IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v14y2022i7p4358-d788090.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Future of Wood Construction: Opportunities and Barriers Based on Surveys in Europe and Chile

Author

Listed:
  • Ewa Leszczyszyn

    (Research Group of Strategic Analyses for the Wood Industry, Łukasiewicz Research Network—Poznan Institute of Technology, 61-755 Poznan, Poland)

  • Henrik Heräjärvi

    (Production Systems, Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), 80100 Joensuu, Finland)

  • Erkki Verkasalo

    (Production Systems, Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), 80100 Joensuu, Finland)

  • Javier Garcia-Jaca

    (TECNALIA, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Área Anardi 5, 20730 Azpeitia, Spain)

  • Gerardo Araya-Letelier

    (School of Civil Construction, Faculty of Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Av. Vicuña Mackenna 4860, Santiago 7820436, Chile
    UC Timber Innovation Center (CIM UC), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Av. Vicuña Mackenna 4860, Santiago 7820436, Chile)

  • Jean-Denis Lanvin

    (Research Unit, Wooden Building Department, Institut Technologique FCBA, 33000 Bordeaux, France)

  • Gabriela Bidzińska

    (Research Group of Strategic Analyses for the Wood Industry, Łukasiewicz Research Network—Poznan Institute of Technology, 61-755 Poznan, Poland)

  • Dobrochna Augustyniak-Wysocka

    (Research Group of Strategic Analyses for the Wood Industry, Łukasiewicz Research Network—Poznan Institute of Technology, 61-755 Poznan, Poland)

  • Uwe Kies

    (InnovaWood Asbl, The European Forestry House 66, Rue du Luxembourg, 1000 Brussels, Belgium)

  • Alex Calvillo

    (BASKEGUR, Parque Científico y Tecnológico de Bizkaia, Kanala Bidea, Edificio 103, 48170 Zamudio, Spain)

  • Margareta Wahlströmh

    (VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd., Vuorimiehentie 2K, 02150 Espoo, Finland)

  • Jean-Luc Kouyoumji

    (Research Unit, Wooden Building Department, Institut Technologique FCBA, 33000 Bordeaux, France)

Abstract

The demand for wood has increased in recent years due to new technical possibilities and environmental concerns. This paper provides an analysis of the factors that affect the use of wood in the construction sector, and an assessment of their importance in individual countries and for groups of stakeholders. The study covers the technical, societal, political, economic, and gender aspects of wood construction, with the aim of increasing global understanding regarding national differences, the current situation, and the potential for further development. The subject was investigated using a survey, and the most important opportunities for and barriers to growth in the use of wood in the construction sector were selected, following a statistical analysis. The results indicate strong regional and cultural differences regarding the acceptance of some of the opportunities and barriers related to the development of wood construction. The findings indicate that there is a need to promote wood construction based on its technical and economic benefits rather than its societal ones. On the other hand, the current societal barriers should be addressed as a priority, together with the establishment of common and harmonized policies. The results of this study, therefore, will contribute to the generation of regional-sensitive information that can be useful for policymakers when updating the building codes in their individual countries.

