The wooden house of the future

The eco-house construction is booming. But how much eco is actually in the wildly growing buildings? Often not very much. A Minergie-certified house does guarantee a demonstrably low energy consumption. However, the label says nothing about whether the planned values are actually achieved in practice. What good is a sophisticated ventilation system if it creates an unhealthy living environment and is therefore circumvented? Or what is expensive technology worth if the electricity saved does not offset the poor ecological balance of the building materials? Standards have been and are important for a serious energy debate. However, to ensure that this does not get lost in mere measurements, more radical solutions are needed. A house is ecological when it is adapted to the spatial and living needs of humans, not the other way around.

The authors illustrate with the example of wooden houses how individual eco-buildings can be realized thanks to architecture tailored to the true needs of the builders and the right choice of materials. They do not present unaffordable dream houses, but rather economic solutions for resource-saving construction and living. They also give voice to people who share crucial insights: their thoughts and experiences from their own house-building stories.