Jokeri Light Rail set to finish ahead of schedule

Construction phase of Jokeri Light Rail is estimated to finish ahead of schedule next year with traffic set to start earlier than planned in 2024. Once construction is finished, the infrastructure will be thoroughly tested.

Jokeri Light Rail construction has lasted for about two years and the Espoo side of the project will be completed this year. In 2022 finishing touches will be conducted in Espoo and construction work in Helsinki will continue in Patterimäki tunnel, Eliel Saarisen road, Viikinkaari and Varikkoroad.

Patterimäki tunnel – Photo: Jokeri Light Rail

Both end stops in Keilaniemi and Itäkeskus are to be finished in 2022 as well.

Construction has been boosted in part by the Covid-19 pandemic. Less traffic has enabled construction to move faster than expected in Espoo’s Otaniemi and Leppävaara.

Faster construction has in part made it easier to stay in budget says Project Manager Juha Saarikoski on Helsingin Sanomat (18.5.2021, in Finnish). Faster completion also brings a lot of cost savings says Saarikoski.

According to Saarikoski staying within budget and schedule is important when it comes to the reputation of large infra rail projects.

“This is a big deal for both us and any future railway projects. I’ve considered it very important to take this as a positive example. Big infrastructure projects occasionally get a bad reputation in Finland.”

Check out the original article in Finnish here.

Infrakit is used in the project as a flexible collaboration tool for all parties.

Tomi Mäkelä from YIT, acting as Head Surveyor in the Jokeri Light Rail project, is an Infrakit main user. Mäkelä sees plenty of benefits in using Infrakit in this model-based project. “We use a lot of photos in construction. Supervisors, employees and excavator operators upload a steady stream of photos on construction progress into Infrakit. We currently have more than 10,000 photos of the project. This is a big number, which is getting bigger all the time. We create folders for the photos. It’s also been made as easy as possible to add photos to folders.”

Infrakit’s map view of Oulunkylä. Photo: Jokeri Light Rail

Infrakit also makes cooperation easier within the alliance. “HSY can view photographs and completed pipeline networks through Infrakit. Photos provide valuable information on how construction is progressing. Infrakit’s orthophotos have been praised, as they provide an up-to-date situational image,” says Mäkelä. “During the implementation stage, supervisors can also view the photos and situational images in Infrakit on site, on their tablets.”

Orthophotos in Infrakit powered by Pointscene
Check out our case study about this project here.
Read about Infrakit’s benefits for all parties involved in infra construction here.

Infrakit – the digitalization partner for all parties involved in infra construction

The work environment for which Infrakit was designed for is quite extensive and diverse. Many different parties are involved in infra construction processes: infra owners, designers, contractors, and sub-contractors. These parties have also different viewpoints and needs when it comes to fluent and efficient construction process. That is exactly why Infrakit has been developed for the entire infra construction life cycle.

This article explains in a nutshell how Infrakit answers some of the main challenges these different stakeholders face in day-to-day work. Throughout the 10 years we have been in the business we have learned that data flow and shared information are key elements in efficient, quality construction processes.

Infra owners’ view: schedule, costs and quality

Some of infra owners’ typical concerns include the project costs, schedule and quality of the construction. Infrakit enables real-time collaboration between the different stakeholders. With the platform the construction quality is also improved by a real-time progress monitoring for all the parties involved. Construction work can be carried out by 3D designs to enable enhanced workflow. Rework and waiting are reduced drastically, not to mention the smaller CO2 emissions on the project and more sustainable way of constructing.

Starting with a pilot project, smaller and bigger infra owners can fully digitalize their processes with the help of Infrakit services. With Infrakit the infra owners can have up to 20 % savings in total project costs.

Infrakit has enabled our customers to work more efficiently and in better cooperation. Many infra projects have been finished faster than planned and with great savings.

Read more about these projects:

• Pääskyvuorenrinne planning area in Turku Finland
• Motorway project E6 Arnkvern – Moelv in Norway
• Light rail project in Tampere Finland
• Extensive road construction site in Mustasaari Finland

Seamless information flow from design and construction phase to quality documentation

Designers need to make sure that the designs are constructable. When needed, as-built and deviation documentation should be also controlled. Additionally, how to ensure that the customer has the latest designs at their use at any given moment? With Infrakit all this is made easy. Designers can collect efficiently as-built data and hand over documentation from Infrakit. Real-time view on Infrakit benefits all parties involved because of better and instant communication, cooperation and documentation.

Contractors get quality control, risk management in pocket and easier handover phase

Contractors need to ensure the ongoing project’s profitability. Project delivery is a key element; answering to owner’s demands on costs, quality and schedule. Infrakit offers a centralized cloud platform where contractors can control all the phases, resources, tools and machine fleet of construction easily and efficiently. Real time situational awareness and project progress status can be found in the platform with different devices like smartphones and tablets which are easy to use in the site. Project progress monitoring can be done with the help of surveying and machine control log points, photos, ortophotos and drone views.

