A timber framed home is more energy efficient

No matter where you live in New Zealand, a timber framed home will be warmer than a steel framed house of similar construction because of wood’s superior insulation properties.

New Zealand’s insulation requirements are much lower than in other countries with similar climatic conditions, and many experts agree that our minimum standards should be raised to improve home comfort, health and energy efficiency.

For instance, in San Francisco, California, the minimum requirement for insulation is R4.4 whereas in New Zealand the minimum is R2.0 for most of the country and R1.9 for Auckland and Northland.

It is much easier to achieve higher insulation standards with a timber framed home because there is no need for any additional thermal breaks.

A timber framed home is likely to require less energy for heating and therefore can provide a warmer environment at a lower cost.

Nearly 15% of a home’s energy goes towards heating and cooling. Steel is 400 times more conductive to heat than wood and requires more insulation to prevent heat loss.