Article#1 TIMBER FLOORS- THE AGE 24 APRIL

Timber flooring used to be a standard in all Australian homes, but now environmental concerns means that concrete floors are going to be the go from now on,
Changes to energy saving regulations as of next month means that there will be added pressure on builders to use concrete slabs in replace of timber floors.
The 2005 regulations excluded timber floors in meeting the five star energy rating. But next month this exclusion will disappear. Environmentalists are happy with the change, however the building industry is complaining it will add costs, hurt the industry and reduce consumer choice.
The HIA wants the concession to extend for another 12 months until new software can calculate energy use is introduced.
Builders have estimated that 15 to 20 per cent of there home designs will be affected.
Building Commissioner Tony Arnel said that timber floors can be used on top of concrete slabs to receive the five star rating.
A Gippsland builder said 100 of his 120 houses a year use timber floor because it is the best option for such a hilly area, using concrete slabs means an additional cost of up to $10,000.
The five star rating which is being used does not calculate the energy used in creating the materials, researches suggest concrete may be less energy efficient over the whole life span of the building compared to timber, an argument HIA have used against the new proposal.