As many of you know, log and timber homes present unique challenges, especially regarding energy efficiency.
Energy codes being drafted now are tailored for conventional home-building techniques and don’t consider the thermal mass properties of wood—leaving log and timber buildings out of the equation.
We’re working with universities, builders, manufacturers, and contractors in Colorado, Texas, and Tennessee to prove that log and timber homes have a place in a sustainable future and can meet strict energy codes.
At Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Mikael Salonvaara, a Senior R&D Staff member, continues to collect data from the cubes there.
In the meantime, the build continues in Colorado.
It Takes a Village to Build One
The cubes are located in Golden, Colorado, off U.S. 6, exit 19, on a hill near the Colorado School of Mines campus. The spot was picked because there’s plenty of sunshine, although there’s a lot of wind up there. The cubes are designed to withstand 140 mph winds.
David Feron, Project Manager from the Colorado School of Mines Office of Design and Construction, has been our boots-on-the-ground contact along with Todd McAuthur, Sales Operations Manager from Sashco. Mines is building student housing near the cube site. The construction crews involved in that project, as well as some mechanical and electrical students, have been donating their time to building the cubes.
The drywall and insulation have been completed, and a temporary fix to keep everything dry and protected from the Colorado snow is in place. MilenderWhite has been working on installing the exterior paneling, and the Colorado School of Mines is getting locking door hardware for the two doors. Meanwhile, Todd McArthur is procuring a stain from Sashco for the CLT cube, and the electrical and heat pump work is being done.
A special shoutout to Chad at Bauen Studios for all his hard work!
Thank You!
Thanks to everyone who donated time, money, and materials to this project. We can’t do this without you! Building these cubes truly takes a village.
We need your help to prove mass timber’s energy efficiency and sustainability. We aim to raise $30,000 to fund roofing, sheathing, and wall studs for the cubes in Texas.
The IMTA is privately funded, and we don’t receive grants or government money. Without your generous donations and support, we couldn’t continue testing.
To become an active participant, contact Rob Pickett at rpickett@imtimberalliance.org or donate to fund testing and data collection. Every little bit helps inch us closer to securing the future of the log and timber industry.
Thank you!