Eco-friendliness, energy efficiency, durability, fire and seismic resistance, comfort – these are the advantages that wood houses built from glued laminated beams stand out worldwide. More than a century has passed since the technology of gluing small wooden planks with special adhesives was developed in Germany. Since then, laminated wood beams, referred to as Glulam, have been used in many countries for constructing environmentally clean and sustainable buildings.
It is worth noting that one of the key advantages of building with Glulam is the high speed of construction. As a result, this European technology quickly spread around other countries and Glulam production plants were launched in Europe, USA, Russia, and Asian countries.
In Georgia, building homes with this type of material is new. However, we are already seeing examples of Glulam-built houses around Tbilisi. One of them belongs to Salome Machavariani, who, together with her family, built a cozy home from Glulam on a land purchased in Tsodrati.
"We wanted to build a small, cozy and energy-efficient house and that’s how we chose laminated wood beams. This material is not very common in Georgia, but I must say that it is very durable. Several planks are glued together. Our house is made from 16 cm thick beams. One of the advantages of this material is the fast construction. After ordering the house and receiving the materials in Georgia, the walls were completed within two weeks. The entire construction, including the roofing and other details, was completed in 1.5 months," says the homeowner.
According to her, the cost of a house built with Glulam is somewhat higher compared to other materials, but they made the decision because of the advantages of this type of building material. After five years of living in this eco-house, they are confident they made the right and long-term choice.
To help more people in the country make long-term decisions, a new company, Eco House XXI, was founded in Georgia in 2024. The company, using modern European technology, offers local residents the construction of premium-class houses made from Glulam. Their goal is to establish a high-quality standard for building homes from wood material in the local market and increase the popularity of this type of building in the country. Eco House XXI designs private homes, hotels, kindergartens, and other public facilities. They also work on creating customized designs based on the client's preferences and needs, as well as constructing the final projects. As the company's director, Tatiana Litvinova, mentioned in our conversation, the market is ready to accept the new product and the company offers a quality lifestyle through wooden house construction, combining comfort, safety, aesthetics and eco-friendliness.
"We have been studying the local market for about two years, and for the past year we were focusing on the development of the company and studying our real customers. We came to the conclusion that the market is formed. It can be said that we have also contributed to its formation. Now, we are starting active sales.
Construction technologies, energy efficiency, seismic resistance, reliability, fire resistance, and durability – considering these advantages compared to other building materials, houses made from laminated wood beams can function for over 100 years. Glulam is a great alternative to the wooden houses traditionally built in Georgia by your ancestors. It is the number one material in the world, and I believe the time has come for Georgia as well.
The two-year market research showed that there is no competition in this field in Georgia. Several factors contribute to this. First, the market is small and Glulam is an expensive product. These are premium houses. Second, there is a lack of professional staff in this area.
We offer a competitive pricing policy - an optimal connection between quality and price, flexibility in pricing, an individual approach to each client and guaranteed quality," says Tatiana Litvinova.
Globally Glulam is actively used in both mountainous regions and coastal areas with high humidity, because laminated wooden beams made using this technology effectively retain moisture and heat, adapting to climatic conditions. It is important to note that laminated wood beams can be used not only for constructing houses but also for various buildings and structures, such as multi-story residential buildings, with four or more floors, mini-hotels in mountains, baths and saunas, restaurants, kindergartens, sports facilities, hospitals, and agricultural buildings like barns and warehouses.
Speaking on construction of such buildings, we must also highlight the advantages of constructing with Glulam. One of them is the possibility of hidden wiring, for which channels are drilled into the wood according to the project. The exterior of the house does not require decorative processing, although it can be done if desired. Moreover, these houses do not require to have their facades repaired. Glulam manufacturers recommend applying special lacquer paint to the exterior of the house every 5-10 years. These houses withstand earthquakes of up to 9 magnitudes and are also fire-resistant, due to the special substance applied to the wood.
Considering all these advantages, when talking about the cost of the construction, Tatiana Litvinova, the founder of Eco House XXI, explains that the cost of Glulam is higher than the average price of other materials, but the cost is reasonable given the quality.
"The cost of houses built from Glulam is higher than houses built from other materials. This is a finished construction, ready for use. Therefore, it is more expensive than one cubic meter of concrete, but when you move into the house, the price difference is hardly noticeable.
The cost of the house is 35% for wood material, and the remaining 65% for foundation, windows, flooring, engineering systems, decorations, and so on. Furthermore, the houses we build are energy-efficient, which means they maintain the internal temperature for a longer period, resulting in lower utility bills. When evaluating the costs, it is also important to consider that the speed of construction helps optimize expenses. In a short period, considering all the advantages, you get a house that is perfect. Therefore, I can say that the cost of Glulam houses is rational," says the CEO, adding that the price per square meter depends on the project and design, so she refrains from giving specific numbers.
Eco House XXI currently has several orders for the construction of Glulam houses that are in the final stages of review. By their assessment, these will be the company's flagship projects, which will combine quality, comfort, aesthetics and overall - a high-quality living experience. The company is confident that the Georgian public will evaluate this innovation well, as the construction of houses from laminated wood material is very popular worldwide, and its durability has been proven through experience.
