Combustion needs fuel, ignition, and oxygen. Normal air contains only 21 % oxygen and most of the rest is nitrogen which is only ballast and has no part in combustion. Using pure oxygen increases combustion efficiency significantly as there is no ballast to be heated up. This method has traditionally been used for smelting, but since the 1990s it has also been available for (re)heating furnaces. AGA which is part of the Linde Group has developed the technology and sells both new installations and refitted furnaces.

Not a single bone to waste...

• Food-processing company introduces ambitious zero food-waste programme in its fish production
• Company has also emphasised ecological packaging and managed to reduce plastic waste and carbon emissions in its procurement practices

Kalavapriikki Oy is a manufacturer of fish, meat, fruit and vegetable products. It is part of the Finnish Heino wholesale concern. Fish production has been the company’s core activity and it is recognised for its high-quality produce.

Smart systems to control energy 

Compact results

• City market identifies a high percentage of unrecycled plastic
• The results encouraged the store to invest in a compactor for plastic waste 
• In four months, several tonnes of plastic bales were generated, boosting recycling significantly

K-Citymarket Easton is a large grocery store in eastern Helsinki and belongs to the Finnish retailing conglomerate Kesko Oyj. The company is keen to promote sustainable development and encourages other sellers to follow its leads on plastic recycling.

From the industrial to the modern age...

• Residential buildings with passive energy standard are built on an abandoned industrial site
• The complex was built with natural construction materials offering good thermal performance and high indoor comfort
• Buildings are designed according to the natural sun cycle using solar energy in several forms

Case di Luce in Italy consists of three sustainable passive energy premises built on an abandoned industrial site. It is an example of innovative and energy-efficient construction.

Setting the example

Is this the future of sustainable community living?

Pioneering building raises the standard

More than 40 % of the energy consumption in Finland is consumed in buildings. Accordingly, buildings have an important role in tackling climate change. A common problem is that owners do not know the energy consumption of their buildings due to lack of data and analysis tools. Even if there are measurements, only 10 % of the gathered data is further used for making decisions. Analytics could substantially improve the productivity of, for example, a standard building automation system.

Making the most of a vital resource