Timber Frame Construction, compared to stick built or conventional framing, is a very sustainable building technology. Unlike stick building, the materials used in a timber frame will inevitably be reclaimed and recycled. In fact, many timber frames are made from reclaimed and recycled frames from barns, bridges, warehouses, and factory buildings. An argument is sometimes made that Timber Frames use old growth lumber. In fact, some do. But Timber Frame homes typically last much longer than conventionally framed homes. Timber Frames in Europe and Asia are more than 1000 years old. One way to preserve old growth forests is to build homes that last a lot longer so fewer trees will be cut for construction purposes. One other fact about Timber Frames is that they are frequently build from fast growing farm raised southern yellow pine which is kiln dried. Farm raised Southern Yellow pine is a renewable resource.

Further supporting Timber Frame as a sustainable building method is that Timber Frame combined with SIP panels provides a highly insulated, tight structure that uses much less energy for heating and cooling than conventionally framed structures.

A Timber Frame home, though generally more expensive to build than a conventionally framed home, also brings with it the beauty of posts and beams, open floor plans and soaring ceilings. So Timber Frame construction is not only good for the planet, but beautiful as well.

People will see one of my projects for the first time and well, I get this question a lot. “Where did you get your ideas?” they’ll ask. The simple answer is that first, I got inspired. And then, from somewhere, ideas started to fly in. But first comes inspiration. And it always happens. With every project. Because it has to if I’m to do my job and design the best house I know how.

Inspiration. I cannot over exaggerate the importance of inspiration as part of the creative process. Because inspiration brings passion. Integrity and honesty. Originality. And utility to every project. And long after I’m gone, inspiration stays behind to greet the homeowner, their family, and their guests ever time they enter the house. Or wake up in the morning. Inspiration is forever.

As to how the inspiration comes, the process usually goes something like this: I start thinking about the client. I ponder their… well their humanity, as strange as that may sound.  What is this house going to mean to them. Usually the house is a dream… something they’ve been wanting their entire lives. It’s an ambition that has survived through time, through years. Often this house represents sacrifice and certainly a measure of success. I’ll even ask the client, “what does this house mean to you?” Usually, it means a whole lot. Enough, on occasion, to make eyes well with tears. There is a story behind every house because there is a story behind the people who want to build it and each story is uniquely, beautifully human. It is from that seed of humanity that I feel the need, and a commitment, to help my client achieve their goals.  I feel inspired as my clients’ dreams become mine. And from that inspiration comes a passion that infuses the process with energy and originality.

Top Ten Reasons Why Design and Build Simply Works Better

The Steamboat Project was Design Build

1. Comprehensive budget – prepared by experienced number crunchers who are intimate with every phase of the project from planning through design to construction and interior design.
2. Beginning to end supervision – One entity supervises the project from inception to completion creating continuity and project expertise.
3. Seamless multi-disciplined integration – All the necessary disciplines (architecture, planning, engineering, construction, interior design) are housed under the same roof and answer to the same authority creating simplified workflow.
4. Single entity accountability –  If something ain’t right, one entity is responsible for correcting the supervision and has the authority to do it.
5. Breadth of knowledge – The team is experienced in all phases of a homebuilding project, not just a particular discipline. The result is a synergistic knowledge base.
6. Parallel track design and construction – During design, construction budget, timeframe, and  logistical issues are examined while during construction, design changes can be readily implemented.
7. Design guidance and input – Builder sits at the design table. Who better to provide relevant design guidance than someone experienced in homebuilding.
8. Budgetary input during design – A builder intimate with the design process can provide cost management advice during the design phase.
9. Proven team member/players – The team members know each other well having worked on many projects together
10. Accessibility – The client always has access to the entire team through any single team member.

Note: Design and Build projects by Trilogy Partners include Caleb’s Journey, Rounds Road, Calecho, Steamboat, Kauai, and others featured in the project gallery.

Design Rendering of Trilogy Design Build Project "Calecho"

Trilogy is a Design Build residential construction company. But just what is Design Build?

What It Isn’t

Let me answer that question by first giving and example of what Design Build is not. Suppose you want to build your dream home (or any home, for that matter.) What’s the first thing you do? Right, buy a lot. So you contact a real estate agent who helps you find a lot. Now you own a lot. It may be , in industry parlance, a highly build-able lot. Or it may require expensive infrastructure that you weren’t counting on. You’ll find that out later on. Okay, still you own the lot. Now you need someone to design a house for the lot. Taking a deep breath you initiate an interview process and then hire an architect. An engineer. And you may or may not need other specialists or someone to help with planning, building permits and all the other details necessary before you can even begin to build. Then you need to hire a builder. You audition a bunch of builders. You may ask for a bid from each one. The bid is based on a budget based on the drawings the architect and engineer have produced. Some of the bids are low, some high. Some of the builders say the plans are adequate for construction. Others say the plans are inadequate and they  need more information, something the architect disputes. So you lay awake at night. Which builder do you hire? One builder says your lot will be difficult to build on. Another says it’s a piece of cake. Do you hire the lowest bid? What if a builder with a fantastic reputation comes in at a higher price. Is he worth the extra money? And then a couple of the builders say they don’t like fixed price budgets and that their clients prefer Cost Plus contracts and budgets. What are they talking about? The one thing you know for sure. Every builder, the architect, the engineer, the interior designer, everyone associated with the project seems to have a different opinion about every question you ask.

