When a rail project with ambitious circular economy goals was launched in Kalasatama, Helsinki, GRK's Business Development Director Riina Rantsi was skeptical. In the end, there was no room for doubt, and with the same lessons learned from Kalasatama, they also joined the circular economy green deal.
The new tram line from Kalasatama to Pasila is actually new only on paper – almost 90 percent of the material used in the project is recycled.
In the project, we built a tram line between Kalasatama and Pasila, as well as connected street areas, green belts, pedestrian and cycling routes, and municipal engineering. Traffic on the new route began in August 2024.
When we set ambitious circular economy goals at the beginning of the project, I was skeptical about achieving them. But for no reason.
The project reused, among other things, curbstones, soil, growing media, topsoil, old structural layers, concrete structures demolished from the areas, and threshold soils.
Recycling and reuse of materials was the guiding principle of the entire project. It was essential for success that all parties to the project knew this from the tendering stage. Achieving the recycling target affected the assessment of the success of the entire project, and therefore the necessary people were also resourced for planning, implementation and monitoring. The tools built for real-time monitoring of circular economy targets also proved to be important. Status information on the utilization of materials was constantly available for everyone to check.
Strategic steps towards a green deal
GRK is committed to the circular economy green deal. The same ideas guide its operations as in Kalasatama.
We linked GRK's strategic goals and indicators to the circular economy green deal right from the start. Our strategic goal is to be a pioneer in sustainable construction. For us, sustainable construction means comprehensive responsible operations – as a pioneer, we also want to offer the market new material options and promote infrastructure construction in line with circular economy thinking.
When the metrics are the same in both our strategy and the circular economy green deal, monitoring of results is regular and goal-oriented.
Not just a joke
The aim of the Kalasatama project was to develop a high-quality, sustainable, energy-saving and easy-to-maintain construction solution. The end result had to be low-carbon and comfortable for residents and users. The aim was to manage the life cycle impact by using recycled and reused materials whenever possible.
Achieving the goals was not a simple matter of luck. However, success was made possible by close cooperation and exchange of information about available and needed materials, both within the project and among actors and construction sites in nearby areas.
The same laws apply to the circular economy green deal: the development and implementation of recycled materials in infrastructure construction requires cooperation. Technical properties are the number one consideration when circular economy materials are looking for a place in the market. The measure of success is the growth in the use of recycled materials and in business.
GRK's journey with the Green Deal is just beginning. Setting ambitious goals and connecting the economy to the desired solution has been key. In line with our values, we are not afraid – we succeed together!
GRK's circular economy green deal goals
- Tripling the use of recycled materials: GRK aims to triple the annual use of recycled materials to 1,5 million tons by 2035.
- Increasing the share of recycled materials: GRK's goal is to increase the share of recycled materials in the total consumption of natural aggregates, which will reduce the need for natural aggregates and promote more sustainable construction.
- Increasing the value of waste and recycled raw materials: GRK aims to process waste and recycled raw materials into new products, such as biochar and recycled fertilizers, and aims to triple the annual turnover of its environmental technology unit.
Discover green deals and get involved
Accelerate sustainable development and show your company's commitment to environmental responsibility - make a green deal commitment!
Read more
Write a comment