Technology / Ecology

Ecology

Wood that makes sense

Wood is the only 100% renewable building material, so using it significantly reduces the impact on the environment.

KONTIO bungalow in Starovice surrounded by a flowering meadow

Wood is a unique renewable building material

Wood is the only 100% renewable building material, so using it instead of non-renewable, fossil-fuel-based materials significantly reduces environmental impact ("carbon footprint"). Wood is made of water and carbon. As it grows, wood binds one tonne of carbon dioxide (CO2) per cubic metre of wood, while releasing oxygen into the air.

Over the life cycle of a wood product or timber home, the carbon dioxide stays permanently locked in the material. A well-maintained log home can last for centuries, and at the end of its life the wood is still a useful, recyclable material.

A Nordic pine cone, the source of KONTIO's beams

We use only wood from sustainably managed forests

Forest management matters to KONTIO not only for protecting the environment, but because the Finns feel a responsibility for their natural resources. Building KONTIO log homes is built on sustainable forest management. KONTIO buys wood only from PEFC-certified forests, in line with Chain of Custody (COC) certificates that confirm the origin of the wood used to build KONTIO homes. The PEFC Council (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes) is an independent, non-profit organisation that has set criteria based on internationally recognised requirements.

The annual growth of forest area in Finland significantly exceeds the amount of wood harvested. Using wood to build homes is ecological for many reasons — one being reforestation (planting), since young trees bind more carbon dioxide than a mature tree.

KONTIO house surrounded by a mature pine forest

The right choice for energy-efficient living

From an environmental standpoint, energy-efficient living covers many aspects, starting with the choice of the right building materials. Different building materials place very different loads on the environment, and the differences are significant. That's why it makes sense to choose building materials that have no negative environmental impact, either during production or during use. KONTIO log homes are exactly such a choice.

A well-designed, well-built KONTIO log home is sturdy and airtight. Industrially precise beams with precise corner joints prevent uncontrolled heat loss. Natural wood effectively balances air humidity and climate inside a KONTIO home in every season. Because wood can "breathe", a KONTIO log home maintains a consistently pleasant microclimate — which has a positive effect not only on energy consumption, but on the unbeatably pleasant feeling of living there.

An environmentally friendly building material

Processing wood requires only a fraction of the energy needed to produce other building materials, such as steel, concrete, plastics and aluminium. The KONTIO factory is also located close to raw material sources, in the middle of the forest, which minimises transport costs.

KONTIO is constantly improving its production process to make it as environmentally friendly as possible in every respect. By-products such as bark, sawdust and offcuts are 100% recycled or used to produce bioenergy.

The future of timber buildings

We actively collaborated with the Czech Green Building Council (CZGBC) on the publication “Budoucnost dřevostaveb” (The future of timber buildings).

Published by the TIMBER working group in January 2025, it summarises the current state of timber construction on the Czech market – its benefits, barriers and legal framework.

Download Budoucnost dřevostaveb (PDF in Czech, 28 MB)

The future of our environment is in all our hands

Timber construction is only growing in popularity. The time has come to understand the importance of using renewable materials. By increasing the use of wood as a building material, we can save non-renewable natural resources for future generations, especially where no alternative material is available.

KONTIO has decades of experience producing and building solid-timber homes. At the same time, Finland's annual wood consumption is lower than the growth of its Nordic pine forests — giving you every reason to build the home of your dreams with the KONTIO brand.

The most ecological choice for living, and for supporting sustainable development, is a KONTIO log home — get in touch with us!

A snow-covered Nordic forest of Arctic pine

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