This is not Design Build. Design Build proposes a completely different organizational structure.

What It Is

With Design Build the client engages one entity to oversee the entirety of the home building project to include but not limited to lot choice, planning, architectural design and interior design. The Design Builder puts together an experienced team and facilitates the interaction between the design and build project participants. Architecture, Engineering, Planning, Construction, Interior Design, Interior Decorating integrate seamlessly around the table provided by the Design Builder. Most Design Builders will even suggest that they take a roll in helping the client and the real estate professional secure the best lot. The Design Builder is the party responsible for the successful outcome of the project.  The Design Builder is the bottom line when it comes to cost or labor or timeline. The Design Builder helps the home owner establish a responsible budget amount, and then governs the process so that the owner reaches budgetary goals. And architectural goals. And goals that include time frame and completion dates. A good Design Builder even advises the client with issues concerning project impact and sustainability. The Design Builder is the owner’s partner in the design and construction of the home. The Design builder supplies all the manpower, materials, and know how needed to build the home. Design Build not only offers the client a degree of integration, fiduciary responsibility, and efficiency that is atypical of the conventional “design then engineer then build” construction process. But Design build offers the homeowner client an unmatched level of security, commitment and accountability as well.

Trilogy Partner’s Design and Build approach results in successful projects. Its strong and enduring client relationships proves the worth of Design Build as a management process. Visit the Project Gallery to see examples of Trilogy Design Build projects.

Here’s a question for you: what’s the most important element of a successful homebuilding project? Is it the lot? Architect? Builder, materials? Contractors?  Nope, none of these things are the MOST important element of the project. If you’re about to hire a builder or architect, ask them this question and then hope for this answer: Nothing is more important than a good budget. A good budget is the roadmap to success… a bad budget a sure course to failure.  A budget is more important to the project than the skill of the architect or builder, or the beauty of the design, or the building site. Let me say that again. Nothing is more important to the successful outcome of a project than a properly prepared, accurate budget.

The Good Budget

What is a home building budget? It’s the A to Z dollar amount of everything, and I mean every thing, that will go into the production of the home. It starts with Architecture and Design.  The final line item might be the cost of the construction clean. Or, depending on the project, it may also include stereo equipment for the media room, or the costs of furnishing the house. But the budget always considers the costs of design and construction.

Budgeting the costs of the home MUST begin during the design process. Unfortunately, because it is not their job nor their experience to build homes, the project architect is not a reliable source of costs and should not prepare the construction budget. It takes years of experience dealing with project costs and conditions to have the background necessary to prepare a project budget. So if not the architect, who should begin the budget during the design phase? One of the biggest mistakes home owners make is to wait to hire a builder until after the home is designed. Why? Because a builder should be aboard during the design phase so as to advise the architect and the client as to the projected costs of the project.  One advantage of the Design and Build approach to project management is that because the Design Builder hires all members of the design and build team, including the architect, the Design Builder is intimate with all costs.  At Trilogy Partners we operate as a Design and Build constructor. On every project we supervise every line item in every project budget. After having done this for more than a decade, we are better qualified than most to assemble and monitor a project budget. In fact, one of the most heard compliments from our clients is how accurate and detailed our budgets are. Before contracting, we furnish sample budgets to every potential client so they know just how serious we are about project numbers.

Bad Budget, Bad!

So, what are the consequences of a bad budget. Well, cost overruns will very likely strain the relationship between Owner, Architect and Builder. But worse still, cost overruns could financially imperil the owner, and thus the project.  Can you imagine thinking it would cost X to build your house, only to find out as the project went along that it was going to cost X plus 50%? It happens more frequently than the industry would like to admit. The biggest complaint heard in the construction industry doesn’t concern construction quality but rather, poor cost estimating and financial management. So let me ask again, “What’s the most important element of a successful project?” It’s the budget. And a good budget is the best friend, the closest buddy, you will have on any project. So make sure that who ever you hire to supervise your project prepares a project friendly budget. Or else.

