Wood harvested at the right time For thousands of years, people have been harvesting wood according to lunar cycles and seasons which affect the quality of the wood. With the 'decreasing moon' (new moon), wood becomes particularly durable and resistant. Not only can the trees themselves reach an age which exceeds ours by a hundredfold, the wood itself can also last unbelievable periods without damage and significant deterioration. Think of the Asian wooden temples which have survived not only centuries, but thousands of years. Built by Buddhist monks artfully out of mighty tree trunks, such human monuments reveal all the possibilities hidden in the forest. But how is wood able to withstand the millennium of weathering unscathed? Three things are responsible for especially durable wood quality. First, the proper selection of tree type, species, and state of maturity. Second, the harvesting of wood at the right time and third - the practice of ideal storage, drying and processing of wood. The introduction of moonwood will allow us to take a closer look, specifically, at the timing of the harvest. The decrease of sap content in trees in correlation to the lunar cycle encouraged this particular practice of timber harvesting, which formed the central thread of history in the relationship between man and tree. From Julius Caesar, to Pliny the Elder, to Theophrast, we are told of the fact that timber was only cut before the new moon. The foresters of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance also practiced timber harvesting under the lunar cycle. This frequent emergence of moonwood harvesting in the records of history gives the subject itself a great weight, of course. However, the theory alone has not been scientifically tested nor proved until recently. At one of the most prestigious, technological universities in Europe, "ETH Zurich" around the year 2003, a small research team worked on finding scientific proof for moonwood. Prof. Ernst Zürcher conducted a research project in which extensive various studies of interrelations between time rhythms and plants took place. It has been observed that the source behavior of beans in water itself is not always the same, but oscillates with the lunar cycle. As the moon grows, the beans absorb more water and with decreasing moon level, they absorbed much less within the same time frame. The germination of seeds of different trees and plants was investigated afterwards for their behaviour under the rhythm of lunar phases. It was shown that the germination rate, germ rates, average height and height of the plants were related to the lunar phase in the duration of four months. A further investigation revealed that trees were in sync with the moon-driven tides of the oceans. When the moon increases, the growth rings become thicker. When the moon decreases, they become thinner again. The diameter of the trees become thicker and thinner in the rhythm of ebb and flow - only by a few hundredths of a millimeter but nevertheless, measurable. However, the direct weathering tests on wood samples which were evaluated in the study at the ETH Zurich, is decisive proof of the influence of the moon on construction timber. Prof. Zürcher investigated the validity of these old tree felling rules and showed for the first time that moonwood is more durable and weather resistant than conventionally flaked wood. In addition, he also explained an important part of his findings - the principle of action: He found out that the behaviour of water in wood is something quite different than in others. The movement of water within the various capillary tubes of wood were subject to numerous physical influences. For example, water in the very fine capillary tubes can assume, for example, a gelatinous aggregate state and remain liquid to -15 ° C. Moonwood, timber harvested with the decreasing moon, has more bound water in its interior. That is, when drying, it becomes more cohesive which makes the wood more dense, pressure-resistant and also resistant to penetrating fungi, against insects or wood-eating termites. The advantage of moonwood in density was 5-7% spread over several thousand samples. From a technical point of view, this is a significant improvement in quality compared to conventionally harvested wood.
0 Comments
Like no other tree, the swiss stone pine is said to speak in the sense of smell; a scent which brings endurance and patience into our lives. The Pine in the Tree Family The visage of an old pine tree is furious and often fierce. However, the rough shell hides a soft one. Wood carvers love this buttery, velvety wood, from which most wonderful wooden works of art have emerged. In residential spaces, pinewood is particularly suitable for furniture and wall claddings. The light wood, which is initially light-coloured, invites darker reds over the course of decades. A really great and practical benefit comes from the essential oils contained in pinewood. In living areas and furniture made of pinewood - our grain, food, clothing, etc. are protected as harmful bacteria and insects are repelled its natural scent. Our ancestors in the Alps have used this advantage for centuries. The Importance of Pine The warm summer days which represent growth and development for the general forest do not apply to the pine trees. Instead, the pine represents perseverance all year long even in wild rainstorms or endless icy winters. That is the secret of the stone pine, reminding us to walk with the right pace to peacefully take life and all its challenging tasks step by step which is not always easy to do in our hectic times. The pine is a helpful and reliable companion, who teaches us the lesson of perseverance and surrender. Their message and secret of living in the mountains is conveyed not only by their appearance; like no other tree, it also speaks through their scent. The swiss stone pine retains its very own pleasant fragrance over decades, which originates from the essential oils contained in the wood and lends every living space its own charm. The Thoma Research Center in Goldegg Here, old traditions, tree, and wood building secrets flow together with modern research and new technologies. Join us in our innovations and unique, sustainable practices to feel the extraordinary vitality and quality of the wood of our forests. Our Planing Mill in Neukirchen am Großvenediger Our planing work is located in the Hochgebirgs region below the Großvenedigers in the Pinzgau. Here, we store and process floors, formwork and carpentry exclusively from wood harvested at the right time. The Holz100 Schwarzwald GmbH in Lahr Our factory in the Black Forest proves that factories can be self-sufficient in energy as it produces 100-200 houses per year by operating on its own electricity supply generated by solar roof panels. Holz100 Works Stadl an der Mur The Holz100 plant in Stadl an der Mur was commissioned in 