Our method

Timber Frame Construction in Austria

Eco Holz Residence designs and builds sustainable timber frame homes in Austria. The structural elements are precision engineered in a controlled factory environment by a specialist production partner with over ten years of experience in engineered timber construction. The timber is FSC certified, delivered numbered, and ready to assemble on site.

Timber frame structure being erected on site — pre-numbered panels from the factory

Our Timber Systems: KVH, BSH and CLT

We work with three timber systems, each suited to a specific role in the structural frame.

KVH (solid structural timber) is finger jointed solid wood in strength class C24, kiln dried under controlled conditions with no glue lines across the cross section. We use it for wall studs, floor joists, and roof rafters.

BSH (glued laminated timber) in strength class GL24c joins glued lamellas into beams and ridge beams, allowing spans of up to 12 metres.

CLT (cross laminated timber) is made of layers of solid wood glued at right angles to each other, and we use it for floor slabs, wall panels, and large format structural elements.

System Strength Class Typical Use Advantage
KVH (solid structural timber) C24 Wall studs (100–140 mm), floor joists, roof rafters High load capacity at low density, no glue lines across the cross section, fire and chemical resistant
BSH (glued laminated timber) GL24c Beams, ridge beams, spans up to 12 m Large spans, excellent dimensional stability, fully natural and recyclable
CLT (cross laminated timber) Solid timber panel, multi layer Floor slabs, wall panels, structural elements up to 3.20 × 20.0 m High seismic resistance, fast assembly, lower self weight than reinforced concrete
KVH, BSH and CLT engineered timber cross-sections — structural grades used in residential construction

From Factory to Site

Every house follows the same controlled process, from the first structural plan to a weatherproof shell.

  1. Structural design and optimisation
  2. Factory production, with capacity of up to 2,000 m² of prefabricated structures per month
  3. Precision cutting, numbering, and labelling of every component
  4. Delivery to the construction site
  5. Assembly of the timber frame structure, 6 to 12 days depending on the house
  6. Weatherproof shell completion
Factory floor: precision-cut timber frame elements awaiting delivery and site assembly
Precision built wall elements leave the factory numbered and ready to assemble

Why Timber Frame Construction Works in Austria

Timber frame construction can be built year round in Austria, in any climate, without special additives. The prefabricated elements are light, which reduces the load on site and allows spans of up to 12 metres without extra supports.

The continuous insulation layer in a timber frame gives strong thermal performance, which means lower heating and cooling costs over the life of the building. Because timber is a naturally renewable, FSC certified material, it also reduces the carbon footprint significantly compared to concrete or steel. For us, that is the foundation of a genuine eco home: timber houses in Austria that don't just claim sustainable building, but deliver it in every component.

Completed single-family home built with Austrian timber frame construction — Eco Holz Residence

Questions about our construction method

Timber frame construction uses prefabricated timber elements as the load bearing structure, instead of building the house stone by stone on site. We combine KVH for wall studs, floor joists, and roof rafters, BSH for beams and large openings, and CLT for floor and wall panels.

Every component is cut to size at the factory, numbered, and assembled on site according to plan.

Assembling the timber frame structure for a single family home typically takes 6 to 12 days. Total build time also depends on the foundation, interior fit out, and handover, but the short structural phase is one of the biggest time advantages over solid construction.

We use all three systems where they perform best. KVH, strength class C24, for wall studs, floor joists, and roof rafters. BSH, strength class GL24c, for beams and openings up to 12 metres.

CLT for floor slabs, wall panels, and large format structural elements that need high seismic resistance and fast assembly.

Yes. Our timber is FSC certified, making it a renewable material with a significantly lower carbon footprint than concrete or steel. The continuous insulation layer in the timber frame reduces thermal bridging and lowers heating and cooling costs over the life of the house.

Yes. Our factory production and assembly aren't tied to a single location, and timber frame construction works in every Austrian climate. We currently focus on projects in greater Vienna and Lower Austria, but we also review sites in other states.

Planning a timber frame project in Austria and want to know if it fits our construction method?