Trees are the only renewable structural material we have and the expense to convert trees into timbers is, comparatively, extremely low. Moreover, timbers are natural, biodegradable and recyclable. Hand crafting such a material in a manner which yields beauty, ensures longevity all the while protecting, sheltering and nurturing is, to us, the essence of sustainability and greenness. We resisted because we do not wish to be counted with those companies who claim to have the vision but who lack the soul, with those companies who wave a green banner in order to entice prospective clients. We do not have a bandwagon upon which to jump because we have been walking that walk for decades.
Building “green” is as old as mankind itself. It was practiced because it made sense not because it was politically correct or because it reduced one’s carbon footprint. It simply made sense.
We have been involved with LEED certification, in fact, we are currently in the middle of a very complex LEED project with the federal government and while we applaud the higher intentions of LEED and similar programs, there are contradictions, problems, convoluted logics and ambiguities born of bureaucracies. In future installments we will be addressing our concerns about these areas as well as looking at some of the well intended but truly stupid and misguided things we have all done. We may not have all the answers, but we have a lot of questions. So bear with us. TZ