With the right treatment, wooden surfaces breathe and help to balance out temperatures and moisture, which improves the quality of interior air.
to influence buying decisions. People want their choices to have an effect,” says Masalin. Opmann believes that personal concern for the home and the environment has started a construction trend that may become permanent. “People are spending more time at home, renovating their houses or building new garden sheds or saunas – and they are all doing it at the same time!” Wood is increasingly the first choice of buyers, builders and the authorities. Over one third of the EU’s carbon dioxide emissions is generated through construction. To achieve the European Commission’s emission reduc- tion target of at least 55 per cent by 2030, EU member states will have to reduce the greenhouse emissions that buildings generate by 60 per cent. “Stricter environmental requirements generally lead to an increase in the use of wood-based materials. On the other hand, wood usage is only now beginning to increase significantly. The economy will have to eliminate the use of fossil materials and migrate to a closed carbon cycle based on biological materials. In the long term, it will be very difficult to find a more durable construction material than wood. Wood is a true solution to the environmental challenges we face today,” says Opmann. INFINITELY MODIFIABLE WOOD In the 21st century, many architects have adopted wood for the facades and inner surfaces of their buildings. “Many architects want to use material that is natural and contains no chemicals. Wood matches that desire, while it brings softness to a scene, space or view. Its immense variety as a surface material also speaks volumes for the
use of wood. No one piece of wood is the same as another,” says Masalin. Professor Sami Rintala , who works in the northern Norwegian town of Bodø, gives an architect’s view. “First of all, architects have an interest in sustainability and they usually want to learn how to do their job better. You can spend your whole life trying to understand wood and still not know everything. The way you treat wood, whether with oil, linseed, wax or heat, will always change its properties. It is always a surprise how well wood can handle moisture and wear, as long as it is used correctly,” he explains. “On the other hand, wood is an incredibly varied and scalable material. You can make every part of a building from wood, from the door handles to window frames, to the ceiling and insulation. And it is infinitely modifiable.” Rintala’s latest large project is the ship museum in Bodø. Wood is the base material in all his work. “It is a very democratic material, wood. Everybody can afford to buy the tools for cutting and modifying wood. Anybody can build a wooden house, if they have the will.” •
LUNAWOOD Manufacturer of patented ThermoWood products for indoor and outdoor use. • Established in 2001 • 125 employees in Finland • Turnover in 2020 EUR 56 million • Delivers to over 60 countries www.lunawood.com PUIDUKODA Manufacturer of planed wood products for indoor and outdoor use. • Established in 1997 • 115 employees in Estonia • Turnover in 2020 EUR 42 million • Delivers to 35 countries www.puidukoda.eu
Maija Masalin Vice President of Marketing and Product Management at Lunawood. Wood has the potential to improve well-being, she says.
Eveli Opmann Puidukoda’s CEO. Believes wood offers real solutions to environmental challenges.
Sami Rintala Architect and architecture teacher who works in Bodø, in Northern Norway.
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