What does sustainability mean to us and how is it reflected in our daily work?
Blog
Sustainability and the circular economy are reflected in our strategy and in our day-to-day operations. The management agenda includes ensuring that all our employees can work in a safe and respectful environment, and that we listen to our customers’ needs and wishes – for example, by choosing more sustainable materials and optimising our facilities.
There is still much to be done to make industrial production more sustainable. That’s why we invest in regular product development and CO2 reduction in our daily work. We also work closely with our partners and customers to make more responsible material choices. We invest in recyclable and high quality materials and aim to minimise wasted space at the design stage of a building.
We want to create public buildings that meet the needs of today’s world. Ecology is one of the most important factors. Environmental values have also become increasingly important to clients, so we aim to minimise waste, optimise energy efficiency and use more environmentally friendly materials. The whole public building stock and its management should be thought of in a more flexible and innovative way, as every square metre built unnecessarily is a waste of energy. It is therefore important that we pay more attention to environmental values in addition to the quality of buildings, says Jukka Joutsenkoski, CEO of Parmaco.
Here are our key sustainability actions from the past year:
Recycling and product development
We regularly conduct research and product development to find new technologies and more ecological materials. In our factories, we and our employees take care to reduce waste during production and recycle all possible materials. We also comply with local waste management regulations and guidelines.
Reducing waste requires planning and a long-term commitment. We will continue to sort waste from our operations so that valuable materials can be recycled. However, not all waste management emissions can be completely avoided. The carbon footprint of our waste management is measured and our remaining emissions are offset annually through Gold Standard certified reforestation projects. In selecting these projects, we consider not only reducing emissions but also employing people.
We use environmentally friendly and durable materials in our manufacturing processes and source materials from responsible suppliers – giving priority to materials with a lower environmental impact. So it pays to reduce wear and tear and repair costs by choosing high quality materials. Examples include aluminium-framed windows and doors, durable facade and roof coatings, and easy-to-maintain ventilation systems. At the end of the lifecycle, we reduce the impact on the climate by reusing and recycling materials, components and modules.
Energy efficient buildings
We design and build dynamic modular buildings with energy efficiency in mind, and are constantly looking for innovative solutions to improve energy efficiency. For example, we invest in sustainable insulation materials and energy-efficient lighting, and we pay attention to reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
At best, our buildings are currently below the requirements of Energy Class A, and let’s not forget that energy efficiency is also affected by wasted space. Modular construction is therefore the optimal option when designing a building to maximise the use of space and minimise waste. Our FIXCEL®️ steel cell modules are highly airtight, which means less energy than usual is needed for heating. Our steel supplier is SSAB, which is also continuously working towards carbon neutrality. Our goal is to build the first fully carbon neutral steel frame building in 2026.
Environmental Awareness
We promote environmental awareness among our employees and encourage them to adopt sustainable practices in their daily work. We encourage training to inform employees about sustainability and to enable them to participate in sustainability initiatives. For example, our own Hämeenlinna factory has been carbon neutral for the second year in a row, and we have our own solar park on the roof of the factory to provide us with electricity.
Although Parmaco has made progress in the area of sustainability, there is always room for improvement. Ongoing efforts to reduce carbon emissions, increase the use of renewable energy sources and improve the recycling of materials are constantly on our agenda.
Change does not happen overnight, or alone. So let’s build a more sustainable tomorrow together, in a modular and responsible way, says Jukka Joutsenkoski.