Thermo-ash cladding from Thermory has been installed on a lakeside timber house in Connecticut.
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When it comes to sustainable building materials, wood takes some beating. Compared to the alternatives it contributes relatively little to a building’s carbon debt, or the amount of carbon released into the atmosphere through its production. Opal Architecture’s buildings are always designed using the Passive House principles, whose fundamental goal is to generate a net-positive effect on the environment.
The practice’s preferred material is wood, a conviction it took to its logical conclusion in the design of this all-wood house in Connecticut, USA. Selecting a material that would reflect the home’s natural environment while giving the outer walls both durability and visual appeal was the most important element of the project. To this end Opal Architecture identified Benchmark thermo-ash cladding from Thermory, the global leader in thermally-modified wood, as the ideal solution.
Designed to replace a seasonal cottage on a south-facing plot wedged between the road and the lakeshore, the construction of the building was subject to strict footprint and height restrictions. The architect responded to these constraints with a single-storey design in which the kitchen, dining and living areas are combined to make the most of the available floorspace. The two efficiently laid-out private areas – a primary bedroom suite and a study/guest room with a second bath – occupy the west and east sides of the plan respectively. Meanwhile, the stepped thermo-ash façade ensures a lake view from each of the main spaces, allowing the house’s occupants to enjoy the magnificence of the lake.
The house’s complex geometry presented a challenge for a cross-laminated timber (CLT) construction of this nature. However, careful detailing enabled the specification of prefabricated, solid-lumber panels for the building’s structural walls, ceilings and roof. Left exposed on the interior, the panels constitute the finish surfaces for the walls and ceilings. The solid CLT building shell is encased with rigid wood-fibre insulation boards – yielding Passive House levels of energy efficiency – and sheathed in Thermory’s Benchmark thermo-ash siding to complete the all-wood construction. The shell’s lack of conventional stud or rafter cavities, meant that utility runs were fixed to the exterior of the CLT panels and the insulation boards were then carved and fitted around them. To minimise dependency on the power grid, the building generates and stores electricity using Tesla’s Solar Roof and Powerwall technology.
Opal Architecture chose Thermory Benchmark thermo-ash cladding for the exterior walls to create a timeless elegant façade and a warm atmosphere – an essential ingredient in the design of a cosy lakeside home. In addition to its aesthetic appeal, thermally modified ash wood is lightweight yet strong and durable, making it a responsible alternative to tropical hardwoods.
The cladding conceals a host of other useful properties beneath the rich, deep tone of its gorgeous surface. Easy maintenance and simple installation options are just some practical benefits of a material that is also chemical free and harmless to the environment. Thermory’s thermally-modified ash does not need to be oiled, and the architect opted not to treat the wood’s surface. As a result, it eventually faded to a beautifully natural grey finish that blends perfectly into the building’s surroundings.
Selecting the appropriate material for the construction was the easy part. Thermory is a world leader in thermal modification that has continually developed its expertise and technology over the past two decades to offer consistently high-quality, long-lasting and environmentally-sound products made from carefully sourced wood.
Thermory performs thermal modification using just heat and steam to enhance the wood by penetrating far below its surface. This ensures that it is highly durable, dimensionally stable, rot and pest resistant and non-toxic, while also boasting enhanced heat and sound insulation. This made it a highly sustainable material and the perfect choice for Opal Architecture’s lakeside house project.
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To find out more, please visit the Thermory website.
