational structure.

What It Is

With Design Build the client engages one entity to oversee the entirety of the home building project to include but not limited to lot choice, planning, architectural design and interior design. The Design Builder puts together an experienced team and facilitates the interaction between the design and build project participants. Architecture, Engineering, Planning, Construction, Interior Design, Interior Decorating integrate seamlessly around the table provided by the Design Builder. Most Design Builders will even suggest that they take a roll in helping the client and the real estate professional secure the best lot. The Design Builder is the party responsible for the successful outcome of the project.  The Design Builder is the bottom line when it comes to cost or labor or timeline. The Design Builder helps the home owner establish a responsible budget amount, and then governs the process so that the owner reaches budgetary goals. And architectural goals. And goals that include time frame and completion dates. A good Design Builder even advises the client with issues concerning project impact and sustainability. The Design Builder is the owner’s partner in the design and construction of the home. The Design builder supplies all the manpower, materials, and know how needed to build the home. Design Build not only offers the client a degree of integration, fiduciary responsibility, and efficiency that is atypical of the conventional “design then engineer then build” construction process. But Design build offers the homeowner client an unmatched level of security, commitment and accountability as well.

Trilogy Partner’s Design and Build approach results in successful projects. Its strong and enduring client relationships proves the worth of Design Build as a management process. Visit the Project Gallery to see examples of Trilogy Design Build projects.

Here’s a question for you: what’s the most important element of a successful homebuilding project? Is it the lot? Architect? Builder, materials? Contractors?  Nope, none of these things are the MOST important element of the project. If you’re about to hire a builder or architect, ask them this question and then hope for this answer: Nothing is more important than a good budget. A good budget is the roadmap to success… a bad budget a sure course to failure.  A budget is more important to the project than the skill of the architect or builder, or the beauty of the design, or the building site. Let me say that again. Nothing is more important to the successful outcome of a project than a properly prepared, accurate budget.

The Good Budget

What is a home building budget? It’s the A to Z dollar amount of everything, and I mean every thing, that will go into the production of the home. It starts with Architecture and Design.  The final line item might be the cost of the construction clean. Or, depending on the project, it may also include stereo equipment for the media room, or the costs of furnishing the house. But the budget always considers the costs of design and construction.

Budgeting the costs of the home MUST begin during the design process. Unfortunately, because it is not their job nor their experience to build homes, the project architect is not a reliable source of costs and should not prepare the construction budget. It takes years of experience dealing with project costs and conditions to have the background necessary to prepare a project budget. So if not the architect, who should begin the budget during the design phase? One of the biggest mistakes home owners make is to wait to hire a builder until after the home is designed. Why? Because a builder should be aboard during the design phase so as to advise the architect and the client as to the projected costs of the project.  One advantage of the Design and Build approach to project management is that because the Design Builder hires all members of the design and build team, including the architect, the Design Builder is intimate with all costs.  At Trilogy Partners we operate as a Design and Build constructor. On every project we supervise every line item in every project budget. After having done this for more than a decade, we are better qualified than most to assemble and monitor a project budget. In fact, one of the most heard compliments from our clients is how accurate and detailed our budgets are. Before contracting, we furnish sample budgets to every potential client so they know just how serious we are about project numbers.

Bad Budget, Bad!

So, what are the consequences of a bad budget. Well, cost overruns will very likely strain the relationship between Owner, Architect and Builder. But worse still, cost overruns could financially imperil the owner, and thus the project.  Can you imagine thinking it would cost X to build your house, only to find out as the project went along that it was going to cost X plus 50%? It happens more frequently than the industry would like to admit. The biggest complaint heard in the construction industry doesn’t concern construction quality but rather, poor cost estimating and financial management. So let me ask again, “What’s the most important element of a successful project?” It’s the budget. And a good budget is the best friend, the closest buddy, you will have on any project. So make sure that who ever you hire to supervise your project prepares a project friendly budget. Or else.

A common misperception (and one apparently endorsed by many government agencies that intend to promote energy efficiency) is that the energy effectiveness of a wall depends almost solely on the R value of the insulation in that wall. Definitely not true. Think of how a wall is constructed. Lumber, windows, sheathing, house wrap, drywall. Each stick of lumber not only conducts heat or cold from the outside, but makes that much less room for insulation. What about windows? The more windows, especially those that don’t have the benefit of direct sunlight, the less energy efficient the wall system.  If you want to consider the overall efficiency of a wall, don’t just consider the R-value of the insulation. Consider how the entire wall system is constructed. For instance, for the Zero Net Energy home we constructed in Breckenridge, we reduced the amount of lumber in the exterior walls so that we could increase the amount of insulation. We did this by using engineered lumber from Boise Cascade. This allowed us to place the vertical framing studs farther apart, increasing the amount of insulation in the wall. We used blown in rigid (blue)  foam insulation which filled every potential air gap. Air infiltration in fiberglass insulated walls dramatically decreases a wall’s energy efficiency.  And then we wrapped the entire house in rigid foam board insulation, increasing the R-value  and further eliminating air infiltration. Windows on the north and north western sides of the home were reduced in favor of more window area on the southern areas of the home. Exterior wall systems properly engineered are an order of magnitude more energy efficient than conventionally constructed walls with higher R-value insulation, thereby putting the R-value Insulation Myth to rest.

John and I built our first house for ourselves. Then we sold it, bought land and built another. We know how to build homes. We also know what it is like to be a client. To be the one for whom the house is being built. On that first house, Woodhouse Post and Beam manufactured and erected the Timber Frame and the panel walls for the home. We were their client. We hire architects and engineers on every project. We are the client. We are the client of the guy who delivers the Port-O-Let. We are the clients of the banker, the attorney, and the plumber and electrician. We know how it feels to be a client. You’re either serviced well, and really feel that you matter to the service provider or supplier. Or you feel like you don’t matter and you should have taken your business elsewhere. We know this feeling. What it feels like to pay money to someone who doesn’t seem to value your business.  It’s a terrible feeling. It’s just plain wrong. Which is why, at Trilogy, John and I and every person who works here is committed to an extraordinary level of service. Our clients are the people for whom we design and build. To us, they are the most important people in our business lives. And we never forget that. How it feels to be a client. To us, the client really matters. And making the client happy is what makes our job fulfilling.

As time progresses, sustainability in design will continue to be a pressing issue. Sustainability means more than just using building and design materials that are made to last. Certain standards must be followed to ensure we complete projects in a manner that is environmentally friendly, such as the Timber Trails residence. To make that possible, we follow the LEED certification standards set forth by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

LEED for Homes is a consensus-developed, third party-verified, voluntary rating system that promotes the design and construction of high-performance green homes. For a home to be considered LEED-certified it must be registered with the USGBC.

Registered projects are measured for overall performance in eight different categories, which include Innovation & Design Process, Location & Linkages, Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy & Atmosphere, Materials & Resources, Indoor Environment Quality, and Awareness & Education. Homes are rated on a minimum level of performance and are rewarded for improved performance in the categories listed above. Homes accrue points and achieve one of four LEED for Homes Certification Levels based on the amount of points earned (we’ll look at the points system in greater detail later on).

Here at Trilogy Partners, we strive to build homes that are as environmentally friendly as possible. LEED for Homes is just one of the tools we use to aid us in that process. We’ll explore more factors of the LEED certification process in the near future, so be sure to check back with us often!

Image courtesy of The Daily Green