Destia’s Marja-Terttu Sikiö: Environmental issues and sustainability are increasingly important themes in the planning of infrastructure projects

The infrastructure sector is one of the most-polluting industries worldwide. The majority of emissions occur after commissioning, but the construction itself also has an impact on the environment.

Regardless of the sector, environmental issues and sustainability targets are becoming increasingly important topics in conversations, and the bar has been set high. In infrastructure construction, achieving these targets and reducing emissions means new technological and materials options need to be explored, and that procedures need to be changed to a certain extent. Digitalization is also expected to help mitigate the environmental impact of construction. Finland has a good starting point for this, as much effort has been put into digitizing infrastructure over the past 10 years.

To achieve sustainability in infrastructure construction, we need to think holistically. Destia, for example, has a long tradition of caring for social sustainability, including occupational safety and employee well-being. However, sustainability is becoming a more widespread topic across the sector, and there is ever-growing talk about emissions and the environmental impact as a whole.

We interviewed Destia’s Marja-Terttu Sikiö to see how she sees the conversation around the topic and what could be done to promote change.

How do you see the present situation in the construction sector?

I see it as very positive in the sense that environmental issues and sustainability, such as climate work, are increasingly accounted for in projects, including in municipal development projects. For Destia, social sustainability issues, such as occupational safety and employee well-being, have long been important themes.

Do you see something in the present situation that prevents or hinders progress?

I think the main obstacle is lack of knowledge and bold experiments on a practical level. Of course, when it comes to large projects and long-lasting structures, we’re bound to practice some caution. To make progress in the sector, more examples of successful projects, as well as challenges and areas for improvement, are needed. We also need more companies, municipalities, and people who are willing to embrace change and act as pioneers.

How do you think the situation will develop in the future?

I believe there will be an even wider selection of requirements and perspectives of sustainability that need to be taken into account in new projects. New practices will first be introduced in larger pioneering projects, such as alliance projects. They offer a good opportunity to do things in a new way, with close cooperation between the different actors. Best practices will then spread to other projects as a result of the pioneers’ success.

What do you think are the key factors in bringing about change and controlling emissions?

The key is developing and deploying skills, competences, and new practices through pilot projects. Furthermore, with digitalization, we have the potential to significantly expand the knowledge base. Considering transport emissions, most of the emissions of transport infrastructure occur during use. This also applies to light rail projects. These emissions will be reduced by advances in vehicle technology and electricity generation methods.

Apart from the operational phase, the majority of emissions are generated by a few materials, such as steel, concrete, and asphalt. These emissions can be reduced by using recycled raw materials. The choice of worksite machinery and transport equipment also matters. More integration of data collection across the entire production chain and the use of this data for planning and implementing emission reductions is still needed on worksites.

Marja-Terttu Sikiö has been working for Destia’s Design and Expert Services for 14 years. Currently, she works as a Project and Team Leader in the Environmental Assessment Department.

Destia

Destia is Finland’s largest operator in the infrastructure sector and part of the international Colas Group. The company designs, builds, and maintains infrastructure necessary for a well-functioning society. This includes electricity grids, bridges, roads, and railways. Destia improves cities by developing telematics and lighting solutions, and by offering a wide range of services for transport and infrastructure asset management.

Changing from guessing to controlling emissions

Soon, we’ll be able to improve how we control emissions by making sure we know what has been emitted. To do this, we need to measure them, which will help us meet the carbon net zero aims for building infrastructure.

We’re working harder to create ways to reach our carbon neutrality goals. A big part of this effort is creating systems that track emissions using information from the production process.

Read more

Master Infrakit OFFICE and Mobile browser version with our comprehensive manual

We’re excited to announce that, as requested by our loyal users, we’ve published a comprehensive manual for Infrakit OFFICE and Mobile browser version! These resources have been designed to help you get the most out of your Infrakit experience, whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned user. With this manual, you can learn everything there is to know about our platform, from logging in to utilizing the more advanced features. Let’s dive into what you can expect from the manual.