2000. From here, future Holz100 buildings are supplied with its framing components. With its nutrient-rich humus, the beech is considered the mother of the forest. The Beech in the Tree Family The beech tree is called "mother of the forest" by the foresters with good reason because it is a miracle cure for poor soils. The beech provides an excellent humus formation and establishes deep, nutrient-rich soils for its neighboring trees and forests. But that is not all that this good mother does for her forest. Their powerful roots intricately penetrate into deep layers of earth and their firm anchoring also protects the flat-rooted spruce from the violence of storms and floods. Beech trees on hot days evaporate incredible amounts of water, up to 200 liters per day and thus balances and improves the forest's climate. They are one of the largest energy reserves in European forests. They protect against storm violence and lend defense mechanisms against insect bites - a source of great vitality. With its clear, maternal energy, it compliments the primordial power of the oak. Its Importance for our Soul and Health Mothers of many children know that there isn't only one way to perfection and happiness. They do not see the mistakes and weaknesses in their children, but instead sees them as valuable lessons of life. They only see the good and the beautiful, and they rejoice in all that is heartfelt and affectionate, which is theirs in their children. Like such, anyone who appreciates these characteristics should surround themselves with natural beech wood flooring and furniture. The miraculous presence of the beech tree brings a combination of protection, beauty, and order. Despite these distinctive features, the quiet, reddish beech wood is always elegant and never obtrusive. In the mixed forest, the beech also communicates well and amicably in the apartment as processed wood with all other tree species and cohabitants. The beech is best harmoniously combined with almost all other types of wood - hence why our dowels which connect the layers of wood is made of beech. It is not only the growth of the tree which depends on water. The moisture content attracts fungi and insects which potentially causes damage to wooden buildings and artifacts. The question is how much moisture is left in the wood. Below 20% moisture content, wood is protected from fungi and below 8-12%, it is protected from insects. This natural resistance is the basis of wood preservation without toxic chemicals and the secret behind the durability of wood buildings which have survived hundreds and sometimes thousands of years without damage. 'Natural wood protection' means to harvest the trees at the right time and dry it in ways which further protect it from insects and fungi. Trees or fresh logs contain large amounts of water often weighing more than 50% of the trees' weight. Every piece of wood, no matter if it has been used for furniture, roof trusses, toys or buildings, contain only approx. 6-20% moisture content. The old woodworkers say, "If you want quality building wood, the best way is to cut the trees and have them lying with their tops pointing downhill for a few weeks before you cut off the branches." Why? When a tree is cut down, it wants to procreate one more time. The sap moves through the channel and pipe system from the trunk into the branches to grow leaves and flowers. When the tree is lying with its top pointed downhill, gravity supports the flow as well, naturally draining the sap and leading to an evenly dried tree trunk. We undertook the following experiment: One spring, when the trees were growing leaves and the sap was moving freely, I cut down a beech tree. I cut the trunk into two pieces and had both pieces laid on the ground, pointing downhill in opposite directions. After a short time, the sap started to drop from both stems: the piece lying with the tree top facing downhill lost three times as much sap than the other one, which had the bottom part of the tree pointing downhill. This is not surprising and confirmed our expectations. This ideal way of drying wood naturally results in a better quality product. Due to Holz100 technology, even large projects like hotels and multi-family residences can be built with solid wood. Holz100 offers fire safety, sound insulation, security and comfort at a level unmatched by normal building methods. If one compares the end product of wood grown in its natural environment with wood grown in a monoculture, one can see the qualitative difference. A spruce grown in unnatural circumstances is inferior in quality and less durable compared to one which grew in its natural environment and conditions. Taking this a step further, we advise to not use wood from monocultures in low-lying areas for jobs like winter gardens or glass facades. The demands on the frame are high and the wood must be stable and calm. These insights are gleaned from Dr. Erwin Thoma's experience of processing many thousands of trees from the forest to the finished item. The formula is always the same: observe nature and act accordingly. To consider the origin of the wood is not only relevant to the forest owner or other wood professionals but also to the end consumer. Once we are aware of this and finally start to question where the wood comes from, the seller will ask his supplier. Soon the sawmills and forester will be confronted and this will cause them to start sorting their wood accordingly and responsibly. The end result of all these efforts will be buildings, toys, furniture and other wooden items free of chemicals and toxins. We and the next generation need to take this opportunity to build a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle. Dense Fiber Grows at High Altitudes The correct choice of tree (according to what it is going to be used for later) and the right timing of the harvest are the two main criteria when working with wood in a natural way. Both measures are basic requirements for straight, stable and long-lasting wood. The most important type of tree for building wood in Europe is the spruce. You find this fast-growing tree in lower-lying areas in nutrient-rich soil with growth rings that have up to 3 cm spacing between them. The same type of tree grown in higher altitudes produces a spacing of just a millimeter or even less between the yearly growth rings. This much finer structure has many advantages for building quality homes and furniture. When looking at the distance of the growth rings, you can see if a tree has grown fast or slowly. The finer and more interwoven a fiber structure is, the more elastic, smoother, tighter and longer lasting is the fabric. The very fast-growing spruce in lower altitudes compare to the fine fibers of high-altitude spruce trees like jute does to silk. For this reason, we only work with very fine fibre wood grown in the Alps (approximately 3,000 - 4,000 feet, 915 - 1220 meters above sea level) particularly when building projects with glass facades where the wood must not move or shrink. The Natural Forest A natural forest is another phenomenon which is important to the origin of the trees. Everywhere in the world, Mother Nature had a particular combination of trees in mind which perfectly suited the location and harmonized with the soil. This forest family was best suited to the climate zone and grew abundantly. We can still find natural tree families in untouched and remote forests. Even though we are now being taught about the importance of natural woods as part of forestry studies, it was forestry people who, in the past two centuries, have changed large parts of the middle European woods. A very one-sided economic approach contributed to the conversion from naturally mixed forests to monocultures, of mainly spruce trees. Until the 1970's, University classes taught that spruce trees were the 'bread and butter' of the forestry industry. The healthiest and best-adapted natural forests which have emerged over thousands of years were cut down in just one or two generations. What has re-grown since then are not wonderful mixed woods but sickly monocultures of trees foreign to the area and soil conditions. You won't find any pure coniferous forests below the 3000-4000 ft. (1100-1200 meters) altitude and certainly not pure spruce forests. Coniferous forests with spruce, pine and larch trees grow best at higher altitudes such as in the Alps and in north Europe. It took the forestry industry decades of planting monocultures before they began to realize that these unnatural plantings had many disadvantages. In a monoculture, the forest floor is no longer penetrated and infiltrated with a diversity of roots and the mulch produces mostly acidic soil. Those trees then become more susceptible to insects infestation, fungus, storms and heavy snow load. The further away from its natural environment a spruce has been planted, such as warmer, low-lying areas, the more susceptible it is to diseases and pests. Forestry management in Austria has learned this over the past few years. Today, a conscious and aware forester would not plant monocultures of trees which might not even be native to the area. Quite the opposite, today monocultures are being converted back into mixed forests. to Dr. Erwin Thoma's book, "A Future with Natural Wood" Wow. Definition: Exclamation: expressing astonishment or admiration Noun: a sensational success Verb: to impress and excite (someone) greatly This informal word best expresses the reaction I share with all those who understand and appreciate the significance of Erwin Thoma's creation - Holz100. In this, his first book translated into English, you will find interesting and amusing stories that reveal Erwin's wealth of knowledge regarding trees, forests and wood. Perhaps, for some readers, this book will contain more information than they imagined possible for such subjects. For others, this will be a welcome introduction to wood-related subjects and an inspiration for a future using natural wood. Written in a colloquial style, it offers an insight into his humble genius. For any advocate of environmentalism, this book should not only help clear up those myths regarding the use of wood as a building material but also reinforce the fact that this totally sustainable, natural resource, when used responsibly, is the best alternative to all other construction materials. As an architect, I wish to highlight one aspect of this book that explains the remarkable building system invented and manufactured by Erwin that has won numerous awards and a loyal following in Europe. I met Erwin for the first time about ten years ago. I heard about his company that manufactured a structural building system using 100% wood. It was advertised to have no glues, toxic chemicals, resins or mechanical fasteners. It was so well engineered that one could build multi-story buildings out of it or construct a single-family house in only days, not months. Then I began to learn about the rest of the "wow;" the thermal mass of the product providing comfort to the occupants while greatly reducing energy costs; persons with allergies could live in these buildings without suffering from hidden toxins or allergens; sound attenuation was remarkable; hotels and spas built from this material were receiving rave reviews from guests who slept better, were more relaxed and enjoyed the smell of the forest unique to Holz100 buildings. Finally, I learned that the manufacturing process was equally astonishing in that it recycles its waste wood in special clean-burn furnaces that, with supplemental solar panels, create more than enough electricity and heat to operate the facility. So here I was introduced to a major structural building system based on ancient construction techniques, using state-of-the-art technology, and with a totally sustainable source of material as its basic ingredient - produced "off the grid" no less. This is truly the ultimate "cradle to cradle" product. I expect to see this wonderful system produced in the United States in the coming years as its unique qualities - described thoughtfully and passionately in these pages - comes to the attention of builders, developers, architects and homeowners looking for the ultimate green building material. - Gordon R. Pierce, Architect They are one of the most knotty and rudest companions of the forest; the ancient mountain-trees laugh in autumn with their bright yellow leaves under the sunlight within the mixed forests. The conifers of our mountain forests are glad and grateful to the maple neighbor. Its leaves precious humus in higher regions which the beech can no longer grow without. Its roots resemble the flat rooting of the spruce tree; they open up deep earth layers of the mountain slopes and its young, sugary shoots are one of the biggest delicacies of the year for all the four-legged inhabitants. The maple preserves a unique sense of beauty in its poetic shapes and colors and is not to be underestimated, as it belongs to the tree family that survived centuries and form one of the most precious and hardest woods. The Importance of Maple for Soul and Health This message is becoming increasingly important in today's hectic times: "he who hastens has no luck!" Yes, "wisdom" consists not only in communication, but also in silence and noble restraint. Happiness, as we find, is often found in the features of simplicity, originality, and purity. The maple is the tree of reflection. Compared to the frenzied stress and the hectic transmissions of our time, mainly affecting our circulatory and nervous system, the maple brings the delightfully peaceful and quiet antipode. Maple is calm, durable, energetic, long-lasting and extremely hard. The energy of the maple is not massive and direct - it is subtle and profound. People who face stress, anxiety, irritation or agitation by life's events, routines, and circumstances find rest with maple surroundings that restore physical and mental health each day in tranquility. THE ETERNALLY DUSTY STAIRWAY Think about the static when you pull a synthetic jumper over your head, or how synthetic carpets get charged just by walking on them. And of course, it's followed by an electric shock when reaching for the doorknob - the corresponding discharge. Electrostatic charge is caused by dry and heated air moving past non-conductive synthetic surfaces. The resulting load is larger if the surface is less conductive. You rarely experience this with natural materials like pure wool or linen. Electrostatic charge is caused by dry and heated air moving past non-conductive synthetic surfaces. The resulting load is larger if the surface is less conductive. You rarely experience this with natural materials like pure wool or linen. 