Wärtsilä Smart Technology Hub is a pioneer in eco-efficiency
5.7.2021 – Wärtsilä Smart Technology Hub develops environmentally friendly technology in environmentally friendly facilities. Granlund’s designers help Wärtsilä reach the ambitious eco-efficiency goals of the project.
Wärtsilä is building the new Smart Technology Hub research, product development and production centre in Vaskiluoto, Vaasa. The unique centre is focused on agile and efficient testing and product development of intelligent maritime, oil and gas industry solutions as well as new energy systems.
The total investment of the Smart Technology Hub, EUR 230 million, consists of office and factory buildings, logistics and infrastructure. The state-of-the-art testing and production technology of the centre alone is an EUR 83 investment for Wärtsilä.
Once the centre is completed, it will host all the operations and employees of Wärtsilä’s current facilities in Vaasa city centre, as well as the logistics and maintenance workshop operations from Runsor, Vaasa.
According to Tommy Grannas, Real Estate Manager at Wärtsilä Finland Oy, the solutions used at the Smart Technology Hub reflect the company’s environmental values.
“It will also set an example for our customers on building and using real estate as eco-efficiently as possible.”
Comprehensive sustainability
The company is applying for BREEAM certification and its “Very good” rating for the Smart Technology Hub. BREEAM is an international rating system for the design, construction and use of real estate. It comprehensively examines the building’s energy and water consumption, materials, land use and traffic solutions.
“The location of the Smart Technology Hub alone is superb. Vaskiluoto offers the necessary infrastructure with power lines from the wind power plants in the west coast and connections to district heating. The transportation system is excellent and the nearby port connects us to the rest of the world,” says Grannas.
The rooftop of the Smart Technology Hub will feature solar panels producing clean, renewable electricity. In addition, the energy produced by the marine engines tested at the Hub will be carefully recovered and used at the property.
The BREEAM rating introduces various requirements that guide our design.
Granlund keeps busy
Granlund is the project designer of the Smart Technology Hub. The company is also responsible for the building services engineering and preparing the BREEAM rating.
“The BREEAM rating introduces various requirements that guide our design,” says Pekka Pajuniemi, CEO of Granlund Pohjanmaa Oy.
According to Pajuniemi, the office and factory facilities will feature a large range of intelligent systems and automation.
The cleanliness requirements in the research and production facilities will be extremely high.
“This is partially achieved through our technical building services, meaning air filtration systems as well as appropriate pressure rations and air volumes.”
Granlund is also acting as the Big Room coordinator of the project.
“We use data modelling and 3D models for our design operations. The plans of all parties, such as the architect, structural engineer, process engineer and technical building services engineer, are thoroughly coordinated to work in sync,” says Pajuniemi.
“The plans of all parties, such as the architect, structural engineer, process engineer and technical building services engineer, are thoroughly coordinated to work in sync”, says Pajuniemi.
Effortless cooperation
Wärtsilä and Granlund have already cooperated on hundreds of projects.
“Our long history is a definite asset. We don’t need to constantly explain our ways of working or find our progress through trial and error. Granlund already knows what we want. This makes the operations fast and efficient,” says Grannas.
The construction of the Smart Technology Hub is still underway while the plans are being refined and fine-tuned.
Wärtsilä’s new research, product development and production centre will be finished in 2021.
Want to hear more?
Pekka Pajuniemi
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