{"id":50158,"date":"2023-12-05T11:01:17","date_gmt":"2023-12-05T09:01:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sweco.fi\/?post_type=showroom_cpt&p=50158"},"modified":"2026-03-27T16:59:37","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T14:59:37","slug":"designed-for-hybrid-working-we-land-achieved-the-highest-breeam-level-in-the-design-phase","status":"publish","type":"showroom_cpt","link":"https:\/\/www.sweco.fi\/en\/projects\/designed-for-hybrid-working-we-land-achieved-the-highest-breeam-level-in-the-design-phase\/","title":{"rendered":"We Land first BREEAM Outstanding office building in Finland"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Designed<\/span> for<\/span> hybrid working<\/span>, We<\/span> Land<\/span> achieved<\/span> the<\/span> highest<\/span> BREEAM<\/span> Outstanding<\/span> environmental<\/span> certification<\/span><\/h1>\n

We Land, Finland’s first Outstanding-level BREEAM office building, meets the needs of modern hybrid working. Sweco’s experts were responsible for the demanding environmental certification<\/a> and structural and moisture quality of the 14-storey office building.<\/strong><\/p>\n

We Land, a 14-storey office building developed by NCC Property Development, the City of Helsinki and JKMM Architects, was completed in Ruoholahti, Helsinki in 2024. From the very beginning, very high quality requirements were set for the office building with approximately 2500 employees.<\/p>\n

“We wanted to create an office concept that achieves the highest possible level of BREEAM certification,” says Jussi Palmunen<\/strong>, Project Director at NCC Property Development. The level of service is also high. The users’ activities are supported, for example, with extensive lobby services, a conference centre and restaurant and caf\u00e9 facilities open to all.<\/p>\n

We Land is ahead of its time, and i.e. Deloitte and Cargotec have already chosen it as its headquarters. “Our office concept meets employers’ demand and offers high-quality spaces that support flexible hybrid working,” says Palmunen.<\/p>\n

First BREEAM Outstanding level certification<\/h2>\n
We Land is Finland\u2019s first new office building to achieve the highest level of BREEAM certification, Outstanding. The five\u2011star rating reflects an exceptionally comprehensive approach to sustainability. The property already achieved an Outstanding rating in the design stage assessment as the first office building in Finland, and this design-stage certificate is the first in the Nordic countries under the demanding INC 2016 scheme.\u00a0“We have succeeded in setting environmental goals and reducing our carbon footprint during design and construction,” says Palmunen.<\/div>\n
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Sweco’s BREEAM specialist Karoliina Lietonen<\/strong> has been involved in the certifications of many NCC sites for more than 10 years. “NCC has gained valuable experience that helped us take into account all the hundreds of things required to reach the Outstanding level.”<\/p>\n

The certification process started already at the project planning stage. The office was located on occupied soil, which saves nature and supports biodiversity. The ecologist assessed the current situation of the plot and gave recommendations for its improvement, as examples with green roofs. In addition, a risk analysis related to climate change was carried out already at the beginning of the planning. “The weather resistance of the fa\u00e7ade, indoor thermal conditions and stormwater management have been considered for up to 15 years,” says Lietonen.<\/p>\n

The fulfilment of the requirements is also monitored at the construction site. “Only green electricity is used, and the waste recovery rate is 95 per cent,” says Lietonen. In addition, the fa\u00e7ade of the site is made of more than 90% recycled copper, which can be reused at the end of its life cycle. “It is as if copper is on loan at the site<\/em>, which supports the circular economy.”<\/p>\n

The highest number of BREEAM scores was earned for energy class A and environmental impact assessment (LCA), which goes beyond carbon calculation, at a time when it was not yet mandatory. “NCC is a pioneer in ecological construction,” says Lietonen. Additional points were awarded for public transport connections and local services, which promotes low-emission mobility during use.<\/p>\n

Cost-efficiency was optimised in structural design<\/h2>\n

We Land’s main structural and precast concrete design was carried out as a joint consortium of Ramboll and Sweco (Optiplan). The most important precondition was extensive elementing. “The construction schedule was very tight, so we wanted to prefabricate as many of the structures as possible at the factory,” says NCC Building’s Design Manager Ville Pulkkinen<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

To ensure stability, casting in situ was also needed. The highest shaft is made in situ up to the 8th floor and from the precast concrete elements upwards. The shafts in the low section follow the same principle: they are cast in situ up to the 1st floor. “There were a lot of demanding frame joints between the steel frame and the precast and cast-in-situ parts,” says Anne Lindblad<\/strong>, Project Manager for Structural Engineering at Sweco.<\/p>\n

In addition to cost-effectiveness, structural designers optimise the adaptability of spaces. “The best option for this was a column-beam frame,” says Lindblad. Time was saved when all structural designers, Peikko Finland and Jotacon, who were responsible for the steel frame design, used a common Tekla native model. “We were able to follow each other’s activities in real time.”<\/p>\n

Humidity control emphasised in basement floors<\/h2>\n

We Land’s parking facilities are located on three basement floors up to 10 metres below sea level. Therefore, waterproof ground pressure walls and flood walls had to be designed in the basements.<\/p>\n

“The waterproofing solutions and materials were chosen carefully because it is difficult to change the waterproofing of a site surrounded by streets later,” says Heli Hakam\u00e4ki, Sweco’s moisture and cleanliness control coordinator<\/strong>. The frame phase of the high-rise building lasted a long time, and therefore a temporary roof was made halfway. “This allowed us to start interior work on the lower floors quickly.”<\/p>\n

Humidity and cleanliness control meetings helped us monitor the situation and prepare for the future together. “The active coordinator collaborated intensively with design control, construction supervision and site moisture control,” Pulkkinen praises.<\/p>\n

Hakam\u00e4ki, on the other hand, praises NCC’s will, which was reflected in the attitude of all parties. During the construction work, strictly defined modes of operation were followed, and ventilation work was carried out in accordance with the P1 cleanliness class. The Kuivaketju10 operating model and M1-classified materials were also used. “Quality assurance procedures were followed very meticulously.”<\/p>\n

Picture: NCC<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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Read more!<\/h2> <\/div>\n \n
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Certifications for buildings<\/a><\/h3>