Getting started: logging in and settings

Infrakit is all about ease of use, and our manual reflects that. The first sections of the manual walks you through the simple process of logging in and adjusting your settings. This ensures that you can start using Infrakit as quickly as possible, tailoring the platform to your specific needs.

Exploring functions and features

The manual is organized by topic, making it easy to find the information you’re looking for. It delves into the functions and features of various pages and tabs within the Infrakit platform, helping you navigate the interface with confidence. You’ll learn how to control models, documents, and photos, as well as how to work with as-builts, equipment, and section views.

Saved views: a powerful tool

One particularly useful feature that the manual covers is the concept of saved views. This powerful tool allows you to store customized views of your project data, enabling you to quickly access the information that’s most relevant to you. The manual provides step-by-step instructions on how to create, manage, and share these saved views, streamlining your workflow and making collaboration a breeze.

Boost your productivity with Infrakit

Infrakit is designed to help you work faster and more productively, no matter your role in the infrastructure construction project. Our platform opens up new avenues for collaboration, ensuring that everyone on your team is on the same page. With our comprehensive manual, you’ll be able to make the most of Infrakit’s features and become a true champion of modern infra construction.

Training opportunities and support

While our manual is a fantastic starting point, we understand that you may still have questions or require additional training. Our team is here to help! For further information and training opportunities, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

Conclusion

Infrakit’s new manual for OFFICE and Mobile browser version is designed to help you maximize your use of our platform, whether you’re a new user or an experienced pro. By familiarizing yourself with the features and functions outlined in this guide, you’ll be well on your way to becoming an expert in modern infrastructure construction. So, give yourself that extra boost and get started today!

Please note that this manual is subject to regular updates, as we continuously improve and expand Infrakit’s features. Be sure to keep an eye out for the latest edition to stay up-to-date with all that our platform has to offer.

Manual is available on our Knowledge Base »  

For further information and training opportunities, please contact our support team at support@infrakit.com

The New Infrakit version brings more CDE features and an enhanced 3D experience! 

Release blog posts may not be the most popular ones we’ve got, but we could argue that they are high value providing hidden gems for those that do open these. Seems that you are one of those pioneers, and forerunners of the industry, so congratulate yourself on being on the tip of the iceberg, by educating yourself to be the ”digitalization champion” who rides the tide!  

For release 3.8.2 of Infrakit OFFICE, we focused on making features that help manage all project documents in Infrakit, not only the ones you would visualize on the map. Together with that, we have enhanced the 3D BIM viewing. In other words, these features enable you to work faster,  collaborate better, and be the star of your project! 

Optimize your data management with new CDE features

It’s no big secret that data management is the key to successful projects. This time we focused to enhance our CDE features by adding you an opportunity to set and manage properties for your files. 

Was it either file categories of Design Disciplines, Model maturities, or phases of the project, property management saves you a ton of time. Add your custom property as a number, text value, or in a list of options. 

Check how to use it from the video below! 

Simplify your mountain of information 

Infraprojects tend to have quite an overwhelming amount of files… Thus, filtering and sorting out the ones you don’t need in the UI brings simplicity.  

To enable this step by step, we developed another CDE feature, which enables you to make any file or folder dispappear from the visualization apps.  As an example, you can use the Infrakit as single source of truth platform for all the project files. Store and manage the revisioning of the native drawings that are not meant for map projection. With this feature those files are not bugging the users of the Map page. 

We also introduced handy left-click menus on web UI, make sure you don’t miss that one! 

The video below once again will show you a quick and easy way of using this feature! 

Become a superior collaborator with enhanced 3D’s and point clouds 

Wouldn’t you want to be the champion, who makes everyone in project-wide collaboration feel happy and safe? Yea, that is precisely why (once again), we used a ton of focus on making Infrakit help you to be the champion. 

Infrakit’s high-power 3D engine can smoothly render your map and 3D data in one view on any modern hardware (yeah, that’s including phones and tablets). The 3D view now also enables you to see the station numbers of alignments, enabling finding the right spot on the project even handier. On top of these, the new version enables you to select multiple point clouds to be visualized at the same time!  

These features not only make the designs and visualizations of the site look good but you as well! 

Check the more in-depth list of new features and improvements of this version from our Knowledge Base