Timber framed architecture owns thousands of years' history in China.However, with the rapid industrialization and urbanization, timber frame houses have substantially deceased. In order to reduce the concentration of the greenhouses gas CO2 in the atmosphere and establish a low carbon society, the promotion of green building materials and energy saving buildings has been put in a prominent place by Chinese government. However, both of the number of timber frame houses and the potential of using timber, the green and sustainable architectural materials, are still very low in China. This paper presents findings from a questionnaire, shows the Chinese consumers' attitudes to timber frame houses. The semi-structured questionnaire method was chosen to explore common consumers' attitudes. It is found that prejudice regarding the deficiency of timber houses, in terms of fire resistance, durability and stability, persists in the minds of consumers. The aim of this paper is better understanding the challenges and difficulties that timber frame houses market facing from the view of consumers, thus figure out better ways for the future development.

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In the context of the Chinese rural revitalization strategy, the unique residential characteristics of local vernacular dwellings formed by profound historical and cultural accumulation, climate characteristics, and residential lifestyle have undergone profound change in the gully regions of the Loess Plateau. Accordingly, the contradictions of traditional vernacular dwelling protection, increasing living requirements, and ecological protection have intensified. In this paper, with the aim of optimizing courtyard layout for vernacular dwellings, the thermal performance and regional adaptability of different courtyard layouts were analyzed using Ladybug and Honeybee tools. According to the thermal simulation within the courtyard, the current optimal layout type was determined, and then, several ecological optimization designs were proposed for the further improvement of it. The results revealed that the improved vernacular dwelling model has better regional adaptability, which corresponds to the local living culture and living habits, saves land resources, and provides a better thermal comfort performance. This research not only has a positive function for the protection of local architectural culture, but also plays an essential role in improving residents’ living comfort and living standards. We hope that the research results are meaningful and can be used as a reference for future rural construction in the Loess Plateau.