Sustainability
PREMIUM POST & BEAM KITS, HANDCRAFTED IN THE USA
SUSTAINABILITY
Environmentally Friendly
Building
Sustainability is nothing new for post and beam. As one of the world’s original building material, timbers are not only a renewable resource, but also enable the most environmentally friendly construction methods, as well as come with the added benefit of creating healthier work and living spaces.
Working With Nature
We are so encouraged that consumers are taking an avid interest in the life cycle of their products and falling back in love with the time-tested method of timber frame construction.
With that in mind, we invite you along the journey of a standard Douglas-fir timber used in a Legacy kit.
Beginning in the Pacific Northwest, our timbers are harvested from land that is managed specifically for health and biological diversity. This is not to be understated. Many people equate more trees with a better eco-system but, in fact, overpopulating a forest can have dire effects.
“If trees get too crowded, they compete for light and water—and stressed trees are more susceptible to drought and insect attack,” says Ulra Chobrak of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. “Removing some trees can ease the competition, letting the remaining trees grow big and healthy.”
Additionally, research shows the carbon storage in properly harvested forests is equal to that of unthinned forests, as the healthier trees grow larger. When you consider the catastrophic effects of wildfires, fueled by overcrowded forests, properly harvested forests are clearly advantageous.
Our Process
Continuing on the journey, the next step for our timbers is the milling process. Because our kits feature fully dimensional rough-cut wood, they go through a significantly smaller scale milling process than dimensional lumber. The bark, saw dust, and other components that get cut off from the log are also put to good use in a variety of ways. Common examples include mulch, animal bedding, and more.
The next stop is our workshop in Fremont, Nebraska, where we turn the timbers into a prefabricated kit. We build each kit one bent at a time, ensuring great precision when making each cut. This ensures a straightforward and simplified onsite reassembly. Utilizing a prefabricated kit saves builders time onsite and lowers the environmental impact of the construction process.
Furthermore, wood cut-offs created during the kit customization process are offered for free to community members and local non-profit organizations. These individuals and/or groups use them for fuel, school or craft projects, and more.
Finally, the timber kit arrives onsite and is finished into our customers dream barn, home, venue, commercial property or more. In this final location they continue to provide benefit beyond just the spectacular aesthetic appeal.
“The use of wood in the interior of a building has clear physiological and psychological benefits that mimic the effect of spending time outside in nature” explains environmental behavior change organization, Planet Ark. “The feelings of natural warmth and comfort that wood elicits in people has the effect of lowering blood pressure and heart rates, reducing stress and anxiety, increasing positive social interactions and improving corporate image.”
Moreover, if you are looking for an environmentally friendly way to build, a Legacy Post and Beam kit is a responsible choice. Not only is wood the only renewable building material available, but the prefabrication process generates enhanced energy efficiency in the construction process. Plus, there are significant personal benefits to utilizing wood in your structure.
One more thought to leave you with: a Legacy Post & Beam kit can be just the start of your eco-friendly space. We’ve had the privileged of working on kits that utilize SIP walls, geothermal floor heating, solar panels, and much more.
