WOOD IN HOSPITAL INTERIORS: A SCOPING REVIEW

Paper in proceeding, 2025

Background. The construction sector must shift towards more sustainable solutions to meet global climate goals. Wood is seen as an environmental friendly material, a material that may also have positive health effects on users. To achieve the effects strived for, the use of wood must be done with relevant concideration. Objective. The purpose of this scoping review is to give an overview of research on the use of wooden material for interior purposes in hospital buildings. The study aimed for a knowledge base that may facilitate the design process and decision-making concerning the use of wood in hospital environments. Design. The search was conducted in online databases as a Boolean search, restricted to conference articles or articles from peer-reviewed scientific jornals. Results. The literature search resulted in 13 sources, divided on three main themes. The sources vary in method, and both qualitative, quantitative and mixed-method studies are included. Conclusions. This scoping review have identified a growing number of studies and a development of a research theme. As the number of sources are few, the findings of this study is highly contextual, and the study as such offer no general conclusions to the use of wood in hospitals.