A new type of wall solution is being introduced into wood construction. Honkarakenne, which is the largest manufacturer of wood houses in the world, has developed the Honka Fusion energy wall based on non-settling massive wood to respond to stricter energy requirements.

Honka's new wall solution makes it possible to build a health-friendly and moisture-safe low energy house of massive wood. Honkarakenne has already supplied 25 new-technology Fusion houses to Finland and central Europe. For example, the Honka Fusion Jive city house currently under construction in Turku was designed to be a low-energy house, and it’s energy rating is the best possible.

The Honka Fusion energy wall was designed particularly for high-quality one-family houses in an urban environment, as well as recreational homes for owners who appreciate energy savings and other benefits such as naturally breathing structures, a healthy indoor atmosphere and a long life span.

Similar to Honka’s other products, the new wall solution is breathing as the structure does not use any plastic moisture barrier. Natural massive wood and a breathing structure keep the quality and humidity of indoor air very comfortable. According to recent research, healthy indoor air should have a humidity of 30 to 55 per cent (see references to VTT and Frauenhofer Institut). This is best realised in a house that is built of massive wood to the greatest extent possible.

Honka Fusion, an alliance of materials

Honka Fusion is an alliance that allows other materials to be combined with a non-settling massive wood frame. Compared to traditional wood techniques, this provides designers with many new opportunities for buildings of unique architecture. A Honka Fusion house has a sophisticated appearance with a touch of minimalism.

There are three different Honka Fusion energy wall structures: Honka Fusion LogHeart in which massive wood is inside the house, making up its structural core; the outside can be plastered, panelled or lined with brick or other materials. A Honka Fusion DecoLog wall has the load-bearing massive wood on the outer side. The inner side carries ecological wood-fibre insulation and inner coating varying by interior decoration choices. Honka Fusion Massive refers to non-settling massive wood of 130 or 200 mm thickness as such.

Last year, Honkarakenne’s Alajärvi plant introduced a type of non-settling laminated log that is made of six parts. The recent arrival of a modern café-restaurant in Järvenpää and the Levi Spirit recreational centre under construction in Kittilä are recent examples of the opportunities offered by Honka’s new non-settling log. The luxury villas ordered from Honkarakenne by GSP Group at Levi Spirit combine massive wood with large glass surfaces.

A HonkaTech™ solution provides an energy-efficient and reliable home

Log structures and technique developed by Honkarakenne during the last 50 years have several patents and utility models that cover log profiles, corner locks, and a system to control cracking, as well as a new type of non-settling log.

Honka Fusion DecoLog walls use the new Smart Ventilation System™ solution (patent pending). Ventilation channels are installed at the interface of the log and the ecological wood-fibre insulation. Thanks to this, the wall can be constructed without any plastic moisture barrier, which retains the breathing property of the energy wall.

Honka has persistently studied the energy efficiency of log houses in Finland and in Germany. Based on the results, the company has developed Honka Fusion and several energy-saving solutions for massive log products fulfilling the energy regulations for year-round use. Thanks to features such as improved airtightness, Honka’s massive log houses achieve practical energy savings of 20% to 30% compared to the regulatory level.

Thanks to the HonkaTech^TM solutions, design expertise and the company’s supply of high-quality pine material, Honka’s houses are ecological as well as durable. Therefore their value is retained across generations.

Additional information:

Honkarakenne Oyj, Eino Hekali, Vice President, R&D and Marketing, telephone +358 20 575 7779 or +358 40 841 7765, eino.hekali@honka.com

Honkarakenne Oyj, Milla Hannonen, Architect SAFA, telephone +358 20 575 7755 or +358 40 570 7051, milla.hannonen@honka.com

Honkarakenne Oyj, Anne-Maarit Sepling, Brand Communications Manager, telephone +358 20 575 7819 or +358 400 904 124, anne-maarit.sepling@honka.com

References:

1. Improving indoor climate and comfort with wooden structures; Simonson, Carey, Salonvaara, Mikael and Ojanen, Tuomo; 2001; VTT Publications 431; VTT Building and Transport, Technical Research Centre of Finland; ISBN 951-38-5846-4, 951-38-5847-2; research report available for download free of charge: http://www.inf.vtt.fi/pdf/publications/2001/P431.pdf 
2. Moisture buffering effects of interior linings made from wood or wood based products; Künzel, H.M., Holm, A., Sedlbauer, K., Antretter, F. and Ellinger, M.; 2004; Frauenhofer-Institut für Bauphysik IBP Report HTB-04/2004/e; Investigations commissioned by Wood Focus Oy, Finland and German Federal Ministry of Economics and Labour; research report available for download free of charge: http://publica.fhg.de/cgi/get.pl?N-26793.pdf