In the past, the decision on which type of wall frames should be used in the construction of a house was typically made by home builders, and they often made the correct choice. These days, however, more and more homeowners want to get more involved in making key decisions regarding their home construction projects.

As a result, you may want to determine the suitability of the wall frames to be used when building your new home.

Timber wall frames are the framing system of choice for many Australian homes. These wall frames are fast to build with and they ensure the durability of homes. If you're concerned about the environmental impact of your house construction project, you're going to love building with timber wall frames even more. 

Here are some environmental benefits associated with timber wall frame construction.

Timber Is a Renewable Building Material

Since the manufacture of timber construction products requires the felling of trees, sustainability may not be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of building with timber. While the uncontrolled cutting down of trees in primal forests remains a serious environmental issue that needs to be addressed, timber can be an infinite source of building material when it comes from sustainably managed secondary forests.

Timber Buildings Store Atmospheric Carbon

Like other plants, trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and emit oxygen as they grow. When they're cut down to make timber construction products, the carbon remains locked in the timber until it reaches the end of its lifespan. 

Timber wall frames have a negative carbon footprint. This means they lock up more atmospheric carbon than is emitted during their manufacture and transportation. The carbon stored in timber frame homes only gets released back into the atmosphere when the timber decomposes or gets burnt. 

By building a timber-framed house, you can help battle climate change and other undesirable environmental effects associated with high concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. 

Timber-Framed Buildings Are Naturally Thermally Efficient

Even without insulation or a cladding system added, timber wall frames provide a comfortable thermal environment. Because wood has air pockets within its cellular structure, timber frame buildings offer better thermal insulation than comparable steel and masonry buildings. This reduces the need to rely on mechanical HVAC systems for thermal comfort, thus resulting in long-term energy and cost savings.

For more information on the use of timber wall frames in house construction, consult a professional home contractor near you.

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