The report found there were significant benefits attached to incorporating wood and timber products into our everyday lives, yet less than half of Australians make this important connection.
Released to coincide with World Wood Day on Saturday 21 March 2015, the findings were published in Planet Ark’s Wood – Housing, Health, Humanity report.
The report explores numerous studies analysing the health and well-being benefits of wooden interiors in homes, businesses, places of learning and healing, alongside the results of an independent Australian survey.
Planet Ark’s “˜Make it Wood‘ Campaign Manager, Chris Philpot, said the report was encouraging.
“An increasing body of research is beginning to show that being surrounded by wood at home, work or school has positive effects on the body, the brain and the environment, and can even shorten hospital stays based on reduced recovery times,” Chris said.
An increasing urbanisation means that people have less access to nature in their daily lives and Australians on average now spend over 90 per cent of their time indoors.
According to the report, this time indoors has health consequences, so understanding how to incorporate the many benefits of nature into our indoor environments is an increasingly important area of research.
According to Planet Ark’s survey, an overwhelming 96 per cent of Australians agreed that wood is visually appealing and has a natural look and feel.
