Inside Alfa Lavalās Expansion of Sustainable Construction
Alfa Laval is proving itself to be one of the worldās most sustainable companies in the construction sector today.
The Swedish engineering firm recently announced collaborations in both Europe and Asia that are grand in size and ambition, especially when it comes to reducing carbon emissions.
For these projects, the company is combining operational efficiency with reduced environmental impact by bringing its state-of-the-art heat exchange technologies to the built environment.
But what exactly makes Alfa Lavalās technology so unique?
Success built in Scandinavia
A partnership between Alfa Laval and two Nordic steel producers is demonstrating how cross-industry collaboration can significantly reduce carbon emissions in construction projects.
The engineering firm has joined forces with Finnish stainless steel manufacturer Outokumpu and Swedish steel producer SSAB to integrate low-emission steel into plate heat exchangers.
These technologies are designed to retain heat and energy better than any similar products on the market.
One of the first buildings to receive this new tech is the Laakso Joint Hospital in Helsinki, a modern facility currently under construction.
The collaboration incorporates SSAB Zero steel and Outokumpu Circle Green stainless steel into Alfa Laval's heat exchangers, reducing the product's carbon footprint by around 60% compared to industry standards.
Inside the project
Five Alfa Laval Concept Zero TL10 gasketed plate heat exchangers will be installed at the Helsinki hospital in 2025, providing energy-efficient heat transfer for the building's cooling system.
"Our heat exchangers already contribute to reducing our customers' emissions during operation,” explains Julien Gennetier, Vice President Energy Division at Alfa Laval.
“By utilising low-emission steel, we are also decreasing emissions in their upstream value chain.”
The partnership marks the first time all three companies have worked together, though Alfa Laval has previously collaborated with both steel producers separately.
Alfa Lavalās expansion into Asia
Elsewhere, Alfa Laval is strengthening its presence in Asia with a five-year strategic cooperation service agreement with China's Shanghai Tower and CBRE Property Management.
Standing at 632 metres, Shanghai Tower is China's tallest building and holds the prestigious LEED Platinum certification for environmental performance.
The vertical city hosts approximately 40,000 daily visitors across its hotels, offices and museum exhibitions, creating substantial demands on the building's climate and energy systems.
The agreement will deliver customised maintenance services for the building's heat exchange system, which features 39 Alfa Laval plate heat exchangers.
"Shanghai Tower represents a benchmark in sustainable building," says Penny Peng, Vice President of Service Division at Alfa Laval China.
The partnership aims to maintain high energy performance in the landmark structure and advance the concept of green vertical cities.
The importance of low-carbon materials
The Helsinki hospital project incorporates SSAB's recycled and fossil-free energy steel, virtually eliminating carbon emissions from production.
"This is one more great step towards a more sustainable future. We are proud to work with companies like Alfa Laval and Outokumpu, since our goal is to build a fossil-free value chain together with our partners and customers," says Tony Harris, Head of SSAB Europe.
Outokumpu's President for Business Line Advanced Materials, Rolf Schencking, emphasised the necessity of decarbonisation in today's industrial landscape.
"Decarbonisation is not just a goal anymore – it's a necessity, requiring companies to invest and implement energy-efficient and low-emission technologies, such as heat exchangers, to accelerate the green transition," explains Rolf.
Environmental impact assessment
The carbon footprint reduction claim for the Helsinki project is based on global average emission factors compared with the specific environmental performance of the specialised steel products, considering the entire lifecycle from production through to end-of-life.
Industry analysts note that these collaborations could serve as models for how multinational partnerships can drive broader impact in reducing embodied carbon in construction materials.
The value of the contracts was not disclosed, though similar heat exchange systems for large complexes typically range from US$200,000 to US$500,000 depending on specifications.
Alfa Laval reports that the Helsinki installation represents "the lowest carbon footprint ever measured" for their gasketed plate heat exchanger product line, setting new benchmarks for sustainable building systems worldwide.
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