'Building biologists' make sure that there are as few electrostatic chargeable surfaces as possible in living areas. The human body in itself naturally has a weak electric shield surrounding it. This weak electric field repels dust, dirt particles and bacteria, etc. Rooms with a strong electromagnetic charge disturb this natural protective field and those who are sensitive can experience allergies, inflamed mucus membranes, colds, headaches, etc. In Europe, this is called the 'sick building syndrome'. Another disadvantage of statically charged surfaces is the tendency to attract dust and dirt, like the surface of a TVs or stereo. But this problem is easy to solve - just make sure you have as much natural and untreated wood in your home as possible. If you want to treat wooden surfaces, use only natural bees wax or resins. Floors, walls and ceilings made of untreated wood will not affect the natural occurring electromagnetic fields in your home negatively. This characteristic is one of the reasons an old alpine cabin feels so much more comfortable than an apartment with painted surfaces. Here is a short story of a young couple in our neighbourhood: a couple of years ago, they experienced an interesting phenomenon in an unexpectedly. When their home was built, the contractor installed a floor made of ash wood in the entry area of their house. The surface of this floor was then treated with natural resin and bees wax. The staircase in the foyer connected the rest of the house with the entry area and was built by another carpenter who laquered the stairs with a commercial water-based product. "Horrible", the wife complained. These stairs act like a dust magnet, it seems they attract all the dust from the whole house. The waxed and oiled floors in the other rooms do not, just the staircase was forever covered in a layer of dust. The wife would mop it three times a day and complain about it many times. Her husband finally promised to take off the varnish and oil as he had done with the other floors. There was no doubt that she would insist on him doing what he promised to do. WHAT IS MORE HYGIENIC? An American study called "Plastic and Wooden Cutting Boards" by Dean Oliver, Ph. D. in his research of salmonella and kitchen cutting boards showed drastic results. Salmonella actually dies after a few minutes on a natural, untreated woodcutting board, whereas plastic cutting boards encourage salmonella to thrive and increase in population. Think about laminated kitchen counters and cutting boards which many people think are more hygienic than untreated wood. WHAT EMITS RADIATION IN A HOME? This is not about the sun's radiation, it is about comparing all types of radiation which people are exposed to in daily living situations as a consequence to the building materials which have been used. We conducted a research on average exposures to radioactive radiation through naturally occurring sources vs. man-made/artificial sources. The average radiation exposure in Germany is 150 millirem (mr). Just by living in homes with a variety of individual building materials, the following has been recorded: Granite/Slag: +150mr = 300mr Plaster: +65mr = total 215 mr Brick and Concrete: +20mr = total 170mr Natural Wood: -10mr = total 140mr The only building material which can actually lower radiation is natural wood. Who isn't familiar with a hoarse throat in winter, when the central heating is running on full steam? The dry air and stirred dust strain our breathing and it can be as unpleasant as high humidity levels. A superior building material buffers and balances moisture independent of whether it is extremely humid or dry. Untreated wood has a large inner surface area where the countless pores, capillaries and micro-tubules react to changes in the moisture levels of its surroundings. While the humidity rises, wood absorbs moisture and dries up the air. When humidity levels drop and the air dries up, wood releases some of the retained moisture back into the atmosphere and maintains balance. Timber is the ideal moisture buffer for any building. The more natural wood there is in a house, the better the buffering effect. "Whoever still has concerns about untreated wood being suitable for bathrooms will be surprised by the following story. It is true, bathrooms have the most extreme climatic changes in any home and in the early years of manufacturing, I too declined to build bathroom floors. I was afraid about the spaces and movement between the floorboards. However, the following experience led me to a vital realization: One day a carpenter, also a colleague, ordered cherry tree floors for one of his clients and didn't tell me who or what it was exactly for. As promised, we delivered his cherry tree floorboards and a little while later, he rang to let me know that the floor turned out very nicely. I asked him if his clients were happy with it and he said: "very much so!" A few months later, I went to visit him and was greatly surprised to find out that he was the client himself. He led me into his bathroom and showed me his cherry tree floor which was very neat and tightly installed, with no signs of gaps and movement between the boards. The carpenter told me with a grin on his face that he knew about my cautiousness and he wanted to spare me sleepless nights. But he always knew that untreated wood could be used even in bathrooms, as long as it has been harvested at the right time. From the result of the bathroom floor inspections resulted in three happy faces: his wife's, looking proudly at her beautiful & natural cherry floor, the joyful carpenter's and my own face which must have looked rather surprised, judging by his chuckling. Since this event, we have delivered and installed many natural wooden floors for bathrooms and found that natural and untreated wood balances the air humidity in all cases. For example, if the humidity in a room rises from 35% to 65%, 1M² of spruce cladding absorbs up to 10 grams of moisture in 12 hours