At Frameworks Timber, we’re as concerned with the why of green building as we are with the how. For us, being green builders is about living in the world as responsible stewards. Our community involvement, company culture, and willingness to practice our principles makes our process naturally green.

Read our recently published article, "Against Entropy"   Read More

Thinking Green — Changing Consciousness
Our thinking green strategies focus primarily on four areas: overall building design and planning, the culture of craft and craftspeople, our relationship with our community, and the practice of top notch building skills.

Overall building design/designing with timber: Spending more time during the design phase ensures sustainable buildings. In addition to aesthetic and stuctural considerations, sustainable design must: minimize wasted materials, avoid unnecessary space and features, identify site specific requirements,  explore alternative energy sources, and consider ease of repair and maintenance. Our designs also focus on disentangling systems (mechanichal, structural, insulation, etc.), that make adaptive reuse of buildings much simpler. 

Part of our fascination with timber structures isn’t just their current use, but the evidence that big timbers will always be valued and useful-even if the buildings we build now are taken down later. Current markets place the value of recycled timber as high as four times that of new. We don’t expect that to change. 

The culture of craft and craftspeople: We expect to live and behave in communities as respected members, not fulfilling the stereotype about construction workers that is common.  Our cultural expectations begin in our shop. We’re a company of educated, passionate, driven people with high expectations. We expect to see change in the culture of building by being the change.  Meet us here.

Community development/relationships: We've found that building timberframe projects somehow roots us in our present communities, and opens up opportunities to increase our circle of community.  Funny, because that was the original goal.  Every time it happens our commitment to being responsible stewards of our own community increases.   Read the evidence from the Horsman project.

Pursuit of quality building practices: We remain convinced that most green solutions are about doing top notch work.  We are constant in our search for educational opportunities.  We study both historical carpentry and cutting edge developments in constant search of practices that will add years to the expected life of buildings.

Acting Green-a.k.a doing our part

Zero Waste Timber Framing
Our process of timber framing produces zero landfill waste. Timber cutoffs are first offered to friends, neighbors, or shop visitors as firewood.  Pieces too small to use as firewood or are otherwise unusuable are sent to a local recycler for composting. Even the leftover tongue and groove is used around the shop for jigs and fixtures, planed down to 5/8" for panel furring on the next frame, or converted into coasters we use for thank you's and promotions.

Biodiesel
We run biodiesel in our company vehicles. We're lucky enough to have two stations located within a mile of our shop.

Non-Toxic Finish
The Land-Ark Wood Finish we use is made with natural ingredients from sustainable resources, without chemical processing, bleaching, or harmful additives.  It's biodegradable and does not deplete the ozone. Ingredients are Tung Oil, Linseed Oil, Beeswax, and a pure, food grade citrus extract called D-limonene.

Wind Power

As of May 07, 2007, 100% of the electricity used at our shop is wind generated.  Which is not to say we have a wind turbine at the shop.  We buy wind credits from our local utility.

Local Materials

We use and promote locally harvested and milled timber wherever possible and CSA certified coastal fir or recycled material when it’s not. Much of the local timber we use is beetle kill. Using local timber cuts shipping distances by more than 80% and subsequently lowers a structure's carbon footprint.  We believe in supporting our neighbors by being customers and advocates for locally available materials. You can count on us to promote the products that are currently available locally, accept the limitations that are inherent as we design, and continue to try to help educate and fund progress in our local forest economy.

 

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