Smart Technology Hub is a pioneer of energy and marine industry
Wärtsilä’s new research, product development and production centre Smart Technology Hub has been a unique experience for the entire project organisation. Sweco is the construction consultant for the major project that will be completed in 2021.
The scale of the Wärtsilä Smart Technology Hub is exceptional, down to the schedule and budget objectives. The project of about EUR 200 million will create a centre that develops new marine and energy industry solutions together with other operators in the field.
“The project is the largest in Wärtsilä’s history and so unique that there are no suitable benchmarks,” says Tommy Grannas, Wärtsilä Finland Oy’s property manager. “I believe that the centre will be a new landmark for Vaasa, but in the end the most important thing is what will happen inside these buildings.”
Smart Technology Hub will be completed in Vaskiluoto, Vaasa, in 2021. At the same time, all Wärtsilä operations previously located in the Vaasa city centre will move to the new facilities. Sweco acts as the contractor consultant to the project. “We are in charge of design and project management, for example,” explains Joel Johansson, regional project manager at Sweco. “Information flow is a challenge in such a huge project organisation, but an open discussion culture is the key.”
Combination BIM steers the use of facilities
The Vaskiluoto construction includes offices, production facilities, logistics and infrastructure. Of the two new buildings, the production facility named Hub is about 33 metres tall, more than 200 metres long and nearly 900,000 cubic metres in volume. A footbridge links the structure to the office complex.
“We set specific BIM requirements for the design work in order to ensure the compatibility of plans,” says Sweco’s BIM Coordinator Juuso Erkkilä. The aim is that the information models will act as the building’s digital twin once the project is complete. “We also wanted to incorporate the users’ production process models, so that the BIM could be used to optimise the use and maintenance of the facilities after construction.”
Sustainable construction and business operations
Many sustainable solutions are used in the Smart Technology Hub construction. All construction materials are certified, the facilities utilise heat recovery and solar panels are installed on the roofs. “It is not just a question of a sustainable construction project, but of Wärtsilä’s business operations overall,” Johansson emphasises.
Smart Technology Hub is an important step in the Wärtsilä vision to be a pioneer of intelligent and sustainable marine and energy industry. In Vaskiluoto, different functions are brought together in compact facilities that can be modified flexibly.
“We will have our entire production and product development team under one roof, which provides clear synergy and logistics benefits,” Grannas states. The location is also excellent, since a railway line, power line and district heating pipe already run through the dock area. “In addition to efficient production, Vaskiluoto will facilitate collaboration with energy and logistics partners already operating in the area.”
Sweco is responsible for the primary architectural design of Smart Technology Hub. Read more!