The “Competitive timbers and systems for modern planning of interiors in wood”, report produced by the Wood2New European research project which ended last February, reiterated the benefits of wood structures and accessories inside homes.

Some important companies in the sector were represented, one of them the Swedish company Kährs, which collaborated with scientists from six European countries, to chart the effects of using wood for interiors as well as to encourage greater use of interior wood.  The research was carried out by the University of Aalto in Finland and managed to close the gap left by existing publications on the subject. It was presented last March at a seminar at the University of Linkoping.  The conclusions? Using wood as a building material has beneficial effects both on the environment and on health.

We spend 90% of our lives indoors and this has an influence on physical and psychological well-being, as well as comfort.

Normally, comfort is related to temperature, humidity, noise, light and smell, all factors controlled by regulations. However, “psychological well-being” inside buildings is as yet a little understood or researched subject.  European researchers have shown that contact with nature is important for the overall well-being of the occupants of a building.  The results of the Wood2New research showed that occupants’ response to natural materials such as wood was very positive, with a strong preference for interiors with high quantities of wood.  Based on the research, the presence of wood produced physiological reactions, particularly in the autonomous nervous system.

Temperature and humidity

Temperature and humidity are fundamental aspects of well-being for internal environments for people.  Wood has natural properties which regulate temperature and humidity, unlike for example, cement or ceramics.

When humidity levels rise, wood absorbs the surrounding air and when they go down, it releases it slowly.  In addition, there is heat release. In the first case, the temperature of the wood surface increases, while, when humidity is released, the wood absorbs heat. These processes, combined with other thermal properties of wood, make it a “mass thermohygrometer”, which can help the energy efficiency of a building.

The European Union has decreed that all new buildings will be constructed with the highest levels of energy standards. In spite of the fact that its qualities make wood an excellent material in this respect, it has been little used in pilot projects.

Heat and comfort

In an experiment in Austria, blindfolded people were asked to touch different surfaces with their hands and bare feet.  Wood boards of different types (poplar, larch and oak) with different finishes (painted, oiled and unfinished, with smooth, planed or brushed effects) were put in front of them.

Between one type of wood and another, sheets of ceramic, linoleum, marble and laminate were presented. The participants had to give a rating of 1 to 5 for temperature (1 = warm, 5 = cold) and comfort. Each type of surface was presented three times, varying the actual temperature at 18°, 23° and 28°.

Wood surfaces were judged overall to be warmer than the other materials. Ceramic and marble for example, were sometimes rated cold even at 28°.

Wood2New also confirmed (using research carried out in four nursery schools and an old people’s home) that wood is an important element in the perception of comfort inside places where care and assistance are provided.  This is not just a stereotype, the use of wood has similar effects to having a window opening onto a view of nature.