A record number of new products: FinnBuild Highlights products have been selected

This year, the FinnBuild Highlights jury selected 8 highlights from the 55 companies that entered the competition. These will be presented at FinnBuild, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary, at the companies' own stands, marked with the Highlights logo, and on the FinnBuild website. The competition will seek the most interesting FinnBuild products, systems, processes and services that    

• enhance the industry's business performance, quality development and safety, or      

• environmental sustainability (low carbon, circular economy, biodiversity); or       

• social responsibility (staff, social responsibility, end-users of the building).     

The Public's Favourite will be selected by public vote during the event and announced on the last day of the event on the 10th of October from 11-11.30 am on the BuildingPro stage. The Public's Favourite will be awarded a prize of €15 000 from the Finnish Fair Foundation.  

"This year's record number of applications reflects the strong commitment of the building and technical sector to sustainability and responsibility. Highlights products represent significant steps forward towards low-carbon construction, greater resource efficiency and a better indoor environment," says Ilkka Salo, Chairman of the FinnBuild Highlights panel and CEO of Talteka.    

FinnBuild Highlights 2024 jury selections (companies in alphabetical order)   

eGenerator  

 The e-Generator is an emission-free solution for situations where electricity is limited or not available at all. The E-Generator does not generate electricity, but stores it in a battery and distributes it as needed. Its capacity can range from 100 kWh up to megawatt-hours. The E-Generator replaces conventional fossil fuel aggregators and generators. It is silent, odourless, non-smoking, non-polluting, virtually maintenance-free and does not emit thermal radiation. A patent application is pending for Rebelvolt e-Generators.  

Rebelvolt Oy, department 7m135, www.rebelvolt.com/egenerators    

Halton's TTAP technology  

Halton's new TTAP (Terminal Treatment of Air with Peltier) technology improves the energy efficiency of HVAC systems by introducing semiconductors. This is the first time in the world that semiconductor technology, familiar from electronic devices, has been introduced to entire buildings. TTAP cells heat and cool buildings with air, eliminating the need for liquid circulation systems. The technology will reduce a building's carbon footprint by 15% and operating costs by 18%. 

Halton Oy, department 6d56, www.halton.com/technology/terminal-treatment-of-air-with-peltier-ttap/   

HögforsGST Mid-Cooling Connection  

Mid-Cooling is a patented connection for district heating distribution centres that helps to use the energy of district heating more efficiently. The mid-cooling connection improves the cooling of the district heating return water significantly, up to 15 °C, which makes the whole district heating system more efficient and helps to reduce heating costs. A small investment can make a big difference over time!  

HögforsGST Oy, department 6d50, www.hogforsgst.com  

Kerto-Ripa wall element  

The Kerto-Ripa wall element is a structural bonded plywood wall structure made of Kerto LVL boards and bars, which has a vertical and horizontal load-bearing capacity in relation to the amount of material used that is unmatched in the timber construction industry. It is particularly suitable as a load-bearing and/or stiffening external and external partition wall structure for heavily loaded buildings such as apartment buildings and office buildings. Compared with solid wood wall constructions, a structurally bonded load-bearing ribbed construction can save up to 80% of material, while at the same time exceeding the load-bearing capacity of the reference construction.   

Metsä Wood, Department 6k1, www.metsagroup.com  

Oras water and energy saving service  

Oras has developed a water monitoring and management service that provides real-time information on water consumption measured directly at water points using a smart shower. The Oras Smart Shower encourages more responsible water use by providing real-time feedback on consumption.   

Oras Oy, Department 6b78, www.info.oras.com/fi/oras-hydractiva-digital  

Pictue - an easy-to-use, automated photo documentation application  

Pictue is an easy-to-use, automated photo documentation mobile and web application for the field. Pictue is like a phone camera, but the images taken are automatically archived on a map with a reliable timestamp, location, photographer, company, project, image content, work stage, image status and comment. Images are extremely quick to take and any image can be found in seconds, even after years of use, when required. Images also move with integrations to other systems in real time, so there is no need to teach the more difficult to use systems to all staff.  

Pictue Oy, department 6h24, www.pictue.com  

Sitefactory concept  

Traditionally, the interior phase of a residential building takes 15-20 weeks, and for a large part of that time the apartments are empty. With the Indoor concept, the same apartments are completed 3 times faster, in a more controlled way and with better quality. The Sitefactory concept brings together, in a single contract, the methods of will production, the technology and the will workers. The team works to a timetable as hourly workers, not as contractors. Work is planned in advance with predefined work sequences at a much more granular level than is traditional, and the work management team uses predefined practices, templates and technology.   

Flow Modules Oy, Department 6e1, www.flowmodules.com/sitefactory  

Wave Solution  

Wave makes a building's carbon footprint smaller and productivity more productive at the same time. Wave is designed to minimise energy consumption and optimise building energy flows by recycling and storing energy flows within the building. The solution reduces the amount of energy purchased by up to 70%.  

Koja Yhtiöt Oy, Department 6a50, www.wavesolution.fi 

The competition jury: Ilkka Salo, CEO, Finnish Building Services Industries and Trade  Talteka, Tapio Kivistö, Editor-in-Chief, Rakennuslehti, Elina Samila, Sustainability Expert, Green Building Council Finland, Antti Aaltonen, Director, Construction Development, The Confederation of Finnish Construction Industries and Jorma Säteri, Regional Director, Real Estate and Construction, Metropolia University of Applied Sciences.   

FinnBuild is the largest event in Finland for the construction and building technology sector in terms of the number of participating companies, the number of visitors and the exhibition area. It is held as usual every two years. In 2022, the event attracted more than 18 000 professionals.    

More information on Highlights, finnbuild.fi, LinkedIn