| Architect Eddie Keating of JE
Keating & Associates is an avowed fan of Timber Frame. He
has used this building method extensively and feels that it
compares more than favourably with conventional methods.
"This method of construction is the norm in many countries
throughout the globe," he states. "Almost all present day
low-rise house building in the United States of America is
based on wood framed construction systems. This is also the
case in Scandinavia and elsewhere. "The system used in this
country has been adapted to Irish circumstances however, and
is slightly different to that most commonly used elsewhere.
The biggest difference is that wood is widely used outside
as well as inside in other countries, whereas we in Ireland
prefer to use traditional brick or block construction on our
external elevations." The Cork-based architect has been involved
in the design of three major Timber Frame projects to date.
These include a residential project for Mclnerney Construction
in Kinsale involving nine different house and apartment design
types. He has also designed a twenty seven bedroom nursing
home in Churchtown, Mallow, Co. Cork, while a further project
involved the design of eleven two and three bedroom apartments
in MacCurtain Street, Cork. Eddie Keating says that the Timber
Frame method offers many advantages to construction industry
professionals and householders alike:
"These advantages include more control over the finished
product. The Speed of construction on site is another obvious
advantage. Timber-Frame cuts down on the waiting period and
allows decoration to be completed more quickly.
"Sound transmission between buildings was something that
concerned me when I was first called upon to design a building
of this type. But I soon found that Timber Frame party walls
are every bit as good as traditional walls in this respect.
Then, of course, there is the thermal insulation factor -
central heating bills are reduced considerably and the overall
value for money in energy saving terms is significant.
"There are however, some corresponding disadvantages that
cannot be ignored. The Timber Frame method in my experience,
needs somewhat more on-site supervision.
Plumbers and electricians, in particular, must be carefully
briefed. Also, fire safety officers tend to be concerned about
the use of Timber Frame in apartment walls. In the MacCurtain
Street scheme, for instance, we used conventional blockwork
for such walls.
"But these matters can be easily overcome with proper pre-planning
and I would otherwise be very pleased to use Timber Frame
in future projects".
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