A chara, – I am writing to express my concern over the Government’s and local authorities’ apparent ignorance (or neglect) of an obvious solution to our housing crisis: wooden and log houses. It is perplexing that we are not actively promoting the development of wooden and log houses. These types of homes have been successfully implemented in Scandinavia and other parts of Europe, demonstrating their potential to provide affordable, environmentally friendly, and quickly assembled housing.
The cost of importing and assembling a wooden or log house can be covered by approximately €150,000. This presents a significantly cheaper alternative to traditional housing methods, which saddle homeowners with large lifetime debts. High-quality wooden and log houses can be imported from Scandinavia, the Baltics, and even Ukraine, and assembled in as little as 12 weeks. This rapid construction time could be instrumental in addressing the housing shortfall.
The carbon footprint of a log house is dramatically lower than that of a concrete or brick house.
Despite these clear benefits, county councils and corporations continue to favour expensive, slowly built, carbon-dense housing estates over more sustainable alternatives. A village of wooden or log houses would not only be more rapidly built, and greener, but would also be far better suited to meeting the financial means of families. If they are suitable for the Norwegian and Finnish climates then they will also be suitable for the Irish climate. With care, a log house will last well over 100 years.
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It is time for our Government and local authorities to reconsider their housing strategies and embrace solutions that are both cost-effective and environmentally responsible. Wooden and log houses offer a promising path forward, and it is vital that they are given the consideration they deserve. – Is mise,
AIDAN CONNOLLY,
Dublin 6.