Organic materials in our Norwegian Log House:
The main ingrediens in the house building materials is of course wood, more specific - Pinus Silvestris - or European pine (Described in more detail under the "Production Process" section in the main menu). The thickness of the wall is determined by the thickness of the log because the log is the whole wall. Besides good craftmanship and good raw materials, the thickness of the wall is fundamental for the isolation quality of the house.

Between the logs, wool is used as isolation material. Not only have wool natural fibers only, but our craftsmen says it is the best isolation material that can be used between the logs. Warm or cool air is kept inside without producing any unhealthy gases.

Of important value is of course what we do NOT use: We do not use any organic chemicals. Paints, varnishes, and wax all tend to contain organic solvents, as do many cleaning, disinfecting, cosmetic, degreasing, and hobby products. Fuels are made up of organic chemicals. All of these products can release organic compounds while you are using them, and, to some degree, when they are stored.

The US Environmental Protection Agency`s (EPA) Total Exposure Assessment Methodology (TEAM) studies found levels of about a dozen common organic pollutants to be 2 to 5 times higher inside homes than outside, regardless of whether the homes were located in rural or highly industrial areas. Some of the effects are eye, nose, and throat irritation; headaches, loss of coordination, nausea; damage to liver, kidney, and central nervous system. Some organics can cause cancer in animals; some are suspected or known to cause cancer in humans.

The Sick House

A house that causes sickness to the people living in it and its surrounding environment is here defined as a "Sick House". In recent years many houses have started to suffer from the "Sick House Syndromes" resulting from their use of building materials containing chemical substances that cause sickness such as atopy and allergy, and from their necessity for reconstruction in 20 to 30 years that contributes to increased emissions of carbon dioxide.

In recent years, the extensive pursuit of a certain rationality has resulted in the disappearance of natural material from building structures. Inversely proportional to such disappearance, the incidence of "sick house syndromes" has increased. Highly airtight houses are full of carcinogenic chemical substances.

In the meantime, it has been known that PCB and other similar materials generating dioxin when burnt and chemical substances disrupting human reproductive organs (which have been used as or contained in building materials) may pose a threat to the future.