"Set Square" wrote in message
...
In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
John Smith wrote:

Hi,

Assuming global warming is happening
what are the potential downsides
to timber frame houses here in the UK?
From what I read, global
warming is going to give us wetter more
humid Summers and allow lots
more creepy crawlies from the Med to
start living here (termite type things?).

Obviously I am bored this morning :-)

John.

Probably not as bored as your timber frames will be by termite grubs. g

In Germany and most of the Continent, timber frames are not treated, and
they still give guarantees of 20-30 years. Attention to detail keeps the
timber fine for 100s of years. Crawlies can be deterred quite easily.

Timber is great for the environment if home grown. The UK imports 87% of its
timber at the cost of approx' £5 billion a year. Grow it ourselves instead
of leaving the land and paying farmers to keep it idle, and the trade
balance would be greatly reduced. Forests also look nicer than boring
English fields. They could be opened up to the public too.

Growing trees in planned forests absorb far more CO2 than mature trees,so
help clean up the place. Masonry absorbs enormous amounts of energy to make.
Using cellulous insulation that protects the timbers using borax, keeps
crawlies away and gives high R values and makes the structure air-tight.
The insulation makes the house warm in winter and cool in summer.

SIP panels can have a house up in a few days. Thermal mass can be added to
timber homes by having the odd internal dense concrete block wall and a
concrete slab. on the ground floor. A sand/cement screed on TJI "I" beams
can add mass and sound insulation to the first floor.

Timber is the way forward. It is eco friendly, fast to construct, easy to
pick up skills, etc, etc.