Timber is a practical, versatile material and has an impact on the wellbeing of those who occupy the space in which it is. Similarly to the theory that being near a body of water has an effect on a person’s happiness, research shows that employee wellbeing was 15% higher in office spaces that contained natural materials.

People working in offices with wooden interiors reported increased feelings of innovation, energy and comfort as opposed to those who did not have timber felt their workspace was impersonal and uncomfortable. Research has shown cognitive abilities to increase by 61% in natural buildings, increasing to 101% when additional ventilation is involved.

Timber has also been found to reduce stress as it has been proven to lower the sympathetic nervous system, reducing blood pressure and heart rates as well as improving the air quality through humidity moderation. A study conducted in 2010 by Holzcluster Stelermark in Austria compared the behaviour of students in 4 classrooms; two built with timber that featured wooden interiors and two that were built with traditional methods such as concrete and steel. Over the course of one school year they found the pupils in the timber classrooms were more relaxed, had better sleeping patterns and also had lowered heart rates.

Timber being used in construction provides benefits not only to the environment, but to the people who spend time in the spaces it’s in. Get in touch with BCL today to find out more on why you should consider acoustic timber panels for your next project.

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