Luomoa's spatial system is not only environmentally friendly, sustainable or green — it is something much more.

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THESE DAYS there is a lot of talk about responsibility and sustainability, but the terms themselves do not tell everything about what kind of effects the actions really have. Responsibility is also not a clear-cut matter, but contains many different criteria and goals, which may even be in conflict with each other. That's why we want to explain in more detail and step by step what we at Luomoa mean by responsibility, which are the most significant actions and what kind of development steps we have set for the future.

THE REASON FOR founding Luomoa and at the core of its product system is a completely new view of spaces as change enduring, flexible and intelligent organisms that develop over time, and at the same time increase wellbeing with restorative surfaces and beautiful, natural materials. Circularity is seen in Luomoa as a multidimensional temporal continuum of decades and centuries.

LUOMOA IS ABOUT redefining sustainability, the time span of which starts long before the actual production, and which, instead of going to waste, starts from the beginning over and over again. Join Luomoa's journey towards smarter and greener interiors.

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Below you will find more detailed information about the Luomoa way, broken down by production and product life cycle stages. See also the Frequently asked questions section, where we have gathered answers to questions we received from designers and users of the spaces.

The four dimensions of space

A SPACE is often considered as three-dimensional, but at Luomoa we think that a space is 4D — time perspective is integrally connected to it. The using phase is the longest phase of a building's life cycle, and it can continue for up to several hundreds of years. Changes during the life cycle can also accumulate into significant emission sources. Because of this, responsible and intelligent solutions are important in realizing the premises. Traditionally, the life cycle of a building is seen as a linearly progressing pipe, but Luomoa's solution is a model that circulates over and over again. Once produced elements can be used in different ways over and over again.

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In addition to the long-term perspective and life cycle, we need to react with acute actions and time span in order to influence climate change in the critical next few years, and for example favor solutions that help utilize the existing building stock.

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Time is especially important for the person for whom a space exists. Because a Luomoa interior can change, it always supports its users in the best possible way, even in unforeseen situations.

Before the beginning

Planning and designing

LIFE CYCLE AND CARBON FOOTPRINT are defined before the construction of a space — and even before manufacturing the product. Luomoa's products and system are designed to withstand time and changes, so that its actual and useful life cycle for the user multiplies. It can be reused many times, modified, easily maintained and disassembled for recycling.
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All our products’ dimensions are designed in such a way that the amount of raw material needed decreases and waste is minimized. The materials are optimized, that is, the same materials are used in as many products as possible. Side streams are utilized in Luomoa's other products. The carbon balance of Luomoa's partition is negative, which means that its positive environmental effects are greater than its negative environmental effects*.

Path of materials

A1—2 Raw material procurement and transportation to manufacturing

THE MATERIALS WE USE are safe and carefully curated. The quality of the materials is very high, and we collaborate with the best subcontractors. We plan and choose the most functional and sustainable combination for each purpose.
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We aim at using recycled materials but avoid hard-to-recycle hybrid materials, and we do continuous development work to always find better alternative. For example, in the summer of 2024, we have switched to manufacturing all our profile structures from 100% recycled and recyclable quality aluminum cast in Finland. You can read more about individual materials and their recycled material content on the FAQ page.

Manufacturing

A3 Product manufacturing

LUOMOA PRODUCTS are manufactured in Finland, and the main component and material suppliers also operate nearby. That way, we can minimize the number of transports, actively manage the quality level of the supply chain and be a socially responsible regional employer.

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We manufacture the elements according to the order and material choices of each project, which means we never store unnecessary items in the warehouse, and there are no surpluses from our production. Factory-accurate manufacturing and process means that material waste is minimized and quality is standardized.
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We are constantly developing our production methods, technologies and our production space into an increasingly efficient and environmentally friendly model. We have also drafted a detailed plan for the future production facility, where we will be able to use the heat generated from manufacturing to heat the facility, and which includes facilities and methods for maintenance, storage and management of reusable elements.

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Welcome to visit our factory in Savonlinna to see how the products are created. Book an appointment for a visit here.

Installation and construction site

A4—5 Transportation to construction site and site operations

BECAUSE ALL THE ELEMENTS are prefabricated at our factory, the construction site phase is very short, and only furniture-type installation work is performed at the site. No waste, moisture or construction dust is generated on the construction site. With Luomoa's system, a ready-to-handover wall is realized approximately three times faster than with competing structural solutions*. Speed ​​is not only a significant cost advantage but also a big, resource-saving environmental factor.
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Our products have their own pallets for transport, which are brought back to the factory after use and used again. We avoid unnecessary packaging, and choose packaging materials that are as ecological as possible. The packaging waste that ends up on the construction site is collected directly in Luomoa's recycling bags marked by variety. The transports are made by land, and they are strategically combined in such a way that the number of trips and insufficient transports are reduced.

