| Title |
Wood Utilization in School Buildings |
| Authors |
이학성(Lee, Haksung) ; 정진주(Jung, Jinju) ; 조재문(Jo, Jaemun) ; 김지연(Kim, Jeeyeon) |
| DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5659/JAIK.2025.41.1.51 |
| Keywords |
Wooden Structure School; Wooden Interior Design School; Wood Utilization; School Architecture |
| Abstract |
This study aims to provide essential data to guide policies and establish standards for wooden school buildings in South Korea, addressing
the current lack of specific guidelines and examples for wooden construction in schools. Wood, a sustainable building material with
psychological and environmental benefits, is particularly suitable for educational settings. However, South Korea currently lacks the legal and
institutional frameworks to encourage its use in school construction, with few examples of such buildings available. To better understand
wood’s potential in school buildings, this study analyzes Japanese policies, case studies, construction costs, and wood utilization data. It
includes site visits to notable Japanese wooden schools endorsed by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
(MEXT) and other bodies, assessing wood use, construction costs, and architectural elements. Given the limited examples of wooden school
buildings in Korea, the study also considers non-school wooden buildings domestically. The findings reveal that, as of 2020, 73.9% of new
school facilities in Japan incorporated wood, supported by updated building codes allowing for safe three-story wooden school structures. The
average construction cost for Japanese schools with high wood utilization is around 400,000 yen per square meter, while similar wooden
buildings in Korea average 4.06 million KRW per square meter. Based on these insights, the study recommends a phased approach for
interior wood design in Korean schools, with a minimum target wood utilization rate of 40-50%. Higher utilization rates may require
thoughtful design to avoid potential discomfort. This research supports sustainable wood utilization in Korean school buildings, suggesting
small-scale wooden schools or wooden interior designs as practical starting points. It is expected to serve as a foundational resource for
future studies focused on developing specific design and construction guidelines for wooden school buildings in South Korea. |