Public opinion and a considerable number of scientific studies confirm that wood is a sustainable and competitive building material in contemporary architecture and construction. The use of wood in construction promotes resource efficiency and reduces the adverse impacts of construction on the environment. Latvia has forest resources and a developed wood industry, there are professional designers and customers are interested in natural materials and sustainable projects, however, wooden structures are used in a very small number of architectural projects. In the world the volume of wooden construction is growing and in many countries the regulatory enactments are being improved and the wider use of wooden structures is being strategically promoted. This has led to a situation where Latvian manufacturers export wooden structures and buildings, but wooden structures for Latvian architectural projects sometimes are purchased in other countries. The analysis of the social, economic and technical aspects has identified the factors affecting the choice of wooden structures, in Latvian architecture they are system of regulatory enactments, a shortage of pilot projects and the use of the analogy method in the choice of materials.