Wood is a natural material. We like to wear clothes made of natural fiber and want to eat organic food with the least amount of artificial additives. But too often, we don't pay enough attention to the material our houses are made of.

The entire structural shell of the HolzHouse design, including some exposed elements, is made of natural solid wood panels. The glue used in the lamination process is formaldehyde-free and MUF-1 (only longitudinal layers), with air quality tests showing emission levels well below the lowest indoor E-1 standard.

Wood can actively store CO2 and thus, counteracts the greenhouse effect. Sustainable forestry practices (PEFC Council) and the use of fast-growth wood in the building industry lead to more permanently bound CO2. Only 1 m3 BBS solid wood panels is able to store 750 kg of CO2. (This is not related to the CO2 released when manufacturing 1 m3 of BBS.) 100 m3 BBS is able to store the amount of bound CO2, that about 40 vehicles give off during their lifetime.

The solid wood panels used in this design are prefabricated, they require low energy for manufacturing, minimize waste, are durable and can be recycled at the end of the life cycle.