Tuesday, January 20, 2026
At Prologue V, which took place on December 3, 2025, in conjunction with the 29th International Timber Construction Forum, the European Wood Policy Platform (WoodPoP) emphasized the growing importance of wood-based products in creating healthier and more sustainable buildings. The event, organised by WoodPoP’s Technical Working Group on Building, raised awareness of the relationship between human health, wellness, and timber construction—a topic that is becoming increasingly significant for Europe’s construction and wood products industries.
This year’s Prologue centred on the theme “Health & Well-Being in Timber Buildings”, with a particular focus on how multisensory experiences and health effects of wood, studied in living lab environments, can be translated into practical building design. Experts from industry, trade associations, academia, research institutions, public administration, and policymaking gathered to examine how timber and engineered wood products can contribute to healthier living and working spaces while supporting Europe’s sustainability ambitions.
The session was moderated by Veronika Steinhofer-Juch of IUFRO and Martin Behrens from the German Agency for Renewable Resources (FNR). Opening remarks were delivered by Georg Rappold of the Austrian Ministry, who also chairs WoodPoP. Rappold highlighted growing public recognition of timber as a climate-friendly construction material and stressed that closer collaboration between forestry, wood processing, design, and policy sectors is essential to unlock the full economic and environmental value of wood-based products.
A series of keynote presentations explored the scientific and practical evidence behind timber’s impact on human comfort and wellbeing. Dr Mike Burnard of the InnoRenew Centre of Excellence, Dr Renate Weisböck-Erdheim from Paracelsus Medical University, and Christine Meissnitzer of SIGES Massivholzbau demonstrated how wood influences indoor environments through visual warmth, tactile comfort, acoustics, and even perceived air quality. While the speakers highlighted promising research findings, they also called for more long-term and interdisciplinary studies to strengthen the evidence base supporting health-focused timber design.
One of the most distinctive elements of Prologue V was an interactive wood sensation lab, where participants explored how different wood applications affect users across olfactory, haptic, visual, and anthropological dimensions. The session was facilitated by specialists from Holzforschung Austria, InnoRenew CoE, and the University of Helsinki, offering attendees hands-on insight into how wood-based products interact with human senses in indoor environments.
Following the interactive experiments, experts including Tuula Jyske (University of Helsinki), Mike Burnard (InnoRenew CoE, University of Primorska), Boris Forsthuber (Holzforschung Austria), and Petra Seebachner (proHolz Styria) reflected on the findings. They emphasised that the health benefits of timber interiors are not automatic but depend on intentional design choices, appropriate product selection, and close collaboration between architects, material scientists, and policymakers.
The discussion then turned to Living Labs as a powerful tool for the wood-based products industry. Presentations by Mike Burnard and Jaakko Jussila of the University of Helsinki illustrated how monitoring both buildings and occupants in real-life settings can help scale timber solutions that genuinely enhance wellbeing. At the same time, Gerhard Grüll of Holzforschung Austria underlined that safety, durability, and hygiene must remain top priorities, pointing to advances in coatings, maintenance strategies, and circular economy approaches that support long-lasting and resilient timber interiors.
The Prologue concluded with a presentation by Kirsten Haggart of UK-based Waugh Thistleton Architects, who framed timber construction within the wider concept of biophilic design. She argued that timber buildings should not only decarbonise the built environment but also improve how people feel, live, and work—aligning environmental performance with social value.
Prologue V reinforced the message that wood is more than a structural material; it is a pathway to healthier buildings and more liveable cities. Building on these discussions, WoodPoP’s Technical Working Group on Building will develop a policy brief in the coming weeks, outlining recommendations to further support the positive impact of timber buildings on human health and wellbeing across Europe.
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Tags: biophilic design wood, European wood policy, mass timber design, wood interiors research, wood-based products industry
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