Honkarakenne leads the way in healthy public construction by delivering 34 log daycare centres in Finland

PRESS RELEASE 16 March 2017 at 10.00 a.m.

Honkarakenne Plc and its network will deliver a total of 34 log daycare centres across Finland by the end of 2020. Log daycare centres are a response to the strongly growing demand for daycare facilities with clean indoor air for children. Honkarakenne’s share of the deliveries of daycare centres, including value added tax, will total approximately EUR 6.9 million.

The delivery of daycare centres will begin already in 2017, during which time the aim is to start the construction of 5–7 daycare centres. Mediset Hoivarakentajat Oy will be the turnkey contractor for the daycare centres, and they will be operated by Pilke päiväkodit Oy. The cooperation between the parties began with the implementation of a daycare centre built in Aura, which confirmed the parties agreement on more extensive cooperation. The next log daycare centre will be built in Vantaa, and negotiations on building daycare centres are currently underway with several municipalities.

Honkarakenne Plc has wanted to lead the way in healthy construction and create solutions to increasing indoor air and mould problems. The company announced its Healthy House concept, certified by VTT and implemented in cooperation with the Finnish Allergy and Asthma Federation, in 2014. Honkarakenne is now introducing this expertise to public construction as well.

“This masterpiece by a Finnish network of expertise is great evidence of Finnish expertise. We are particularly happy to be involved in improving the quality of children’s daycare during Finland’s 100th anniversary. Over the years, we have delivered a large number of diverse public buildings abroad: daycare centres, schools, churches, even hospitals. It is astonishing that we are also allowed to take part in developing Finnish healthy public construction,” says Marko Saarelainen, CEO of Honkarakenne.

Honkarakenne’s non-settling log provides benefits for public construction

Today’s log buildings can be big and feature modern architecture. The non-settling log developed by Honkarakenne allows combining various materials with a massive wood frame and modern details and lining. Construction work and building system installation is smoother when there is no need to prepare for the settling of structures. Moreover, the Nollanurkka corner structure suitable for urban construction, in which a dovetail corner joint is protected inside the log structure and conventional cross corners are no longer required, can be combined with the non-settling structure. All of the log daycare centres of the cooperation network will be built from non-settling log using Nollanurkka structures.

”Non-settling log is a superior building material. The tightness, easy and quick installation and maintenance-free nature of the frame are significant benefits in public construction. The non-settling log combined with the Nollanurkka structure is aesthetically beautiful and also very well suited for urban environments. Honkarakenne has already 15 years of experience with the non-settling log, so in addition to VTT’s tests, the structure has also proven its strengths in practice,” says Juha Marttala, Managing Director of Mediset Hoivarakentajat Oy

A log daycare centre is an investment in the well-being of children and employees

Pilke päiväkodit was delighted with log as a building material when visiting a site. The fresh indoor air, good acoustics and calm and peaceful atmosphere provided by massive wood in a daycare centre delivered by Honkarakenne in Oulu impressed the daycare centre operator.

“Pilke päiväkodit aims to take into account the principles of sustainable development in construction. For example, we strive to use geothermal heat and LED lighting in our daycare centres. Ecological log construction is extremely well suited to our values. The healthy environment that is also friendly to the senses increase the well-being of children and educators alike during the day,” says Minna Martikainen, Managing Director of Pilke päiväkodit Oy

Additional information:

Marko Saarelainen, CEO, Honkarakenne Plc, marko.saarelainen@honka.com/ca, +358 40 542 0254

Juha Marttala, Managing Director, Mediset Hoivarakentajat Oy, juha.marttala@hoivarakentajat.fi, +358 500 337 777

Minna Martikainen, Managing Director, Pilke Päiväkodit Oy, minna.martikainen@pilkepaivakodit.fi, +358 44 5212159

Honkarakenne Plc produces ecological, healthy, high-quality houses, leisure apartments and public buildings from solid Finnish wood under its trademark Honka®. The company was founded in 1958, and it has delivered 85,000 buildings in more than 50 countries. The house packages are produced in the company’s own factory in Karstula, Finland. In 2016, the turnover of Honkarakenne Group amounted to EUR 36.1 million, of which exports comprised 49%.www.honka.com/ca.

Mediset Hoivarakentajat Oy specialises in the professional turnkey construction of sensory-friendly log daycare centres and care facilities and housing service units for special groups in Finland. Since 2005, we have built dozens of projects across Finland. The company has grown strongly in recent years. Its turnover for 2016 was EUR 8.36 million, with the forecast for 2017 exceeding EUR 15 million. www.hoivarakentajat.fi

Pilke päiväkodit Oy is a Finnish company providing early childhood education services in 60 daycare centres across Finland. In addition, Pilke provides afternoon activities in primary education at 23 schools, as well as other club activities. Approximately 3,800 children are covered by Pilke’s operations. The company has approximately 720 employees. Its turnover for 2016 was EUR 21.9 million, with the forecast for 2017 amounting to EUR 32.5 million. The quality promise of Pilke päiväkodit is: Best for the little one! www.pilkepaivakodit.fi