and dries up the air. This works the opposite way too. If the air in a room is suddenly very dry, wood slowly releases moisture back into the air. We found that after installing natural wood ceilings, wall claddings and/or floors in the bathroom, the mirror rarely fogs over and hardly any condensation water appears when you have a shower. You can try this experiment too! You need to be aware though, that plywood, chipboard, and wood component panels that are sealed and laminated completely negate this buffering effect of wood. These advantages only take effect when you use solid, untreated, adhesive-free wood like Holz100 which is able to breathe freely on its own." - Dr. Erwin Thoma, Founder & Inventer of Thoma Holz100 Wood breathes in all components - this is a great natural advantage when creating living spaces. Holz100 has a low diffusion resistance and a high level of airtightness which allows us to provide a 50-year guarantee against condensation and mold. The high degree of breathability combined with the airtightness of Holz100 results in a multifunctional solution – a building material that doesn’t require elaborate layer arrangements in walls to achieve the ideal indoor environment. As the Holz100 building component consists only of wood, it has no boundaries in permeability between its layers. On the other hand, common building systems consist of layers of different materials which easily cause varied vapour permeability and condensed air humidity. However, for Holz100 homes, there is no necessity for vapour barriers as the wood breathes by itself and naturally controls the indoor climate. Holz100 has a diffusion resistance of u=37.2m. This means that for a 17cm thick Holz100 panel, the diffusion equivalent in air layer thickness is 6.3m (according to EN ISO 10456, vapour diffusion resistance of solid wood is u=50). The airtightness of Holz100 ensures no unnecessary heat loss. Holz100 residents have the advantage of a healthy, ideal indoor climate with high energy efficiency. Holz100 walls are airtight on their surface due to multiple layers of cross laminated solid wood and can reach 0.6 if put through the Blow-Door Test. Permeability and Airtightness Holz100 is a cross-layered thick wall which consists of only one material - wood. Therefore, there is no fluctuation in vapor permeability within the wall and it does not condense any air humidity, unlike vapour-blocking films or impermeable insulation materials which are frequently used in conventional methods of construction. Since structural engineers and technical institutions have been able to prove the airtightness of buildings through thermographic recordings and/or appropriate tests such as the "blower door test", a lot has changed. The world of wooden houses became divided into the good (leakage resistant) and the bad (high air leakage) in terms of energy efficiency. Wooden houses, whistling from all holes, are unfortunately not a rarity, and are quite wrong in referring to the building material as "wind barracks". Leaking grommets, balconies, sockets and walls are the main causes of air leakage in wooden homes, but they have nothing at all to do with the material itself. The fault lies with its inadequate engineering & processing of structural components. A careless plumber or electrician who bores a hole through the wall after the carpenter's work suffices to destroy everything again. The borehole acts like a needle puncture of an inflated plastic bag - there goes the building's energy efficiency. From the source of cold air enters condensation, moisture, mold and odor from behind the framework, plaster or plasterboard in the winter. The best way to avoid this is to build with our solid wood construction - Holz100. In our case of homogeneous walls, the vapor pressure is not abruptly trapped in a film layer, but is "gently" degraded throughout the entire mass. Holz100 walls are tight even at the highest wind pressure thanks to its high precision and quality of prefabrication. The connections of the wall elements are produced in a manner of utilizing a tongue-and-groove system which makes our system secure and airtight. The surfaces can then remain natural or be painted, plastered, clipped, etc. depending on the homeowner's tastes of interior design. "Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people." -Franklin D. Roosevelt Wood as a natural air conditioning system Temperature fluctuations, uncomfortably hot/cold wall surfaces and fluctuating humidity values are alien to residents of Holz100 homes. You can now experience well-being indoors in an ideal climate. The time it takes for a house to heat up in summer and cool down in winter depends on the insulation materials that are being used. However, the bigger influence comes from the building material itself. At the University of Graz, we tested the three most commonly used building systems. The experiment was simple: A wood frame wall, a brick wall and a Holz100 wall were prepared with insulation materials to achieve the same thermal insulation rating. Each wall was exposed to a constant temperature of 21 degrees Celsius. To simulate winter in the laboratory, the outside temperature was then lowered to minus 10 degrees Celsius and the inside heating turned off, as if the tenants had turned off the heating and left. We applied the same conditions to all three walls and measured the time it took for the cold to penetrate through the wall and reach zero degrees on the internal wall surface. Here are the results: Standard stick-frame wall home: 41 hours Brick wall home with insulation: 259 hours Thoma Holz100 home: 777 hours Compared to other building materials, wood has an excellent heat storage capacity and therefore only cools very slowly. The wooden house not only warms in winter, but stays cool in summer. Summer heat also penetrates slowly from outside to inside, as does heat from the inside to the outside. The Thoma Holz100 wall does not only offer fantastic U-values, but it also dominates much more. For example - as a solid, monolythic, but above all organic building material, it has superior heat storage capacities which are twice as high as those of conventional mineral wall building materials. This results in particularly high cooling times, since the U-values of Holz100 walls and excellent thermal storage capacities are unified in a unique way. Cooling time in comparison The graph shows how the temperature of the interior wall decreases after the heating has been switched off, the overall behavior of the building being measured with windows and doors. The Holz100 house cools down considerably slower than comparison building materials. To a quote by Rudolf Steiner (founder of Waldorf Schools and Biodynamic Agriculture), "It is the mass of the building which creates a good atmosphere", we would add: "The best way to create a good quality atmosphere indoors is by building with