SUSTAINABILITY
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
The use of Cross Laminated Timbers, or CLT, is central to our effort to produce environmentally sustainable products and housing. CLT has the benefit of using small-diameter trees that can be selectively harvested rather than clear cut. This reduces fuels that could be potential fire hazards while, at the same time, allowing the biggest, most mature trees to be stewards of the land. Mature trees are a keystone species in the forest ecosystem; they provide a myriad of benefits, including raising young trees, restricting light to the understory, water sequestration and transport, and providing habitat for all of the species that reside in forests. Mature trees are also much more fire-resistant, and in the era of climate change and mega-fires, we need intact forest ecosystems with mature trees now, more than ever. CLT can help support this mission while also delivering beautiful living spaces!
CLT provides structure with solid wood walls. Aside from being a fantastic thermal mass, insulator, humidity regulator, and hypoallergenic material, wood also sequesters roughly half its weight in carbon. As an example, our Modified A Frame sauna weighs about 2300lbs. So, roughly half a ton of sequestered carbon.
We value the Zero Waste ethic. Although nothing can truly be produced with zero waste, it is a worthy goal to shoot for. Using CLT panels ensures that the minimum amount of waste is generated in the production of our structures. What is leftover can usually be built into furniture, shelving, or other creative solutions to make what would otherwise be waste, useful.
SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY
Our environments shape our behaviors, social interactions, health, and happiness. They make us feel safe, clean, and provide a space to share with our people. With proper design and execution, we can forever improve our quality of life and the lives of those around us. By building with CLT we can create aesthetically beautiful indoor environments, which research has shown has a dramatic effect on mental health and outlook via the Biophilic Effect. Furthermore, CLT allows us to create an indoor environment that is not toxic to the humans inside. Solid wood is naturally hypoallergenic, according to the EPA and by building with solid wood, we eliminate the need for drywall on the inside. Society needs healthy humans, and having an indoor environment that supports the health and wellbeing of the humans within is an important part of social sustainability. Furthermore, CLT supports sustainable forestry by utilizing small diameter timbers. This allows for selective harvesting of trees that promotes intact and healthy forest ecosystems. A win for the environment is a win for humans.
When CLT and associated technologies are combined with concepts such as Pocket Communities, or fields of study such as Acrology (Architecture + Ecology), you can implement the creation of cityscapes, housing developments, and individual homes that support the health and wellness of the broader community and its inhabitants.
ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY
Throughout our species’ long evolution, we were often rewarded for valuing short term benefits over long term ones (not a surprise if you’re only going to live to be 35!). As we move away from a scarcity mindset and into an abundance mindset, we must consider the impact of our long term decisions on not just our lives, but the lives of our children— generations to come.
CLT provides a very economically sustainable solution to the problem of housing in several fundamental ways:
Lower cost of ownership: CLT is amazingly robust and low maintenance. A higher initial investment divided by the lifespan of the product yields a significantly lower cost of ownership. Once installed and maintained properly, CLT will last the lifetime of the homeowner and beyond.
Reduced energy demand: CLT allows for design applications that are extremely energy efficient. Less energy used = less money spent. Typically CLT structures require a mere third of the energy expense of typical construction methods.
Lower remodel potential: because CLT is solid and continuous throughout, the structure of the building is much less susceptible to degradation. This results in a building that maintains its structural and aesthetic integrity exceptionally well over the years. This negates the need for remodels, which saves significant money in the long run.
Fast build times: Properly designed pre-fabricated and modular CLT assemblies are very fast to install— this results in significant labor and interest savings when going through traditional means to finance a home.
Increased Equity Retention: When you combine the previously mentioned characteristics of CLT, the result is a home that retains its equity much better than light-frame construction homes.
The economic sustainability of CLT is hard to overstate. On a small scale, it has the potential to give families more economic freedom and to hand down real assets to children throughout the generations. On a large scale, it can contribute to a much more robust housing infrastructure, freeing up funds to invest in areas that have a very positive impact on society.