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All framing materials for the Demo House are FSC certified, and provided by our sponsor Kott Lumber.
Kott engineered the plans for us , supplying detailed framing documents including a cut list for each framing member. We were also provided with a wood order to match, along with pre-cut lengths whenever possible. This gave us multiple points towards LEED certification.
We recently built a LEED Platinum demonstration home with FSC certified lumber and cellulose insulation, so the total lifecycle emissions modelling shows it will release only a fraction of the carbon emissions of standard homes built today. Read all about the materials used for construction here –
Zero Carbon Homes - The S1600 Prefab Eco Home is affordably Close
Engineered lumber will usually make use of wood that may otherwise be wasted, so that is always a great idea. And further to that, whether you are using engineered or solid wood, sourcing it from sustainably managed forests that carry the FSC certification will further reduce your embodied energy. All the materials in your home will have an impact, and insulation is also a big factor, that's why we chose dense packed cellulose for the walls and ceilings.
What will reduce the energy consumption and carbon footprint dramatically with our demo house, is that it is seated on a solar air heated slab on grade. But the solar panels have not yet been installed, so those energy savings are not included in that calculation. The panels will also produce domestic hot water in summer months, so only after a full years cycle with the solar air heating panels will we know the true performance, but without a doubt it will much lower as the solar panels are expected to supply about 80% of the heat load.
You went to a lumber yard for help choosing the right wood for framing and they suggested framing a house with rough sawn lumber? How big is this lumber yard? Clearly you weren’t at Lowes or Home Depot, but was this someone peddling homemade framing lumber from the back of his barn? Did it come with a complimentary basket of carrots or load of manure? Sorry, couldn’t resist :)
Rough sawn timber is sometimes cheaper and I’ve used it, but only for a shed or as finishing wood. We have a page about wood for framing that may offer more insight than what you’ve just gotten, have a read here –
What are the Best Wood Types for Framing Homes?
CLS wood is an acronym for Canadian Lumber Standard, and it is manufactured using Kiln-dried fir, Pine or Spruce, depending on the part of Canada it came from. A CLS stamp on wood is pretty common to see in the US because Canadian framing lumber is very high quality (the maple syrup, toboggans and snowmen are also top shelf).
When lumber gets delivered it usually sits in the rain anyway so being green isn’t your biggest problem, it may be the lack of a stamp. Are you getting a permit for your addition? First maybe check with your local municipality and ask ‘Can you use rough sawn lumber for house framing’ And let us know what they say.
And, glad you like the site, thanks!
There are three main types of radiant in-floor heating systems that you will need to choose between, that is either hydronic (liquid), electric wires, or air-heated floors. The only way the wall system becomes a factor is in its R value and airtightness, and the amount of heat the floor will give off. An 18 wall is pretty thick, but Given the mortar and that wood is about R1 per inch it’s still not an extremely high R value (depending on where you're located). And cord wood walls are not very airtight, so you're going to need some juice in that system of yours if you want a cozy home. Building cord wood walls is not super common so I'm already full of questions - where are you building? Will you have power or will it be off-grid? What is your main heating fuel going to be - gas, wood, oil, electric?
Whether you choose wires, hydronic tubes or air tubes to heat your floor, you’ll need to size the system to match the heat load. This following page about air-heated floors gives an overview of all three types of radiant floor heating systems –
A comeback for radiant floors heated with air tubes
Installing an electric wire radiant floor is something we have not yet done in any of our homes, the cost and complication has never really been appealing. But we have done many hydronic radiant floors, and most recently an air heated floor, which is fed with heat from solar thermal air heating panels. Here are videos on both of those installations.
Installing a hydronic radiant floor system in a slab-on-grade floor
The air heated floor may be an option worth exploring, it is provided by a company that designs and manufactures engineered raft slabs (frost-protected shallow foundation slab on grade). They are available across North America. Where are you located?
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