natural wood". Houses made of holz100 are 100% warm in winter and cool in summer thanks to their large storage volume. In times of constantly rising energy prices, this is of vital importance - the residents saved significantly through heating and air conditioning costs every year. Whether the wood elements are still covered with clay, tiles, wood, plaster or whether the inhabitants leave the wooden walls "pure" - wood creates an indescribable room climate that cannot be achieved by any other building material. "A happy life consists in tranquility of mind." - Marcus Tullius Cicero Noise has a lot more to do with our mental and physical health than we think. That's why it is so important to plan ahead for acoustic insulation when constructing a house. With its wooden mass design, Holz100 provides above-and-beyond soundproof ratings. Our double-layered wall constructions offer solutions far exceeding the strict requirements of current acoustic insulation standards. The impaired quality of life caused by noise is a disturbing factor that affects many. Noise disturbs our well-being, concentration and communication. Common symptoms of continuous noise include limited performance and higher incidence of disease: "Excessive noise seriously harms human health and interferes with people’s daily activities at school, at work, at home and during leisure time. It can disturb sleep, cause cardiovascular and psychophysiological effects, reduce performance and provoke annoyance responses and changes in social behaviour." - WHO In the case of a new building, a considerable protection against noise loading can be achieved without additional effort in the planning phase. Soundproofing windows are only a part of it - the highest degree of protection is achieved when choosing the right building system. Prefabricated buildings in lightweight construction offer low noise protection while brick or concrete walls in some cases act as "sound bridges" (health-damaging). The best solution is solid wood, provided it is processed correctly by quality construction techniques and engineering. Solid wood brings any home peace and comfort. For a long time, people thought that a wood house, though comfortable and romantic, was just not very soundproof. However, Holz100 homes consist of 100% wooden elements which have excellent sound attenuation. An architect challenged us with the following task: Can you build a hotel with Holz100 that would have the best soundproofed rooms? And we built the 'quietest wood hotel in the world' with our Holz100 building system for the Auer Family in the Tyrolean 'Oetztal'. Every room of this hotel has an acoustic rating twice as good as the building norms and regulations for hotels prescribe. Please note, the building standards for hotels are very strict and some hotels cannot even comply. To those who still question and have concerns about the Holz100 ratings, we suggest and recommend you to spend a weekend of wellness and rest in 'Hotel Waldklause' in the Austrian 'Oetztal'. This saves long discussions and so far has convinced everyone who doubted the superiority of wood. In this Holz100 commercial building in Munich are offices, a doctor's office and a children's day-care center without noise pollution. "We cannot stop natural disasters but we can arm ourselves with knowledge." - Petra Nemcova As a reality to many countries and regions of the world, we must think about earthquake resistance when building a house. Holz100, among other building systems, has the highest earthquake resistance. You find the oldest wooden buildings on earth in Japan, a region well-known for its earthquakes. Temples and pagodas up to six stories high were built without glue or metal and have survived the worst earthquakes for the past 1,600 years! Holz100 uses the same principle and it is not surprising that Holz100 homes easily fulfill the Japanese earthquake building standards which are the tightest and strictest in the world. By now, there are many Holz100 buildings in Japan which have already survived several earthquakes intact; one of which rated 8 on the Richter scale. Holz100 is a method which brings together old traditional knowledge and modern technology. It provides protection and safety for people living in Holz100 houses. 12 years ago, the idea to build the most ecological house using untreated wood was ridiculed and looked down upon as a joke. Today, there are various established Holz100 manufacturers in Austria, Germany, and Norway. Furthermore, preparations for manufacturers in the United States and other countries are underway. The Holz100 system is not absolutely "rigid". Due to the wall construction made of dowelled parts, flexibility is obtained in the case of an earthquake which has an extraordinary resistance to horizontal accelerations occurring during an earthquake. By now, many then-unimaginable buildings have been built with untreated and natural wood including more than 1000 homes, large hotels in Italy, Austria and Norway, health clinics, hospitals, schools, mountain lodges, childcare centers, the University for Forestry and Timber in Oslo, and sacred buildings like churches in Japan. Working in tune with nature results in building the best houses where people feel comfort, safety and therefore stay healthy for many years to come. "The more silent I am, the more dangerous I can be." - Hemant Bosamia We are always exposed to some kind of high-frequency radiation: TV and radio broadcasting antennas, radars, cell phone masts, wi-fi wireless networks, cordless phones etc. But are you aware of its consequences? High frequency radiation has been linked to insomnia, depression, brain cancer, testis, skin, salivary gland, male infertility, miscarriages pregnancy, leukemia, etc. In May 2011, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that wireless radiation is possibly carcinogenic. And as a building system that prioritizes the health and well-being of its inhabitants, we wanted to make sure that high-frequency radiation was not an issue. While building one of our first Holz100 homes, we noticed that the mobile phone reception was very weak inside the newly erected building and decided to investigate this phenomenon further. The Munich University of the Federal Armed Forces became our scientific research partner and conducted more than 700 laboratory tests. Practically all of the well-known building systems on the market were tested for their protective qualities regarding electromagnetic radiation. The results were surprising even to their radiation experts and technicians. Natural wood that we use in Holz100 achieved the best results. Holz100 panels blocked high frequency mobile phone radiation better than reinforced concrete, bricks or other commonly used prefabricated building systems. The complete scientific publication about this issue can be viewed through the Erwin Thoma Scientific Research Center.