Use and reuse

B1—7 Use phase: Product use in the building, maintenance, repairs, replacement of parts, large-scale repairs, energy use and water use

LUOMOA'S PRODUCTS are designed to be moved and reused many times, either by the same or different users — in a similar or new combination. Functions and surfaces can be updated to meet changing needs, and elements can be repaired and replaced individually. Enabling genuine flexibility and reusability has required a lot of product development and sparked new innovations, which is why a patent has been applied for both Luomoa's Modular spatial system and the M² wall panel system.
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Unlike fixed walls, Luomoa's partition walls can be purchased with new circular models, such as renting and leasing. We also offer lifelong maintenance and service as a partner. The goal is to create a useful life cycle that is as long as possible, which responds to the functions needed in the premises and supports people's wellbeing and evolving work methods.

Upcycling & recycling

C1—4 End of life cycle: Dismantling, transportation to further processing, demolition waste treatment and demolition waste final disposal

ONE ESSENTIAL difference in Luomoa's system compared to others is that the overall significance of recycling actually becomes quite small. The multidimensional and circular model emphasizes the cycle of development, manufacturing and use phases so that the minimum amount of material ends up in recycling and energy. However, it does not mean that effective recyclability is not planned as part of our overall process.
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Luomoa's products are designed as far as possible with mechanical joints and avoiding hybrid materials, so that dismantling and recycling at the end of their life cycle is really easy. Luomoa delivers product maintenance and recycling instructions with the product. When the need for use ends, the product can also be returned to Luomoa, in which case it will be repaired and reused in another destination if possible.

You can find more detailed information about the recycling methods of different materials in the FAQ section.

Carbon handprint

D Benefits or harms outside the building’s life cycle

A TREE BINDS twice its own weight of carbon dioxide as it grows. The carbon dioxide bound to the wood is stored in Luomoa's elements for the entire life of the product, and is released back into the atmosphere through the combustion reaction only during final processing. Using wood in construction is an effective way to promote global energy and climate strategy and effectively contribute to the achievement of the climate goals.

The carbon balance of Luomoa's partition wall is negative, that is, its positive environmental effects are greater than its negative environmental effects*. A large carbon handprint is a positive message: Using the Modular system brings about climate benefits, i.e. emission reduction potential, to the user. So choosing it is both good for the environment and reduces our customers' carbon footprint.
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The big transition

A REVOLUTION IS underway, and Luomoa wants to be at the forefront of setting new standards and showing better ways. The building industry is one of the biggest polluters in the world: in Europe it is responsible for about half of the extracted raw materials and total energy consumption, and a third of water consumption and waste**. We need a fundamental change in our thinking about the spatial development, construction and usage, and a space’s ability to adapt to changing conditions and needs.
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According to studies, repairing an old building is both more cost-effective and less emissions-causing than demolishing it and building a new one. There is a huge amount of empty and unused properties at the moment. Alone in Finland’s capital region there are approximately 1,000,000 underutilized square meters of office space looking for a more up-to-date and better use***. With Luomoa's spatial system, it is possible to transform the functions and usage of old, empty buildings and to bring the vacant building stock to a new useful and flourishing use.

Social & local responsibility

CSR: Corporate Social Responsibility

IN OUR VIEW, social responsibility extends beyond our own company to what kind of environments are created with our system and what kind of effects our products have on the wellbeing of their users. Things — such as increasing natural light and the flow of light, optimal reverberation, acoustics, real wood surfaces and natural materials, the upgradeability of equipment and functionality, and the long-term functionality of spatial divisions — significantly improve both the usability of the space, work wellbeing and the comfortability of the users. Luomoa has contributed to several different construction projects with high quality building certifications.

LUOMOA’S HEART is in Savonlinna, Finland, and our manufacturing facilities and most of our people are located there. Besides our Finland-based roots, we are an international bunch with background in Switzerland, India and Japan as well. The youngest of us is 24 and the oldest is 63.

Luomoa's different personalities are united by an interest in developing and improving things together and from all the angles. The production staff actively challenges the prevailing methods, and feels shared pride in how much material is saved because of their ideas and innovation. With the growth of the company, employees from different backgrounds have been able to develop and modify their own job description and take responsibility according to their interests. The strength of locality can also be seen in the network of component and material suppliers, which is largely located in Finland and is based on person-to-person communication and shared quality standards..

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LUOMOA is a member of the Green Building Council, where we have been active, e.g. in the communication and real estate committees. We believe in collaboration as a force of making a difference. We try to learn from others and move things forward multidisciplinary in cooperation with others. Sustainability expertise and the development of operating models, resolving conflicts and mapping the most relevant measures is a continuous learning path for us.

*Muuntojoustavien väliseinäelementtien käyttäminen toimitilarakentamisessa 2022, Jere Kurki (engineer AMK)
** European Commission: Building sustainability performance (https://ec.europa.eu/environment/eussd/buildings.htm)
***Helsinki Research Forum 4/2023