Energy-efficient living in timber: insulation, BENG and your energy bill

The Rc-value expresses how well a wall retains heat — the higher, the better. Our homes are insulated to a high standard, well above the requirements of the Dutch Building Decree; you choose the level yourself (Comfort, Premium or Lux). A well-designed ZTC home can reach BENG-plus, zero-on-the-meter or even passive-house level.

A well-insulated timber home is energy-efficient; exactly how much you save depends on design, installations and use.

Add to that the airtightness — we achieve a measured airtightness down to n50 = 0.24 (passive-house level): no draughts, no cold fall, and highly effective mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (a system that supplies fresh air while reusing the heat from the extracted air). Airtightness is measured at handover with a blower-door test, and you receive the report.

Measurable on several fronts:

• CO₂: construction timber captures CO₂ as it grows and keeps it locked in the structure.
• MPG score: the Dutch environmental performance score for new buildings comes out considerably lower (= better) for wood than for concrete or steel.
• Circular: at demolition, timber elements are reusable or recyclable.
• Origin: we use wood from sustainably managed Latvian and Scandinavian forests, FSC- or PEFC-certified on request. Latvia is among the most forested countries in Europe.

Residents of timber homes generally experience the indoor climate as pleasantly dry and stable. Wood naturally buffers moisture: absorbing a little during the day, releasing it at night. The result: less muggy in summer, less dry in winter. And wood feels warmer than concrete or brick. Whether you also want to see the wood is up to you — from fully finished with plasterboard to a living room with visible CLT.