Design with a system at the forefront of sustainability, comfort, and health.
Design with a system at the forefront of sustainability, comfort, and health.
Sustainability and efficiency come standard.
TAMBS incorporates low carbon materials and is designed to meet the Passive House low energy building standard. A structure built with TAMBS is guaranteed to be high performing and comfortable because of our focus on building science baked into every assembly and the quality assurance achieved through off-site, factory built construction.
A contribution to forest and climate.
A structure designed using TAMBS utilizes our Ponderosa Pine Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) for the interior wall surface. This interior surface lowers heart rates and enables forest health. Every board was cut to help prevent catastrophic forest fires and protect our communities, and by harvesting responsibly, we sequester carbon that would have otherwise entered the atmosphere when wood is burned for firewood or left to rot.
Stock, Optimized, and Adapted designs.
TAMBS is most efficient in both cost and constructibility when a building is designed around the system. However, most designs can be adapted to use TAMBS if changes can be made to accommodate some of its unique features. We also offer an ever expanding library of stock shell designs with partial plan sets that can be utilized as is, or customized to your needs.
Unique considerations when designing with TAMBS...
Cost and construction efficiency
- Because TAMBS is a panelized system, designing on a 5' x 10' grid (measured on the internal dimension) to match our base panel size will ensure maximum efficiency.
- The best way to minimize the cost per square foot of a structure built with TAMBS is to build up. By designing a two or three story structure you double or triple the usable space under the same roof.
- Keeping all interior wall heights under 10' will keep wall systems as simple as possible.
- Keep in mind the maximum span of a TAMBS panel assembly is 18' (dependent on load requirements).
HVAC and Mechanicals
- TAMBS is an extremely energy efficient system both in terms of R value and air exchange. This means the size of heating and cooling systems in a building can be significantly reduced.
- Timber Age™ recommends the use of ERV or HRV units in buildings to efficiently manage air exchange.
- Centralizing plumbing in to fewer ‘wet walls’ within the interior of the building will reduce the number of penetrations in the TAMBS assembly.
Building Orientation
- Unlike traditional buildings, orienting the building to minimize warm month solar gain by keeping larger walls and windows on northern and western exposures is beneficial.
- Maximized Southwestern exposures also present an opportunity to maximize roof space for potential solar energy capture.
Foundations
- The TAMBS system can be set on nearly any foundation type. The goal is to keep the entire building envelope well insulated and sealed.
- Timber Age™ often suggests insulated crawlspace construction using Insulated Concrete forms.
- For the smallest impact on a building site, the use of piers supporting insulated TAMBS floor panels is an elegant solution.
For more detailed information on these and more design considerations when using TAMBS please request a copy of our deisgn guide below.
Typical Wall Assembly
We are currently in the process of creating several stock building designs. These stock designs will provide you with a pre-designed building shell optimized for the TAMBS. Interiors can be customized to suit your needs.
Please contact us for more information.
Please refer to our design guidelines above for best practices in designing with the TAMBS system. If you are a potential homeowner, developer, or builder and are in need of design assistance please one of our architect partners, or contact our team for more details.
Archtect Partners
If you need assistance designing a custom project please consider using one of our architect partners. These firms have experience designing with TAMBS and can help ensure your new home is optimally designed using our system.
If you are new to TAMBS and are interested in designing with the system, please fill out the request form below to recieve our TAMBS Design Guidlines.