Boiler Room with Geothermal Heat Exchange System

From earlier writings we described the environmental commitment of Breckenridge homeowner Kyle M. to build an 8,000 sq. ft. luxury zero energy home. We continue today with the inside story of this net zero home. This writing focuses on the renewable energy systems chosen including solar electric and geo-exchange, along with an integrated lighting and electronics program that dually functions as an energy management system. Once Ambient Energy produced the energy modeling for the 8,000 sq. ft. home, the engineering and building team went to work to choose materials that would conserve as much energy as possible. Step one: Design and build a tight well-insulated energy-efficient home. Step two: Incorporate renewable energy and smart-home control systems geared to energy conservation.

The environmental heating and cooling solutions for the Breckenridge Timber Trail home demonstrate a high degree of integration among experienced professionals not unlike the workings of a well trained sports team. This team’s goal: design and install an efficient geo exchange heating ventilation and cooling (HVAC) system to provide 100 percent of the home’s space heating needs with a natural gas boiler backing up system. First up to bat was Barry Engleman of George T. Sanders Companyof Silverthorne. George T. Sanders did the heat calculations for the home to determine how much radiant floor tubing was needed to keep the house warming properly even down to 20 degrees below zero. Engleman designed the layout and Tekmar control systems that control the radiant floor hydronic system. Next to bat was Eric Atcheson of E.W.A. Mechanical Inc. based in Silverthorne. E.W.A worked closely with Engleman, and was responsible for the home’s plumbing, heating, and automated Tekmar control systems. Following Engleman’s layout and his own expertise, Atcheson installed the plumbing system for domestic hot water production, radiant floor heat tubes to supply heating for the home, and the optional snowmelt system for the driveway. The house received two high efficiency boilers that integrate with the ground source heat pumps and ensure the home’s comfort on the coldest of Breckenridge nights. Our third and fourth batters were Jim Dexter from Summit Professionals of Silverthorne and Bob Major of Major Heating and Cooling in Wheat Ridge. The two companies managed the installation and integration of the ground source geo exchange heating and cooling system, heat pumps, air handling and humidification. Summit Professionals designed systems and duct work to provide a fresh supply of air to the home and comfortable environment. Dexter installed an integrated air handling, humidification and Energy Recovery Ventilator which gives the homeowner complete control over the indoor environment. The Breckenridge home receives 100 percent of its space heating and summer cooling from a geothermal heat pump system. Geo exchange uses the constant 50 to 55 degree temperature of the earth to warm the home when it is cold outside and to cool the home on hot days. Before excavation of the home, the geo exchange wells were drilled. Major Heating and Geothermal in conjunction with Can-America Drilling Inc., installs a closed loop system consisting of 19 boreholes, each 300 ft deep, around the foundation and under the driveway.

Solar PV System

Photovoltaic Panels

SolSource, Inc., a solar engineering and installation firm based in Denver, was engaged to design and install the solar photovoltaic system, through their partnership with Breckenridge-based Colorado Building Company.

The Making of Breckenridge’s First Custom Net Zero Home

Dave Lyskawa, Sol-Source VP of Residential Sales, met the homeowner’s goal of designing a solar electric system that provides 100 percent of the home’s electrical needs. For phase one, SolSource installed a 9.89 kW solar PV array. The solar energy installation consists of 43 SolarWorld 230-watt panels with black frames. SolarWorld modules are 100 percent manufactured in the U.S. The solar panels are connected to Enphase micro inverters and an Enphase energy management unit which provides 24/7 system monitoring. Enphase increased the energy production of the solar array by maximizing the energy generated by each individual solar panel. SolSource also selected Enphase to allow for system expandability and is pre-wiring the home for an additional 7 kW system in phase two. The energy produced by the 9.89 kW array prevents an estimated 29,907 pounds of C02 from entering the atmosphere every year.

Lighting and Energy Management Systems

A final component to creating Breckenridge’s first custom net zero home was integrated lighting, energy management, and whole house automation system. Players were Chad Ballard of Paradigm Systems, Inc. based in Denver using the Vantage Control system and Daniel Stern with Electronics by Design in Broomfield. All lighting fixtures installed were evaluated for functionality and energy efficiency. “We focus on correct color, intensity, dimming and usage of the lights required in a luxury residence, while ensuring that the house is performing at the minimum energy consumption,” said Ballard. The Vantage system was chosen for its ability to provide automated and remote control of the home’s lights, HVAC, shades, fans, audio/ video and home theater distribution systems, security through sensors, timers, keypads and energy consumption meters. Lights in high use rooms were programmed with occupancy sensors that turn on when some one enters the room at a set intensity and turn off when motion is no longer detected after a set time interval. This simple house-wide lighting/motion sensor system enables the homeowner to masterfully manage the home’s electricity usage and significantly conserve energy. This Breckenridge residence is likely the “smartest home” in town. If homeowner Kyle wants to, he can press a button on his cell phone as he is driving up to his mountain chateau and engage a “Welcome” mode. With one button the lights turn on, the blinds go up, the garage door opens, and music begins to play.

