About this Research Topic
Wood has been used in construction and infrastructures throughout millennia and it is considered as one of the oldest building materials. The fact that timber is a natural product and aligned with the demand of modern societies for sustainability has boosted its popularity. Greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from wood processing to timber products are remarkably less compared to other traditional building materials. If recycling potential will be added to this, the difference becomes even more clear.
The advantage of wood as sustainable building material has resulted in increased use of wood in the built environment, especially after industry has offered into the market plenty of robust wood-based products for numerous applications. Either used in structural or non-structural building elements, technology has re-opened new horizons for wood, both for low-rise and tall timber buildings. Increase use of wood in built environment will drastically contribute to a move towards nearly Zero Emission Buildings. Innovative methods in wood modification and surface treatment has secured climate-resilience and durability of timber products. New research has shown that wood exposed in dynamic indoor environments can regulate air relative humidity and temperature due to its hygrothermal properties, resulting into a positive outcome regarding the thermal comfort, indoor air quality and energy consumption in buildings. Not least, use of wood affect how indoor environments are perceived by users, but may also affect psychological outcomes and health outcomes.
The Research Topic ‘Wood in Built Environment’ aims to summarize novel and cutting-edge research in wood-based products, building physics in timber buildings, indoor environment and users’ perception, wood modification, innovative structural methodologies, life cycle assessment and cost analysis. Both benefits and challenges are welcome to be reported in this Topic so that researchers and industry can focus further on them and identify future solutions for timber products and buildings.
The advantage of wood as sustainable building material has resulted in increased use of wood in the built environment, especially after industry has offered into the market plenty of robust wood-based products for numerous applications. Either used in structural or non-structural building elements, technology has re-opened new horizons for wood, both for low-rise and tall timber buildings. Increase use of wood in built environment will drastically contribute to a move towards nearly Zero Emission Buildings. Innovative methods in wood modification and surface treatment has secured climate-resilience and durability of timber products. New research has shown that wood exposed in dynamic indoor environments can regulate air relative humidity and temperature due to its hygrothermal properties, resulting into a positive outcome regarding the thermal comfort, indoor air quality and energy consumption in buildings. Not least, use of wood affect how indoor environments are perceived by users, but may also affect psychological outcomes and health outcomes.
The Research Topic ‘Wood in Built Environment’ aims to summarize novel and cutting-edge research in wood-based products, building physics in timber buildings, indoor environment and users’ perception, wood modification, innovative structural methodologies, life cycle assessment and cost analysis. Both benefits and challenges are welcome to be reported in this Topic so that researchers and industry can focus further on them and identify future solutions for timber products and buildings.
Keywords: Wood, timber buildings, indoor environment, wood modification, sustainability
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