Swedish architects view of engineered wood products in buildings

Abstract From a climate perspective, it could be advantageous to increase the use of wood products in buildings, but the use of sawn timber and engineered wood products (EWPs) in multi-storey buildings above two floors are a relatively new business (in Sweden since 1995) and there is a risk that wood as construction material is met with low awareness and high uncertainty by the construction sector. The purpose of this study was twofold: 1) to learn Swedish architects' views of using EWPs in buildings, and 2) to identify parameters that positively influence the likelihood that EWPs will be selected to a greater extent and the relative importance of those parameters. A survey was sent out to Swedish architects and 67 answers were received. The result indicates that architects in Sweden have a positive attitude towards EWPs in general and that the majority think that they will probably increase their use of these materials. Low impact on the environment, aesthetic appeal, and fast construction were the most common reasons stated for selecting EWPs. The Swedish architects have in general a moderate impact on the selection of materials, and the most common reason for not selecting EWPs was that other decision makers involved in the building projects prefer other materials. A lack of knowledge and information as well as uncertainties regarding the quality over time were other common reasons for not selecting EWPs. It was found that architects who had participated in building projects where EWPs had been chosen due to their low environmental impact and/or aesthetic appearance were more likely to state that they will increase their use of EWPs. The results also show that influence on material selection, knowledge of EWPs, experience of the use of EWPs, and the architect's own attitude to the use of EWPs affect the likelihood of an increased use.