| We spend 90% of our lives inside buildings and this affects our physical and psychological well-being and comfort. Comfort is most widely associated with temperature, humidity, noise, light and smell and these are addressed by various regulations. However, the significance of well-being, particularly psychological well-being in construction, is poorly understood. Studies have indicated that the occupants’ response to natural materials such as wood is very positive with a strong preference shown for interior spaces containing high proportions of wood. These are perceived to be restful, comfortable, warming and calming.
Emissions from building materials constitute one of a number of sources of contaminants in indoor environments that can be injurious to health and well-being. The current knowledge on the health effects of wood-based emissions is sparse and inconsistent. A few studies have shown that wood-specific volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions could have positive vegetative effects, whilst other research results indicate that emissions from wood do not have any detrimental effect on human health, in other cases they are claimed to be potentially harmful. However, most of these studies were performed under laboratory conditions and comprehensive studies reflecting the everyday reality of indoor exposure to specific emissions of wood are still missing. The project will undertake comparative studies on toxicology, wood-based VOCs and human perception in test spaces and real life environments.
Colour, surface structure and surface temperature are the main properties that impact human perception. It is, however, very difficult to capture this human sensation and to define physical parameters that can be measured and used to improve the design of products made of solid wood. The project will investigate factors that influence the haptic properties of wood surfaces to find measurable parameters to characterise them. Where necessary, the technical and haptic properties of wood may be modified (e.g. thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM)). However, many issues with dimensional stability, process optimisation and sorption behaviour still remain. THM has the potential to deliver wooden surfaces with enhanced characteristics and user appeal.
The project aims at research and documentation of the field through simulation, design and real-life test beds. Products and systems based on wood material compete with other products and systems. The choice varies depending on the end-use and the decision-maker. The marketing channel of wood products from supplier to end consumer thus includes a number of possible decision makers with varying decision power dependent on the type of project. Adding criteria requires knowledge of the marketing channel and the power structure. Our aim is to reinforce, stimulate and improve the competitiveness of wood based products and systems based on these values. |