Wood promotes wellness

Wood products are beautiful, natural, durable and sustainable – and the only major building material that grows naturally. The use of wood products can also improve indoor air quality by moderating humidity. Wood is a natural humidity regulator: its moisture content always matches the ambient air, providing natural humidity stabilization and regulation.

Solid wood products, particularly flooring, are often specified in environments where the occupants are known to have allergies to dust or other particulates. And the vast majority of North American wood product manufacturers produce low-VOC-emitting materials.         

A recent study by the University of British Columbia and FPInnovations established a link between wood and wellness. The joint research project found that the visual presence of wood in a room lowers sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activation in occupants. The SNS is responsible for physiological stress responses in humans. In the developed world where people spend much of their time inside buildings, the design of the indoor environment is of critical importance to human health.