Concept Zero units to cut emissions by up to 60% at Laakso Joint Hospital.
Alfa Laval has partnered with steel manufacturers SSAB and Outokumpu to supply low-emission gasketed plate heat exchangers for the Laakso Joint Hospital project in Helsinki, Finland. The collaboration involves using SSAB Zero steel and Outokumpu Circle Green stainless steel in Alfa Laval’s Concept Zero TL10 heat exchangers, resulting in a reported carbon footprint reduction of up to 60% over the product lifecycle.
The new hospital complex, set to open in 2025, will install five of these heat exchangers as part of its new cooling system. The initiative supports Helsinki’s broader climate goals by combining energy-efficient technology with upstream emissions reduction through material selection. The Laakso project integrates sustainability throughout its planning, construction, and maintenance phases.
The Alfa Laval Concept Zero TL10 units are gasketed plate heat exchangers designed to improve energy efficiency and reduce environmental impact. By incorporating SSAB’s Zero steel—produced using recycled material and fossil-free energy—and Outokumpu’s Circle Green stainless steel, the units achieve the lowest recorded carbon footprint for an Alfa Laval heat exchanger, according to the company.
"This collaboration serves as a model for how local initiatives can have a global impact, pushing the boundaries and scaling up the usage of low-emission materials,” said Julien Gennetier, Vice President Energy Division at Alfa Laval.
SSAB emphasized the environmental advantages of the Zero steel, which is manufactured with virtually zero fossil carbon emissions. “This is one more great step towards a more sustainable future. Our goal is to build a fossil-free value chain together with our partners and customers,” said Tony Harris, Head of SSAB Europe.
The collaboration is the first joint project between all three companies, though each has previously worked with Alfa Laval on separate initiatives. The move reflects a growing trend in the HVACR industry toward integrated sustainability, not only in system performance but also in material sourcing and lifecycle impact.
“Decarbonization is not just a goal anymore—it’s a necessity,” said Rolf Schencking, President for Business Line Advanced Materials at Outokumpu. “We need Nordic likeminded frontrunners to drive the progress.”
“Sustainability has played an important role in the Laakso Joint Hospital project with ambitious life cycle goals that have been considered at every phase,” said Antti Hyökki, Property Manager at the Real Estate Limited Company Laakso Joint Hospital. “Being able to install solutions that not only provide efficient cooling for the hospital but that also have a lower carbon footprint is a great contribution to our mission.”
The installation supports a larger shift in public infrastructure projects toward embedded sustainability, with the Laakso Joint Hospital serving as a reference point for similar initiatives across Europe.