PRESS RELEASE March 12, 2020 09:00 AM
Everyday life is setting growing demands on our homes, where we want to relax and recover from the pressures of our hectic lives. The 'Home that Promotes Wellbeing' survey found that Finns regard good indoor air and minimal risk of mold as the key features of a home. Log homes are regarded as the type of building most conducive to wellbeing: residents of log homes find it much easier to relax than residents of other housing types.
Honkarakenne and OMD Finland conducted the first 'Home that Promotes Wellbeing' survey to explore the extent to which Finns feel that their wellbeing is affected by their homes. There were around a thousand respondents in a sample that was representative of the population.
Good indoor air and minimal risk of mold are becoming key attributes of homes for most of the population; over half of respondents regarded both as crucial aspects. Surprisingly, only one in five (18%) respondents regarded affordability as a crucial issue. Almost half (39%) of people living in log homes reported that they had found breathing easier after moving into such a home. One of the respondents described the dramatic difference between their former and present homes as follows:
“I’ll never forget the first night in my log home: my nose was no longer blocked, my eyes no longer watering and my head no longer congested.”
Respondents felt that home decor (25%) and the color scheme (20%) were key factors in promoting relaxation. They referred to peace and quiet as the most important factor in creating a homely atmosphere (27%). Noise and neighbors, in particular, tended to disturb the peace of apartment residents (25%).
The responses show that residents of log homes were more likely to feel that their homes promoted wellbeing than inhabitants of stone or wooden buildings. “More than four out of five residents of log homes find it relaxing to live at home, whereas only half of respondents living in wooden and stone buildings feel the same,” says Outi Lepistö of OMD Finland. Little wonder, then, that residents of log homes also like their homes more than do residents of other types of houses.
The responses are in line with previous studies, which found that in addition to the soothing and antibacterial properties of pine, residents of log houses are satisfied with the quality of indoor air (THL, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, 2012). The relaxing aspects of living in log homes form a natural part of everyday life: respondents found it easier to name the wellbeing factors of log homes than those of other types of residence. Nearly two-thirds (60%) of those who chose a log house gave proximity to nature as their reason for choosing a building of this kind. The next most important reason was the healthiness of living in log houses (54%).
The benefits of log construction have long been recognised by Honkarakenne, which has developed contemporary living solutions that enhance the breathability of logs. This summer, the Tuusula Housing Fair will feature two buildings by Honkarakenne; a ‘healthy living’ log home (Honka Huomen) and the fully accessible Villa Mikael, in which indoor air quality will be ensured by technology as well as safe and natural materials with an M1 emission classification. Humidity sensors on the walls of wet rooms will monitor the moisture behaviour of structures, while heating, lighting and sound will be controlled by a smart building-technology system. Honka Huomen, which pampers all five senses, was designed to promote the overall wellbeing of residents. Closeness to nature is also created by glass walls built on a Honka Frame, which bathe the interior in gorgeous natural light.