Vantaa favours wood in construction - the city was awarded as a pioneer in wood construction
The City of Vantaa has been awarded as a forerunner in public timber construction in 2024.The award is granted by the Federation of the Finnish Woodworking Industries and the Association of Finnish Cities and Municipalities.
Wood absorbs noise and creates a pleasant indoor climate in the log-built day care centre in Koivukylä.
Even a big city doesn't have to be all concrete. Although stone structures still predominate, Vantaa is constantly striving to promote the use of wood in construction.
Wood is now a priority in the construction of Vantaa's own premises. The use of wood has also been promoted in planning and building control since the last few years.
The city has a policy to increase the use of wood and wood-based materials where it is beneficial and makes sense.
For example, new kindergartens are mainly made of wood, either logs or timber frames. Of course, even wooden buildings often require stone components.
Wood is not suitable for all building applications, but it is also suitable for many unexpected applications. For example, the new Elmo swimming pool in Koivukylä will have a lot of wooden structures. Wood can also be used in parks, maintenance buildings for sports facilities and bridges for outdoor trails.
Ways to support wood construction
For a long time, only small buildings, such as detached houses, have been built of wood.
Vantaa has found many ways to facilitate new forms of wood construction. Research projects have sought to exploit the properties of wood and technical solutions for its use in large-scale buildings. The right structural solutions are essential, as the safety of buildings cannot be compromised.
The general guidelines in the new plans do not exclude the use of wood as an option. In the zoning plan, a single area can also be reserved exclusively for timber construction. Such an area has been planned, for example, in the Kivistö.
The city also promotes this in planning competitions and land sales when wood is raised as a viable option.
Wood has many excellent properties. Many people find it a pleasant material that softens the feel of the environment.
Wood is also by far the most environmentally friendly building material. The use of wood is an effective way to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and contribute to the City of Vantaa's goal of becoming carbon neutral in 2030.
