It has been assumed that wooden houses are less durable than brick houses - this comparison is like comparing oat milk with cow's milk. Wooden houses and brick houses can exist next to each other and "stand" for the same number of years. The differences should be sought in their impact on our planet and in their beneficial effects. Wooden houses also have many advantages that hardly anyone would think of. Curious?
Wooden houses - this is the future of architecture!
The planet needs our support to continue to exist in the state it is in now. More and more people are born who need a place to live, it is speculated that in 2060 the population will exceed 10 billion, so the number of houses should double. All these people have to fit in the same space we have so far. There are two solutions to this - expansion in width (buildings in the suburbs) or expansion upwards (skyscrapers as residential buildings). So you have to learn to use the available space in a new way. Therefore, construction should be treated as more than a source of income – but big changes require big decisions. If skyscrapers were to be the solution to the problem, then their designers would have to make them better - healthier.
In laboratories around the world, scientists are working on new environmentally friendly materials based, for example, on the use of mushrooms. One of them is the "mycelium" - it may soon be possible to replace the fiberglass mats used for building insulation. These are the roots of mushrooms that grow very quickly and can be shaped into any shape. Mycelium is non-flammable, non-toxic, has great insulating properties and is harder than concrete. What other materials can be used? We already know wood.
The material of the future - wood
The environmentally friendly material available is wood. Probably one of the greatest advantages of using wood as a building material is the fact that it is a natural and ecological raw material. It is readily available and economically viable. It is also an exceptionally durable material in relation to its weight. Wood also has excellent insulating properties.
Some building materials with increasing temperature may lose their strength and change their structure. Wood, on the contrary, dries out and becomes stronger.
If we want to keep the house warm (or cool) and spend less money on heating (or cooling), then wood is a good alternative to brick, concrete or stone. Not everyone is aware that, for example, marble conducts heat 90 times faster than wood, steel - 1,650 times, and aluminum - as much as 7,000 times. So, compared to these materials, wood can be treated as an insulating material.
Thanks to the high specific heat, a wall made of wood stores heat energy as well as much heavier walls made of concrete, brick or silicate.
Make an impact on the future!
The widespread use of wooden construction would result in less demand for cement and sand, which, unlike wood, are not renewable resources. The construction sector is responsible for 30-40 percent. total greenhouse gas emissions and uses about 3 billion tons of raw materials each year, which is responsible for about 40-50 percent. total demand for them. Increasing the consumption of wood in construction can contribute to stopping unfavorable climate change: by storing CO2 in wood for many decades, replacing traditional materials with raw materials of organic origin with even better thermal properties, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions due to the faster construction process and use of local resources.
Timber houses are sustainable, renewable, and environmentally-friendly. Wooden structures can absorb and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. 0.8 tons of CO² is absorbed by every cubic meter of wood that is used in construction. Thus, if about 20 cubic meters of wood is used to build a house, the reduction in carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere is 16 tons. This is the same amount produced by a car that has travelled 90,000 km (at a very conservative estimate).
For your health
If the room is finished with uncovered wood, the humidity level will be regulated in it, which can be very beneficial for people who have problems with the respiratory system. In addition, it is believed that the very appearance of wood soothes the mind and affects the relaxation of the nervous system. It is for these reasons that wood is considered a healthier product than metal, plastic or other materials.
Although wood is not a perfect sound insulator, it prevents reverberation in the room by absorbing sound waves. Compared to its structural competitors, wood turns out to be much more effective in sound insulation, especially in adjacent rooms. Wood is also used in many concert halls around the world, as it naturally dampens sound, providing them with perfect acoustics.
Wooden house manufacturers
When deciding to build a wooden house, it is worth considering what purposes it is to serve us. In Poland, we associate wooden houses with summer houses, expecting a low price. Therefore, first of all, you should familiarize yourself with the concepts of wooden houses (link to the article) and deduce what we need. Year-round wooden houses are built by Timber Moon. These are solid houses for generations, they are resistant to weather conditions and comfortable. Their construction takes much less time than a brick house. Houses from Timber Moon are premium buildings that fit into the construction of the future. The materials used for their construction are ecological and harmless to the environment. Timber houses are also energy efficient and their maintenance costs are minimal.