Wood construction is a growing trend in Finland as well as internationally. Finland’s forest industry provides good, constantly increasing opportunities for the growing construction needs. The increasing significance of environmental aspects and the interest of the public sector in green construction promote the development of wood construction, also when it comes to highly demanding construction projects. Our strong competence in technology enables high prefabrication rate of wooden elements. In fact, in addition to apartment buildings, single-family houses and terraced houses, wood can be used in the construction of public buildings, such as day-care centres, schools and nursing homes, office buildings, halls and bridges.
Wood is also a suitable material for building structures for gardens and infrastructure.
Wood construction is ecological, energy efficient and competitive. Wood is a Finnish, local and renewable raw material with capacity to store carbon from the atmosphere, thus contributing to climate change mitigation. The carbon footprint of construction will be included in the legal provisions on building in the coming years. As a result, wood will be an increasingly competitive alternative.
For decades, Joensuu and the surrounding county have promoted wood construction in their long-term development work. While the earliest projects took place in the 1990s, the results of the work are now visible at sites that have drawn wide national attention and recognition, and as a high level of competence of companies and experts in the industry.
The construction projects in Joensuu have included unique sites significant to the wood industry that have reaped success. North Karelia has lots of competence in the wood industry and courage to launch projects, including unusual ones, on a large scale. Wood has been used as material in large multi-purpose halls and arenas, and student housing and day-care centres alike.
Joensuu’s pioneering status is prominently displayed in the city. We are proud of the ambitious projects constructed in our city in recent years. In addition to construction, education and research in the field is available in North Karelia on a scale unmatched elsewhere. For several decades, wood industry has been a solid part of the entrepreneurship in Eastern Finland. This continues to be the case today and will also carry on in the future.
Wood construction is both one of the strategic priorities of Karelia University of Applied Sciences and a permanent part of the activities in the degree programme in construction engineering. The educational institute uses its training and applied research related to wood construction to promote industrial wood construction and the emergence of new business opportunities. Read more
Natural Resources Institute Finland investigates the materials, market, supply chains and value networks of wood construction, issues concerning the circular economy and side streams, and related societal
significance. Read more
The research activities concerning wood construction at the University of Eastern Finland include the societal, economic and environmental health related issues of wood construction and utilisation. Read
more
Take a look to the wood construction projects implemented in Joensuu area through the virtual model. The virtual model also contains additional information about the wood construction technologies utilised in the these projects. The virtual model uses Web-based application and you can run it with all the most common Web-browsers. It can be can be viewed on a computer screen, through smart devices or VR glasses.
A cosy wooden school with eye-catching architecture. One of the first large wooden buildings constructed using the platform technique in Finland. Karelian border features mixed with oriental temple architecture.
This large wooden building is a popular sight and place to visit in Joensuu. At the time of its completion, the building was Finland’s first large wooden 3-storey office building with a wooden frame.
Finland’s largest wood-constructed hall. Recipient of the 2004 RIL award. Joensuu Arena provides its customers with unique facilities. Fairs, meetings, concerts and sports events – the multi-purpose hall adapts to the needs of any event, serving as anything from a banquet hall to a sports arena.
Wooden student housing with a modern touch. This site comprising six buildings is one of Finland’s largest, nearly passive wooden construction projects intended for housing. Awarded as the 2013 building project of the county. First project in Finland to have used CLT elements to this extent.
The first over-2-storey wooden apartment building in Joensuu. Pihapetäjä is a 6-storey rental housing building commissioned by the Foundation for the Promotion of Karelian Culture.
Finland’s most modern Finnish baseball (pesäpallo) stadium with 2,500 seats. “There are not many wooden construction projects as demanding as this in all of Finland”, says construction manager Teemu Rautiainen.
A day-care centre build on a wooden frame, recipient of green funding in 2018. Green funding is granted to projects that take into account environmental friendliness, sustainable building and energy efficiency. In the construction of schools and day-care centres in Joensuu, the aim has been to ensure multi-functionality of the spaces to foster as high use rates of the facilities as possible.
Finland’s highest, nearly 50-metre wooden apartment building with 14 floors and 117 student apartments.
