Solid timber construction in Tyrol: why timber is the material of the future

Timber is not only the oldest building material in the Alps – it is also the most modern. No other material combines so many advantages: ecological, in terms of building physics, and aesthetic. And nowhere is its use more obvious than in Tyrol, where the resource grows right on the doorstep.

The CO₂ balance: timber is unbeatable

One cubic metre of spruce stores around 920 kg of CO₂ – permanently, for as long as the timber remains in the building. By comparison: producing one cubic metre of concrete causes around 300 kg of CO₂ emissions, steel even more than 5,000 kg. Building with timber means building climate-neutral or even climate-positive.

For a typical single-family house in solid timber construction, the CO₂ saving compared with a conventional masonry building is 40–80 tonnes – the equivalent of one person’s carbon footprint over several decades.

Advantages in building physics: more than just looks

Timber regulates indoor humidity, stores heat, dampens sound and creates a pleasant indoor climate that no synthetic material can match. Anyone who has slept in a well-designed timber house once does not want to go back.

Add to that the technical advantages: solid timber walls of cross-laminated timber (CLT) achieve excellent U-values, carry high structural loads and can be erected in a fraction of the time a masonry building requires.

The fire safety myth

“But timber burns!” – this objection comes up without fail. What it overlooks: timber chars in a controlled manner and retains its load-bearing capacity far longer than steel, which fails abruptly at high temperatures. Modern fire safety concepts for timber buildings are mature – we implement them every day.

Regional timber species in Tyrol

• Spruce: the all-rounder. Light, easy to work, excellent strength. Ideal for load-bearing structures.
• Larch: naturally durable, ideal for façades and outdoor areas. Weathers to an elegant grey.
• Stone pine: the finest Tyrolean timber. Aromatic, antibacterial, for interior fit-out and furniture.

All three grow in Tyrol and South Tyrol – short transport distances, regional added value, genuine sustainability.

Our projects in solid timber construction

In the Penthouse Mieming project, we added a solid timber storey to a historic farmhouse – the existing building was fully preserved, and the new living space was created quickly and quietly. With the project Sustainable solid timber construction for contemporary holiday apartments, we showed that alpine building tradition and a modern sense of space are not contradictions.

Funding for timber construction in Tyrol

The Land Tirol (the Tyrolean provincial government) and the Austrian federal government actively promote the use of renewable raw materials. For timber buildings there are supplements to the Wohnhaussanierungsförderung (the provincial housing refurbishment subsidy) and dedicated funding lines for new buildings in solid timber construction. As a practice with a focus on timber construction, we know these schemes in detail and use them consistently for our clients.