See The Beautiful Interior Of This Log Cabin With Large Deck

Introduction to the Bee Tree Cabin

Take a look at the Bee Tree Cabin from Kaizen Homes founded by fourth-generation homebuilder Jonathan Landry in 2012, but he and his team have been crafting beautiful, timeless homes in the greater Asheville area for almost a decade. Their mindfully constructed residences are all Energy Star certified for sustainability and lower lifetime costs, and they take advantage of the latest advancements in building technology and materials to create a home that will stand the test of time. Kaizen Homes also embrace a variety of thoughtful measures to facilitate aging in place, ensuring that owners will be able to enjoy all of life's most meaningful events in the custom home of their dreams. The Bee Tree Cabin has 704 square feet on the main floor, and 342 square feet in the basement, for a total of 1,787 square feet. The following are some of the benefits of building with wood.

Strength of Wood as a Building Material

Strength. Though wood is a lightweight building material, it outperforms even steel when it comes to breaking length (or self-support length). It can support its weight better, which allows for larger spaces and fewer necessary supports in some building designs. Wood is Renewable. Unlike concrete or metals, wood is a building material that can be grown and regrown through natural processes such as replanting and forestry management programs. Selective harvesting and other practices allow growth to continue while larger trees are harvested. While the forests are growing (via solar energy), they are also naturally and efficiently removing carbon dioxide from the environment. It's a bonus unique to wood.

Environmental Impact and Processing of Wood

Wood is Readily Processed for Use. When compared to building materials like steel or concrete, wood has a lower impact on the environment than its counterparts. As a result, it costs less to produce. Water waste and environmental impact are also lower in the wood manufacturing process, particularly when compared to steel. Many lumber mills use wood byproducts (chips, bark, etc.) as bio-fuel for their facilities. This reduces the fossil fuel burden of the production process. Also, moisture measurement systems like Wagner's In-Line Moisture Meters allow mills to maximize efficiency and produce less subgrade and waste materials in the drying process. As forest management and replanting programs continue to grow, these benefits multiply.

Energy Efficiency of Wood Homes

Energy Efficiency. Because of its natural cellular structure, wood has a higher insulation rating than both steel and plastic. This means that homes and buildings require less energy to maintain heating and cooling. Plus wood can help regulate humidity levels to a small degree. It has been suggested that a hardwood floor installed over a wood subfloor provides the same insulation value as a 22-inch concrete floor.

Biodegradability of Wood

Biodegradable. One of the biggest challenges of many building materials, including concrete, metal, and plastics, is that when they are discarded, they take an impossibly long time to decompose. When exposed to natural climate conditions, wood will break down much more quickly and replenish the soil in the process. On the flip side, understanding the role of moisture and wood rot means that in optimum conditions, the lifespan of a building or floor can easily outlive the lifespan of a tree.