Suggested Citation

  • Ewa Leszczyszyn & Henrik Heräjärvi & Erkki Verkasalo & Javier Garcia-Jaca & Gerardo Araya-Letelier & Jean-Denis Lanvin & Gabriela Bidzińska & Dobrochna Augustyniak-Wysocka & Uwe Kies & Alex Calvillo &, 2022. "The Future of Wood Construction: Opportunities and Barriers Based on Surveys in Europe and Chile," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-29, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:7:p:4358-:d:788090
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/7/4358/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/7/4358/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Karen M. Gibler & Tanja Tyvimaa, 2014. "The Potential for Consumer Segmentation in the Finnish Housing Market," Journal of Consumer Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(2), pages 351-379, June.
    2. Stehn, Lars & Bergstrom, Max, 2002. "Integrated design and production of multi-storey timber frame houses - production effects caused by customer-oriented design," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 77(3), pages 259-269, June.
    3. Brian Atkin, 2014. "Industrialized building," Construction Management and Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(1-2), pages 1-6, February.
    4. Staffan Brege & Lars Stehn & Tomas Nord, 2014. "Business models in industrialized building of multi-storey houses," Construction Management and Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(1-2), pages 208-226, February.
    5. Anneli Kaasa & Maaja Vadi & Urmas Varblane, 2014. "Regional Cultural Differences Within European Countries: Evidence from Multi-Country Surveys," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 54(6), pages 825-852, December.
    6. Ramage, Michael H. & Burridge, Henry & Busse-Wicher, Marta & Fereday, George & Reynolds, Thomas & Shah, Darshil U. & Wu, Guanglu & Yu, Li & Fleming, Patrick & Densley-Tingley, Danielle & Allwood, Juli, 2017. "The wood from the trees: The use of timber in construction," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 68(P1), pages 333-359.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Łukasz Mazur & Anatolii Olenchuk, 2023. "Life Cycle Assessment and Building Information Modeling Integrated Approach: Carbon Footprint of Masonry and Timber-Frame Constructions in Single-Family Houses," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(21), pages 1-20, October.
    2. Jan Barwicki & Witold Jan Wardal & Kamila Ewelina Mazur & Mikhail Tseyko, 2025. "Technical, Technological, Environmental and Energetical Aspects in Livestock Building Construction Using Structural Timber," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(20), pages 1-22, October.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Yu Dong & Tongyu Qin & Siyuan Zhou & Lu Huang & Rui Bo & Haibo Guo & Xunzhi Yin, 2020. "Comparative Whole Building Life Cycle Assessment of Energy Saving and Carbon Reduction Performance of Reinforced Concrete and Timber Stadiums—A Case Study in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-24, February.
    2. Luo, Li & O'Hehir, Jim & Regan, Courtney M. & Meng, Li & Connor, Jeffery D. & Chow, Christopher W.K., 2021. "An integrated strategic and tactical optimization model for forest supply chain planning," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    3. Anthony Goerzen & Michael Sartor & Kristin Brandl & Stacey Fitzsimmons, 2023. "Widening the lens: Multilevel drivers of firm corporate social performance," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 54(1), pages 42-60, February.
    4. Anneli Kaasa, 2018. "Intangible factors and productivity: Evidence from Europe at the regional level," Business and Economic Horizons (BEH), Prague Development Center, vol. 14(2), pages 300-325, April.
    5. Ron Boschma, 2025. "A new evolutionary perspective on institutional complementarities and regional development," Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) 2514, Utrecht University, Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Group Economic Geography, revised May 2025.
    6. Pérez-Sánchez, Laura À. & Velasco-Fernández, Raúl & Giampietro, Mario, 2022. "Factors and actions for the sustainability of the residential sector. The nexus of energy, materials, space, and time use," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    7. Carnevalli, Jose A. & Miguel, Paulo Cauchick, 2008. "Review, analysis and classification of the literature on QFD--Types of research, difficulties and benefits," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 114(2), pages 737-754, August.
    8. Galán-Martín, Ángel & Contreras, María del Mar & Romero, Inmaculada & Ruiz, Encarnación & Bueno-Rodríguez, Salvador & Eliche-Quesada, Dolores & Castro-Galiano, Eulogio, 2022. "The potential role of olive groves to deliver carbon dioxide removal in a carbon-neutral Europe: Opportunities and challenges," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).
    9. Präger, Fabian & Paczkowski, Sebastian & Sailer, Gregor & Derkyi, Nana Sarfo Agyemang & Pelz, Stefan, 2019. "Biomass sources for a sustainable energy supply in Ghana – A case study for Sunyani," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 413-424.
    10. Lauri, Pekka & Forsell, Nicklas & Di Fulvio, Fulvio & Snäll, Tord & Havlik, Petr, 2021. "Material substitution between coniferous, non-coniferous and recycled biomass – Impacts on forest industry raw material use and regional competitiveness," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    11. Al-Hussein M. H. Al-Aidrous & Nasir Shafiq & Yasser Yahya Al-Ashmori & Al-Baraa Abdulrahman Al-Mekhlafi & Abdullah O. Baarimah, 2022. "Essential Factors Enhancing Industrialized Building Implementation in Malaysian Residential Projects," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-18, September.
    12. José Campino & Bruna Rodrigues, 2024. "From CFOs to crypto: exploratory study unraveling factors in corporate adoption," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 10(1), pages 1-24, December.
    13. Heesun Lim & Chang-Deuk Eom & Byeong-il Ahn, 2021. "Estimation of the Values of Wooden Materials in Urban Regeneration: The Case of Seoullo in Korea," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-15, September.
    14. Grit Ludwig, 2019. "The Role of Law in Transformative Environmental Policies—A Case Study of “Timber in Buildings Construction in Germany”," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-14, February.
    15. Marco Caniato & Andrea Gasparella, 2019. "Discriminating People’s Attitude towards Building Physical Features in Sustainable and Conventional Buildings," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-27, April.
    16. Widera, Barbara, 2021. "Comparative analysis of user comfort and thermal performance of six types of vernacular dwellings as the first step towards climate resilient, sustainable and bioclimatic architecture in western sub-S," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    17. Rosemarie Garay & Francis Pfenniger & Miguel Castillo & Consuelo Fritz, 2021. "Quality and Sustainability Indicators of the Prefabricated Wood Housing Industry—A Chilean Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-21, July.
    18. Petrovic, Bojana & Myhren, Jonn Are & Zhang, Xingxing & Wallhagen, Marita & Eriksson, Ola, 2019. "Life cycle assessment of a wooden single-family house in Sweden," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 251(C), pages 1-1.
    19. Cristini, Annalisa & Trivin, Pedro, 2022. "Close encounters during a pandemic: Social habits and inter-generational links in the first two waves of COVID-19," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 47(C).
    20. Vas Taras & Piers Steel & Bradley L. Kirkman, 2016. "Does Country Equate with Culture? Beyond Geography in the Search for Cultural Boundaries," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 56(4), pages 455-487, August.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:7:p:4358-:d:788090. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.