After Kyle M, a successful Colorado direct marketing business man became a father his perspective changed. Watching his children grow older and seeing the environmental challenges they would face, he began to learn all he could to convert his Colorado home from an energy hog to an energy miser. Kyle succeeded. He hired a Denver solar engineering firm to install a 10 kW solar photovoltaic array which reduced his electric bill by 75 percent. He put in a solar greenhouse which brings heated air into the home and doubles as a cozy family room. He switched out his light bulbs to compact fluorescent (CFLs) which use about 1⁄4 the energy of incandescent light bulbs. Perhaps most importantly he used technology to assist him and his family to make significant lifestyle changes to conserve energy. He learned that by programming simple occupancy sensor devices to turn lights off in key rooms after two minutes of no activity, he could dramatically reduce his energy usage – without the constant reminders  his family “… please turn the lights off when you leave the room!” Kyle set an even higher goal when he decided to buy a lot on Timber Trail Road to build a ski in/ski out mountain home in Breckenridge. This luxury Summit County house would be a net zero energy home. The goal was to design and build an 8,000 sq. ft. highly attractive mountain home that fit seamlessly into the existing neighborhood and whose renewable energy systems were well integrated into the overall house design. Over the following months, a skilled and committed team of professionals was brought together to achieve these goals. This is the first time in Summit County that a team of this depth and experience in environmental building and renewable energy solutions has been assembled.

Steamboat House and Japanese Garden

These 10 elements are key essentials for sustainable homebuilding.

1. A Leadership Attitude – The owners of the home are the leaders of the effort toward sustainability and must be willing to enforce sustainable standards and practices during design and construction.
2. A Commitment to Preserving Environment and Resources – A willingness to confront the environmental and resource issues created by putting a structure where there was none before.
3. A Sustainable Lot – Choose a lot which makes sense. Some building sites are inherently better for building sustainably. Consider orientation, exposure, topography and accessibility. For example: choose a southern exposure in a cooler environment. Choose an accessible lot to minimize resources expended on infrastructure. Don’t fight the topography. Embrace it.
4. A Supportive Community -Does your community or owner’s association support sustainable standards and practices. Some towns and subdivisions restrict the use of solar panels or wind turbines.
5. An Interest in Research – Sustainable Practices and Principles require study. Technologies change quickly so it’s important to stay current.
6. A Sustainable Design Team – Do available Architects, Designers, and Engineers have the knowledge and commitment to support a sustainable project?
7. A Sustainable Build Team – Do available Builders have the knowledge and commitment to support a sustainable project?
8. A Reasonable Concept – Is your concept compatible with sustainablility. Are you willing to compromise to achieve sustainable objectives?
9. A Reasonable Budget – Is your budget adequate to fund a sustainable project. Sustainability is seldom less expensive than standard construction standards.
10. A Reasonable Timeframe – Designing and Building the sustainable home takes time. Inflexible deadlines don’t allow for design optimization or project planning.

John and I built our first house for ourselves. Then we sold it, bought land and built another. We know how to build homes. We also know what it is like to be a client. To be the one for whom the house is being built. On that first house, Woodhouse Post and Beam manufactured and erected the Timber Frame and the panel walls for the home. We were their client. We hire architects and engineers on every project. We are the client. We are the client of the guy who delivers the Port-O-Let. We are the clients of the banker, the attorney, and the plumber and electrician. We know how it feels to be a client. You’re either serviced well, and really feel that you matter to the service provider or supplier. Or you feel like you don’t matter and you should have taken your business elsewhere. We know this feeling. What it feels like to pay money to someone who doesn’t seem to value your business.  It’s a terrible feeling. It’s just plain wrong. Which is why, at Trilogy, John and I and every person who works here is committed to an extraordinary level of service. Our clients are the people for whom we design and build. To us, they are the most important people in our business lives. And we never forget that. How it feels to be a client. To us, the client really matters. And making the client happy is what makes our job fulfilling.

In the design world, because there are an infinite number of options and choices, choosing just the right item for the right purpose sometimes feels downright overwhelming. But from the beginning we thought a hefty carved stone sink would be perfect for the kitchen in the Timber Trails residence in Breckenridge. The theme of the house was European Castle reconstructed after World War II (yes, every house has a story) and this sink, or one just like it,  seemed to balance well with the massive rafters and beams and stone walls that would surround it. But because we were building this house to LEED “Sustainable” standards, we needed to source the sink from as close to Colorado as possible (LEED encourages local purchasing to reduce the environmental impact of shipping.) So, after some searching, we sourced this sink from Mexico, which is certainly closer to Colorado than Europe or Asia, which were other options. Sometimes choosing the “right” thing means more than just form and function. Especially if you are as concerned as we are about designing and building in a way that is friendly to the planet.