YIT takes a significant step towards low-carbon construction

YIT is taking a significant step towards low-carbon construction by starting to use Consolis Parma’s low-carbon hollow-core slabs in housing production. In the first phase, the agreement covers the production of apartment buildings by YIT’s units in the Helsinki metropolitan area and Uusimaa. The plan is to gradually expand the agreement thereafter to cover all of YIT’s residential construction operations in Finland.  

“We build sustainable homes and living environments. We seek ways to reduce the climate impacts of construction, and this agreement represents a significant step in our climate efforts. In line with our strategy, we are committed to reducing emissions from our own operations and our value chain in accordance with the Science Based Targets initiative,” says Antti Inkilä, Executive Vice President, Housing segment, at YIT. 

The world’s first low-carbon hollow-core slabs were delivered to Vantaa  

YIT and Consolis Parma have signed an agreement for the replacement of hollow-core slabs used in the lower, intermediate and upper floor structures with low-carbon ones in YIT's housing production. 

The low-carbon hollow-core slabs are the result of a joint product development effort between YIT and Consolis Parma. Built by YIT, Asunto Oy Vantaan Mekaanikko became the world’s first residential construction project to pilot the use of these hollow-core slabs last year. Under the newly concluded agreement between the two companies, Parma will start delivering low-carbon hollow-core slabs to YIT’s new residential construction projects as early as November 2022. 

The emissions associated with construction materials account for approximately five per cent of Finland’s total emissions, while the emissions generated by on-site construction operations represent approximately two per cent. 

In YIT’s housing production, hollow-core slabs are the individual construction product category with the highest emission impact, representing roughly one-fifth of the material-based emissions of residential buildings. Switching to low-carbon hollow-core slabs will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately four million kilograms per year. That amount corresponds to the average annual emissions of approximately 560 Finns, or 680 car journeys around the world. 

“We want to be a reliable partner in life-cycle efficient and sustainable concrete construction. We have worked very hard on the sustainable development of the built environment, which has enabled us to launch a full range of low-carbon products. This cooperation agreement is a great example of a shared vision and genuine action towards low-carbon concrete construction,” says Hannu Tuukkala, CEO of Consolis Parma.

“According to our emission impact calculations, hollow-core slabs represent the highest impact among the materials used for the frames of residential buildings. The low-carbon solution we have developed in collaboration with Parma halves the emissions from slabs and reduces the material-based on-site emissions of residential construction by approximately 8 per cent,” Antti Inkilä adds.

For further information, please contact:

Antti Inkilä, Executive Vice President, Housing segment, YIT, media enquiries through Group Communications, tel. +358 44 743 7536, press@yit.fi 
Hannu Tuukkala, CEO, Consolis Parma, tel. +358 50 598 9292, hannu.tuukkala@consolis.com 
Maija Taimi, Senior Vice President, Communications, YIT Corporation, tel. +358 50 487 1561, maija.taimi@yit.fi 

YIT is the largest Finnish and a significant North European development and construction company. For 110 years, we have been creating better living environments for our customers: functional homes for sustainable living, future-proof public and commercial buildings and infrastructure for smoother flow of people, businesses and society. We employ 5,500 professionals in nine countries: Finland, Sweden, Norway, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland. Our revenue in 2021 was EUR 2.7 billion. YIT Corporation’s share is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki Oy. www.yitgroup.com