For the mass haul management Infrakit offers a powerful tool, too. You can monitor trucks in real time and get fully documented logistics automatically. In general, contractors get better quality control with less errors and rework which means less claims, too. By connecting data, people and machines Infrakit ensures that all project parties are working with the latest plans and schedule to avoid waste of resources and expensive errors.

Independent of equipment and software brands, Infrakit can be used with different types of machines and integrations. Handover phase is made stress-free because all the construction information can be already found in Infrakit.

First steps towards more digitalized infra projects

When your company is interested in digitalizing their projects, first step is to contact our sales experts and we can book a free of charge planning meeting. All the needs will be identified, and a pilot project can be planned according to customer needs. Our services team is ready to help and give guidance to our platform and every step that is made with the new, model-based construction process.

Contact information:
VP of Sales, Mr. Toni Lahtinen
Phone: +35840 720 0950
E-mail: toni.lahtinen@infrakit.com

VP of Services, Mr. Ilkka Tieaho
Phone: +35840 675 8488
E-mail: ilkka.tieaho@infrakit.com

Infrakit Announces Series A Investment to Expand the Infra Construction Platform into New Markets

Infrakit Group Oy announces it has raised a 10 MEUR Series A investment. The round was covered by Bachmaier Invest GmbH, an investment company of Thomas Bachmaier. Mr Bachmaier is a construction software industry veteran and founder of thinkproject, a global leader in construction intelligence.

Infrakit is a software company with the vision of more sustainable infra industry. By increasing efficiency and quality at jobsites the infra industry is able to reduce its CO2 emissions and avoid costly errors. Better cooperation and communication between different stakeholders involved results in more agile construction projects. That is why Infrakit has developed a unique end-to-end solution – a cloud platform – for digitalizing the infra industry. Construction companies and infra owners are able to prosper with an independent and open BIM platform that connects design and construction phases by offering real-time data from the construction site. People working in jobsites and for example truck drivers can use Infrakit field apps easily with different devices. Infrakit integrates heavy machinery control systems and surveying equipment from providers such as Leica Geosystems, Trimble, and Topcon. Infrakit’s customers include the most advanced construction companies and infrastructure owners in the world.

Infrakit will use the proceeds to boost its ecosystem development, accelerate international expansion and foster overall growth.

“Infrakit is the leading digitalization partner for infra industry. The revolution started in the Nordics, but this funding will bring about the next phase in company development: global expansion. We are excited to get Thomas Bachmaier, an industry pioneer, as an investor and Chair of the Board. This funding further strengthens our technology leader position.” -Teemu Kivimäki, CEO and Founder of Infrakit Group Oy

“Congratulations to the whole Infrakit team for having built something very special. It is an honor for me to be now part of the future Infrakit journey and I am looking forward to help growing the business to the next level”, says Thomas Bachmaier, Infrakit investor and Chairman of the Board of Directors.

About Infrakit

Infrakit is a cloud service for infrastructure construction projects with a vision of a sustainable infra-industry. Infrakit offers real-time situation awareness and data flow to and from the construction site, shared by all project parties. Infrakit is an independent platform, integrating all brands of CAD systems, surveying equipment and heavy machinery control systems, which enables unprecedented real-time command and control of the site leading up to 20% savings in total project costs. The company has been helping its customers to digitalize their infra projects since 2010, with over 30 billion euros of infra-assets built with Infrakit in more than 2000 projects in 11 countries.

Contact info:

Teemu Kivimäki, CEO and Founder
Phone +358503446465
teemu.kivimaki@infrakit.com

Tampere Tramway is being completed ahead of schedule with savings up to 30 million euros

This is a rare sight in bigger construction projects, but it has happened in Tampere. The first phase of the project will be completed ahead of schedule this summer with savings of approximately 30 million euros.

Traffic in the Hatanpää area will start in August earlier than planned. Originally this part of the project was supposed to be completed by the end of this year.

According to Sari Valjus, the project manager of the Tramway Alliance on their press release (in finnish) they will stay about 30 million euros under the target budget. (YLE 16.4.2021.)

Check out the original article in finnish here.

Infrakit was used in the project as a handover tool, meaning that all the handover material of the project is compiled on the platform and delivered to the client. As the material is transferred, they go through the sites to be handed over, related documents etc. in Infrakit with the client. Infrakit is also the tool for Development phase 2, which means that initial data for planning, alternatives for track lines etc. are collected there and can be viewed on a mobile phone during field visits.

Check out our reference article about the project here.