Climate change sets high pressures on the construction industry to lower its raw materials, energy, and water consumption, to decrease greenhouse gas emissions, and reduce construction and demolition waste (UNEP 2023). Due to the carbon storage properties and potential to use renewable resources efficiently, wood in general is an interesting alternative to concrete and steel, especially for the housing sector, to enhance its sustainable performance combined with the aesthetics and well-being benefits of wood (Jussila et al. 2022; Høibø et al., 2015; Gold and Rubik, 2009). Timber constructions have the promise of reducing scarce resource extractions, energy consumption, and carbon emissions by the construction sector. For millennia wood has been utilized in constructions due to its abundance, versatility, and aesthetic appeal. The substantial, long-term commitment of resources causes high levels of user involvement in their housing decision making. In advancing the sustainable use of wood in buildings, especially houses, literature seems to underestimate the perceptions and risk attitudes of (potential) users of houses. Many studies on timber as construction material take the point of view of key stakeholders, for example architects, structural designers, and contractors, wholly neglecting the end-users of buildings. Nevertheless, the number of user-, citizen-, or consumer-oriented studies on wood as construction material has increased since 2015. Systematic knowledge on the aesthetic and functional requirements that users have can improve construction decision-making as well as user satisfaction and lead to competitive advantages for the wood industry, when this knowledge is aligned to product development (Nyrud et al., 2008).
