Projects / 7/31/2025

Leading the shift to low-carbon construction: Insights from Mapei Finland

Finland leads the low-carbon revolution: Mapei RE-CON line solutions for a more sustainable construction industry

Interviewees

Jukka Tuohino and Mika Liikonen

CIS - Sales Manager and General Manager, Mapei OY

From Finland’s new low-emission building regulations to the Mapei solutions to produce low-carbon concrete: Mapei OY stands out for its innovative admixtures from the RE-CON line and CUBE System. In this article, Mika Liikonen and Jukka Tuohino share how the company’s commitment to sustainability is reshaping the Finnish market and driving a concrete shift toward low-carbon construction.

How does the market trend on sustainability and low carbon neutrality influence the Finnish construction market?

Jukka Tuohino: Awareness of the carbon impact is growing in the Finnish construction industry. The country's construction regulations are currently being updated to encourage the use of lower-carbon products in construction projects. The new Construction Law in Finland came into effect on 1 January 2025. It will bring about significant changes with regard to the climate impact of the construction sector. The law places great emphasis on reducing carbon emissions and minimising environmental impact throughout the design and implementation of construction projects.

According to the new law, anyone undertaking a construction project must ensure that the building is designed and constructed to be low carbon, in line with its intended use. This means that the building's carbon footprint and handprint must be assessed and reported on in a climate study attached to the building permit application.

The climate study assesses a building's life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions and its potential climate benefits. The assessment must be carried out using the official low-carbon assessment method for buildings and must use data from the Finnish national emissions database or other environmental characteristics data, in accordance with the method's requirements.

Tuohino Jukka and Ismo Tirkkonen from Mapei OY (Finland) test products from the RE-CON line and CUBE System in the concrete laboratory.

How do Mapei solutions from the RE-CONline and CUBE System help you meet the needs of the Finnish concrete producers?

Mika Liikonen: The Cube system is a great opportunity for us, enabling us to overcome new market challenges. We are at the forefront of development here, and the RE-CON line enhances our reputation as an innovative and sustainable business.

Jukka Tuohino: Mapei OY reorganised its admixture sales in Finland at the end of 2024. After this, we started identifying suitable products for the Finnish concrete market. We are currently conducting several major admixture tests involving both the RE-CON line and the CUBE system. Given the growing use of low-carbon concrete in Finland, we believe that the RE-CON line products and the CUBE system will play a key role in overcoming the associated challenges.

At the beginning of 2025 Mapei OY started identifying suitable products for the Finnish concrete market by testing admixtures from both the RE-CON line and the CUBE system.

Why did Mapei OY decided to build a new manufacturing plant?

Mika Liikonen: Concrete admixtures offer us with new growth opportunities. Investing in a local manufacturing plant (currently under construction in Tuusula) and a concrete laboratory will enable us to serve our customers in the best possible way. As logistics play a significant role in this business, producing closer to our customers will enable us to supply them more rapidly.

Jukka Tuohino: Concrete admixtures in Finland must meet high specifications, so our new production facility will enable us to exercise greater control over the range and formulation of our products. Furthermore, having our own production facility will enable us to respond more quickly to customer needs and changes in the concrete supply chain. Our customers also value the fact that our products are manufactured locally, as this reduces the environmental impact.

Interviewees

Jukka Tuohino and Mika Liikonen

CIS - Sales Manager and General Manager, Mapei OY

Tag

#circulareconomy #lowcarbonconcrete

Product Lines

Admixtures for concrete