Environmentally Friendly Handcrafted Log  and Post and Beam Homes

Luxury log homes or dovetail homes are not only quiet retreats, they are also a good start to building a natural or 'green' building.

There are many technologies and building practices you can use to enjoy the benefits of an energy efficient, environmentally friendly, well built and maintained handcrafted log home.

1. Energy efficiency and independence

Handcrafted log homes provide exceptional insulation and comfortable radiant heating and cooling. According to the Log Home Council, a log home will perform 2.5% to 15% more energy efficient than an identical wood-frame home. This is in part because of the good insulating value of wood.

Western Red Cedar log walls provide 1.5 R-value of thermal resistance for every inch of wood. Douglas fir is slightly less effective at 1.2. These figures increase or decrease depending on the moisture content of the logs. So a Western Red Cedar log home that uses 14-inch diameter logs provides an R-value of 21 at the thickest point. If you take into account the full shape of the log the R-value is closer to 16.

Keep in mind the heating and cooling benefits of handcrafted piece en piece homes are only as good as the quality of construction. According to research studies completed in Canada and the United States, up to 17% of heat loss in a log home can occur through the log walls. To avoid this energy loss, log walls must fit tight to avoid air infiltration.

The most basic solution is scribing the log walls tightly and managing the settlement of the walls. You can get additional protection by installing P-gasket and sheep’s wool in the notchers and lateral grooves. This is a standard with Brian Moore Log and Timber Homes as it blocks air infiltration and creates a higher R-value for the walls.

Calculating the R-value for your entire home is more complicated than a log wall. Air infiltration unrelated to the walls can account for up to 50% of heat loss. So it’s important to seal up the framed portions of the house. Here are some tips:

• Focus on extremely accurate pitch cuts where log walls and roof systems meet lumber to create seamless connections. Brian Moore crews also tie log work tightly to the foundation during reassembly.

• Hire a competent general contractor with experience building in your climate. Make sure he or she understands: the ridge areas in vaulted ceilings; connections between the floor and sill log; window and door connections to log walls; and the joints between the plate log and roof need to be tight. Some common solutions to these problems include structurally-insulated panels and foam insulation.

In addition to the inherent log cabins energy benefits, you can also do the following to improve your energy independence:

• Design a smaller log house or timber frame home that requires less energy.

• Build large roof overhangs (4-5 feet) or verandahs that provide shade during the summer, and shelter log walls against cold winds during the winter.

• Use the sun to your advantage by facing the long section of your home north and south. Also reduce the number of west facing windows. Deciduous trees on the east side of the house provide shade during the summer and let light in during the winter.

• Purchase energy star appliances.

• Install windows and doors with high R-values.

• Centrally locate your heating and cooling systems to limit the size of distribution system and to conserve heat loss. Also insulate pipes.

• Install timed heating systems with remote access.

• Look for off-grid energy sources like solar panel technology and geo thermal heating.

• Purchase an on-demand hot water heating system.

• Install a heat recovery ventilator.

• Insulate your foundation. Insulated concrete forms (ICFs) are a popular way to insulate your basement and protect it against moisture.
  

2. Protect your land

In addition to saving energy, handcrafted log homes and timber frame homes promote healthy living by following another central tenant of building green – managing building material waste. For example, our crews manage log waste on our site so building contaminants don’t pollute your site. We also keep our site small so we get good utilization of each square foot – reducing our impact on the environment. To further protect your site:

• Use high-quality wood stains with low volatile organic compounds (VOC) counts, and require less maintenance.  We recommend Sansin or Timber Pro Coatings.

• Retain as many trees and vegetation as possible on your land.

• Build when it’s dry to reduce the loss of top soil. Also limit the construction area.

• Use as little imperious materials as possible around your house. For example, you can replace a concrete driveway with pavers.

• Limit the change in grade around your house to 15 feet (driveway access can vary).

• Use slow release organic fertilizers to grow your vegetation.

• Recycle unused building materials and remove them off-site quickly to avoid leaching contaminants into the ground.

3. Clean air

Log walls are a great start to having clean air in your home. However, it’s important to use stains that contain a low level of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). We recommend Timber Pro Coatings or Sansin.

When we build a handcrafted log home we use mildew and ultra violet protection products that are biodegradable. Plus, we install P-gasket and sheep wool into the lateral grooves in log walls instead of insulation (moisture in insulation can create mold inside your walls).

To further protect your air:

• Limit your use of carpet, and select wood and title flooring.

• Select an open floor plan that requires fewer building materials for walls.

• Ventilate closed spaces and use masks when applying toxic materials during construction.

• Use building materials such as insulating foams and cabinets that are formaldehyde, CFC and HCFC free.

• Install a central vacuum that vents to the outdoors.

• Purchase a HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) system that can properly vent the home.

• Control moisture by sealing up your house and ensuring proper ventilation.
  

4. Material conservation

To be a true green log home, the timber must come from a renewable source. As a result, we purchase timbers from lands that are overseen by the government of British Columbia, Canada. Our clients also benefit from tight grain logs that extend the life of their investment, and hold tight joints over time.  Its not uncommon for us to build with wood over 200 years old.  Also, our logs are harvested by select companies, which conform to goals set forth by the 2005-2009 Sustainable Forest Initiative (SFI). Both are audited by an international accounting firm and passed the audits last year.  We now offer log homes that are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) located in Berlin.  This ensures your home is built from forests harvested in the most responsible manner.

Here are some other ideas for material conversation:

• Incorporate used building materials into your home including bricks, timbers, flooring, toilets, doors and lumber.

• Recycle or sell unused building materials.

• Used detailed cut-off sheets to avoid wasting materials.

• Grind the trees and stumps cleared to build your log cabin kit.
  

5. Water conservation

You will end up washing your log home every time you stain it. So the less often you stain your home, the less water you will use. To conserve water, it’s important to use a reputable log home stain that lasts. The majority of your water use, however, will happen in the yard or inside your house.

Here are other ways to reduce your water consumption:

• Limit the amount of turf grass you plant in your yard.

• Collect rainwater for watering vegetation.

• Plumb your home to use grey water to irrigate vegetation.

• Install low-flush toilets and low-use faucets.

• Landscape your yard with drought tolerant plants.
  

Building post and beam or timber frame homes

The job of building a green post and beam or timber frame home is more complicated than a log home. Unless you want to alternative materials like cord wood, you will need conventional building materials to finish the walls. We recommend structurally-insulated panels (SIPs) for the roof and the walls. They save energy and natural resources, keep your site clean and consume fewer resources. Note the American Lung Association recommends you install an air handler that can process at least .5 air exchanges per hour.

Start planning your ‘green’ log home or dove tail home

You can view our floor plans, show homes or learn more about us. Or, if you’re ready to discuss your future handcrafted post and beam home, please contact us.