PROJECT 955 is a noteworthy, custom-designed timber frame home that is currently under construction by its owner-builders. The home includes a number of significant components. Most notable are its intricate timber frame and its structural insulated panel (SIP) enclosure.

This website is dedicated to documenting the construction process for viewers considering similar projects or searching for information on home building processes and related materials. Within this website, the owner-builders plan to demonstrate effective use of construction processes, materials and systems that are improvements over what are accepted standard 20th century building practices.

PROJECT 955 does not intend to examine or employ cutting-edge construction techniques and materials, many of which have yet to withstand the test of time, nor strives to demonstrate the latest in “building green” approaches. It will sometimes utilize older but superior techniques, such as timber framing over stick-built carpentry. But it will also employ the use of contemporary materials and systems — such as SIPs instead of traditional framing and insulating practices — which yield higher performance and greater efficiency. By deliberately examining both old world and new world building practices, this project hopes to employ the best of each to achieve a higher level of building value and demonstrate that "building green” can be defined and achieved in many ways.

More specifically, use of high quality materials and craftsmanship, as well as use of innovative but timeless design features, insures that the intrinsic value of the structure will prevent its demolition and replacement for a very long time. It is this durability and preservation of embedded energy that is the ultimate definition of "building green."