From: "Reduction of High Frequency Radiation penetration in Buildings", May 2000, updated in 02/02, by Prof. Peter Pauli und Dr. Dietrich Moldan. Cell phones of the first generation often didn't work in Holz100 buildings. Meanwhile, the small percentage of rest radiation which enters through the window frames is enough for it to work. Residents of a Holz100 home still have the advantage of having its radiation density drastically lower inside the building compared to outdoors. Laboratory tests showed that Holz100 elements blocked up to 99% radiation, depending on frequency. Say goodbye to high-frequency radiation! "Safety is a cheap and effective insurance policy." - Author Unknown The European standard in high-tech woodblock and frame buildings (with normal, average wall, ceiling and roof thicknesses) is maximal F30. This means that the building element resists a flame at 1,000 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes. Holz100 elements reached top ratings of up to F180! This means six times safer than the usual reinforced concrete or brick walls offer. The ceiling ratings are even better. Why? Wood burns well when it is thin and in contact with plenty of air. However, a thick block of wood hardly burns at all. It chars fairly slowly, approximately 0.5-0.7mm per minute. In a Holz100 house, every ceiling, wall and floor is a thick, fire-resistant block of wood that serves as firewalls. Thoma Holz100 (40cm wall): REI 120 minutes or F90 fire resistance Thoma Holz100 (17cm wall): REI 60 minutes or F60 fire resistance While flame testing reinforced concrete walls, the cold side of the wall (which was not directly exposed to the flame) was showing in some areas a +400 degrees Celsius temperature rise after only 30 minutes. This happens because the reinforcement iron inside the concrete turns glowing hot and conducts the heat rapidly throughout the whole wall element. While flame-testing a Holz100 wall element, the hottest spot on the cold side after 90 minutes was maximal only +1.8 degrees Celsius higher than the temperature taken in the start of the test. Wood is a warmth shield and even after hours of external flame testing and heat, its innermost is quite unchanged. This is incredibly important for safety reasons, particularly in large buildings. Many fires expand faster via heat than flames. Even if this sounds incredible, it has been proven that engineered wood is safer than concrete. "Most fire deaths are not caused by burns, but by smoke inhalation. Often smoke incapacitates so quickly that people are overcome and can’t make it to an otherwise accessible exit. The synthetic materials commonplace in today’s homes produce especially dangerous substances." - National Fire Protection Association Since Holz100 is 100% pure wood, its inhabitants need not worry about toxic fumes. With its singular natural component combined with structural capacities akin to a firewall, it is the ultimate fire-resistant building system. "The realization of my dream to create the very best buildings in the world is the development of our prefabricated solid Holz100 House. A good energy-efficient home should not only be comfortable, natural and healthy. It needs to have excellent ratings regarding insulation (heat, cold, acoustic, electromagnetic radiation), fire safety, and air conditioning." - Dr. Erwin Thoma We found wood has many hidden qualities and we developed a traditional building technique into a new and healthy 'High Tech' innovation. The name means pure, 100% wood, nothing added. With a Holz100 house, walls, ceilings and roof are made of large, solid and prefabricated wooden panels which can be erected in a very short space of time. These elements are made of untreated wood, no glues, laminates, or nails. To build with Holz100 elements results in high-performance ratings which previously were thought of as impossible. Holz100 elements consist of boards and battens which, piece by piece, are lying horizontally next to each other making up the size of the panel. The second layer is stacked diagonally, the third layer vertically and so on. These layers form elements as thick as is required for walls, ceilings and floors. The question now is how to keep them together and end up with cohesive building elements. The solution lies in wood itself. As early as antiquity itself and at the time of ancient Egypt, large blocks of rock were exploded and split by swelling wood. Lacking explosives and machinery, people fitted bone-dry wooden dowels into holes and cracks. Then, they just added water. Dry wood absorbs the moisture and expands. This irresistibly strong force even splits granite boulders. It is one of the strongest forces in nature and we harness it for our Holz100 elements. Holes are drilled through all the element's layers, each consisting of individual battens lying next to each other. Then kiln-dried wooden dowels are driven into the neatly fitting holes. Even in dry climates a wooden wall always retains rest moisture (ranging from 6% to 15% relative moisture content). The moisture of the surrounding wood is absorbed by the dowel which swells and expands tightly into its hole. Because no room climate anywhere in the world can be as dry as in a kiln, this joint can't ever be dissolved other than by drilling it out. Because the layers are stacked crisscross, the patented Holz100 element is solid. It can be rendered, tiled or painted. The advantages of building with purely natural, untreated wood are mainly in the following areas: Fire Safety Warmth and Noise Insulation Air Conditioning Cooling Down Time Radiation Shielding Earthquake Safety Scientific tests, publications and building certifications were undertaken at several different universities and institutes in Austria, Germany, Norway, Japan and USA which are now available through the Erwin Thoma Research Centre. "I am not going to move into a block of glass, stone or concrete." Those were the words Albert Einstein used when he opted for a wood home, which still stands in the town of Caputh, close to Berlin. "I still remember today how our science teacher explained the wondrous and magnificent way we humans breathe: if you were to spread open the pipe and bubble system of our lungs, it would be very thin and cover an area about the size of a football field. On one side of this thin membrane the oxygen-poor blood flows while on the other side oxygen-rich air streams past. The blood absorbs oxygen through this thin surface membrane by a process called osmosis. Equally & simply, you can explain why wood is such a superior building material for a healthy and comfortable lifestyle. Similar to the human lungs, wood has an incredibly fine cellular system, consisting of thin membranes and inter-cellular spaces. Cell membranes themselves are a system of pores and