Building wooden houses and live in an ‘ecological living environment’
Building wooden houses contributes to our battle against the greenhouse effect hence, the global warming.
A metric ton of wood represents 1.4 tons of CO2 absorbed by trees.
It must be born in mind that it is the younger trees which consume most CO2 , and reject the largest amount of oxygen. It follows that as one removes the mature trees in a forest, and uses them for building houses, this contributes to doubling the efficiency of the CO2 trap generated by the photosynthesis.
Therefore, following the commitments of France in the Kyoto Protocol, the States and the professionals of the wood building sector have set the objective of increasing by 25% the volume of wood used in constructions by 2010.
Raw material : ‘Meleze’ = ‘Larch’ – ‘Larix Decidua’
| Etymology |
‘Mel’ : word of alpine origin, honey |
| Origin |
Carpathians (1,200 – 2,400 m altitude) – Alps |
| Habitat |
Mountain forests – clayish soil |
| Lifetime |
600 years |
| Maximum size |
40 meters |
| Diameter |
1,50 mètres |
| Bark |
Gray and Reddish brown |
| Use |
Larch is the coniferous tree that produces the most durable and solid wood. It does not rot and is used to make boats, frames, poles and railway sleepers. |
Construction system : Panels Framework
This construction system developed over a century ago in the Unites States, is the most prevalent in the world. Plywood panels or large so-called ‘Oriented Particles’ (OSB) are screwed on wooden beams, fixed at 40 to 60 cm apart. The insulating material fits in the structure. The prefabricated walls are first assembled in the factory then, disassembled, and finally the whole house is put together on the building site. In comparison with the traditional construction that lasts several months, the system described takes only a few days to complete the job, plus a few weeks according to the equipment and indoor fittings of the house. In addition to the speedy completion of the work, this construction has the advantage of its lightness, a useful feature on light soils, and an essential feature in seismic areas. It also has the benefits of a lower cost, and of significant energy savings.
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