fine tubules. The result of this delicate texture is the same as in our lungs: an incredibly large 'internal surface area'. One cubic centimeter of cellulose (percentage wise the most important ingredient of wood) has the unimaginable internal surface area of approximately six million square centimeters. In other words, a game dice of cellulose has a surface area large enough (600 square meters) for a single family home - garden included. This fine structure has the effect of a sponge and acts like an air filter. Wood absorbs and filters harmful and smelly substances, retains and releases moisture and reduces electromagnetic smog inside the house. Why do we perceive the atmosphere in an alpine cabin as particularly pleasant and cozy, whereas our hair stands up when we enter a brand-new building with sealed and laminated floors, painted wall and ceiling panels? Wood connects with us via our senses of smell, touch, taste and vision. It provides us with a sense of strength, comfort and safety. A fundamental requirement of healthy homes is that our buildings act as a third skin. This requirement is ingeniously and wonderfully fulfilled by wood. One thing we need to consider though: skin is supposed to breathe and must not be clogged or 'sealed' by airtight coatings, paints and glues. Otherwise, wood fares similarly to the lungs of a heavy smoker! Because untreated wood is able to breathe, it lowers and harmonizes concentration levels of other substances suspended in the air, like gases, steams and odors and keeps all levels closer to what we experience as healthy, comfortable and beneficial. A three-hour experiment showed how 0.4m² of untreated wooden cladding per m³ room volume absorbed Formaldehyde from the atmosphere. Without airing the room, the Formaldehyde levels were reduced from 1.2 ppm (equivalent to the smoke of 25 cigarettes) to 0.1 ppm. This result equals the reduction of 1/12 of the original concentration! For wood to participate in a healthy gas exchange and moisture balancing act in your home, it needs to be untreated, uncoated, unclogged, and preferably unglued." - Dr. Erwin Thoma Inventor & Founder of Thoma Holz100 What does 'chemically treated wood' really mean? In the past few centuries, laminates, glues and synthetic preservatives have turned a natural building material into toxic waste. A large percentage of modern wood products, furniture, building and flooring will be classified and treated as toxic waste. The same chemicals which turn wood into a toxic waste also diminish the quality of our lives and lead to questions like: "Why do I get headaches at home?", "Why can't I breathe properly?" or, "Why do I keep coughing?" The three main uses are: Chemical technology: adhesives, glues and laminate Surface treatment: laminates and paints Preservatives: insecticides and fungicides. After decades of unconcerned use and patronizing talk by the industry, we now see some treatments (with active ingredients like PCP, Lindan and adhesives containing Formaldehyde) recognized and declared as dangerous! This only happened after many people had suffered terrible damage to their health and now Formaldehyde has been replaced by another highly questionable synthetic resin which has Isocyanate on its list of ingredients. It is hard to believe to see the devil being chased out by the deuce. Clever sales techniques praise Formaldehyde-free furniture, wall and floor panels as healthy, natural and eco-friendly. But they forget to mention their adhesives contain Isocyanate. Here is a quote from a personal talk I had with the head chemist of a famous natural paint manufacturer, Mr. Erwin Schusser: "If you compare the toxicity of Isocyanate and Formaldehyde, you will find Isocyanates are definitely not less toxic...!" Properties of Isocyanates: Isocyanates are highly reactive chemicals. They are used in large quantities for the production of polyurethanes. Usage: The use of polyurethane varies widely (mattresses, soft foam materials, sealants, insulation, adhesives, finishes and others). Effect: The toxicity of polyurethane mainly stems from the original and unchanged chemical compound Isocyanate. Isocyanates are constantly being exuded into the surrounding atmosphere and have a highly irritating effect on mucus membranes, particularly the respiratory system. Allergic reactions like coughs, asthma and other breathing difficulties and headaches often are triggered. Toxicological Rating: Isocyanates are highly active chemicals which react with skin and mucus membranes. They are even more toxic than Formaldehyde. The replacement used in chipboard is Diphenylmeth and Isocyanate which forms Diaminodiphenylmethane. This compound is strongly suspected to cause cancer. In a fire situation, Polyurethane is a death trap. Poisonous gases like Hydrogen Cyanide (Alder/Mackwitz: Eco tricks and Swindles, page 274). Isocyanates are part of a particularly dangerous group of chemicals. Even small concentrations of fumes or dust (produced by normal wear and tear of these materials) in a room can cause serious health damage. Irritation of the mucus membranes to nose, bronchus and lungs leads to shortness of breath and chest pain. Under prolonged exposure spasmodic coughs and bronchitis are the result. Isocyanides cause allergic reactions, e.g., Isocyanate asthma, a lung disease (Katalyse Umweltgruppe: das Oekologische Heimwerkerbuch; Rohwohlt, S 152). Substances which are suspected to be carcinogenic (aromatic amine amino acids) can be found in Isocyanate products and also are being released by them. Even if it were possible to swiftly warn people about the dangers posed by Isocyanates and the chemical compound would be removed, more and more medical cases of Isocyanates toxicity would become public. Precious time is passing by and in the meantime the industry is looking for new chemicals to replace the current ones. The wounds inflicted on nature by the production of synthetic products have not been factored in yet. Toxic treatments create toxic waste which cannot be put back into nature without causing more damage. It makes sense to use untreated wood for floors and cladding inside and outside. No one needs to take the risk in the first place. Why are we following the dead-end road sign of the petrochemical industry? Why do we resolve simple wood-working steps with a sorcerer's apprentice mentality? Why would we inflict more damage to our health and environment? If you wanted to prevent any chemical experiments on yourself, you should develop a healthy curiosity when buying wooden products. Prefer manufacturers and dealers who are open to disclosure of their product treatments and constituents. Someone who can prove the product is harmless to your health and the environment. |
AuthorHolz100 Canada Inc. Archives
July 2019
Categories
All
|