SCABEAC Summit in August – welcome to Oulu!

Elina Yli-Luukko DI (M.Sc. in Civil engineering), and Executive Director, Arctic Construction Cluster Finland is one of the project members in SCABEAC. At the present, the focus is on the upcoming conference in August, the SCABEAC Summit Sustainable Construction Visions for Arctic Living - SCABEAC Summit 2025

Tell us more about the SCABEAC project – partners, the mission; what you find extra interesting!

• The Scabeac project has provided me with an excellent opportunity to work towards sustainable development in northern Finnish construction. It has been a pleasure to collaborate with Nordic partners. In addition to our team, participants in the project include the University of Oulu, LTU, LTUBusiness, UiT, Kupa, and Sintef. Building networks across northern Scandinavia has been a new and especially important experience for me, Elina Yli-Luuko explains.

About the conference in Oulu, this August. Who should not miss out on this opportunity?

• The final event of the Scabeac project will take place in Oulu from August 12th to 14th. The aim is to provide networking opportunities for northern Swedish and Norwegian companies to connect with Finland, and vice versa for northern Finnish companies to engage with northern Scandinavia. We particularly want to offer this opportunity to small and medium sized companies as well as startups. The program includes keynote speakers, speed-dating sessions, panel discussions, elevator pitches, and participants from all three countries.

When it comes to sustainable construction and building in the Arctic Area, which questions do you see as most important for Finland?

• In my opinion, both preserving and advancing wood construction are key factors in sustainable development-aligned construction in Arctic regions. Cross-border collaborative efforts to promote the Tiny Homes concept are crucial. I personally see hybrid construction as a promising future direction—utilizing wood in higher-rise construction where feasible such as in interior surfaces and facades while using green concrete for structural frames. The Arctic Construction Cluster Finland currently has funding applications under review for both Tiny Homes concepts and eco-concrete initiatives.

Which challenges do we face, that are mutual for northern Finland, Sweden and Norway?

Nordic cooperation is crucial for knowledge-sharing and concrete collaborative action. The significance of northern East-West connections has already grown and will continue to expand due to NATO collaboration. Therefore, infrastructure development that accounts for this is essential. Why not utilize the Tiny Homes concept in military contexts as well? Elina Yli-Luuko says and adds in conclusion:

• Joint efforts toward the reconstruction of Ukraine are, in my view, important both from a humanitarian and economic perspective. We are not so far from Ukraine that we could not offer our help. Specifically, exporting expertise in wood construction from the North to Ukraine could be our contribution. This is something we have already been advancing within ACCF.

What can Oulu offer in summertime, tell us more about your favorites in the area!

• Oulu has much to offer. Next summer's Housing Fair will be one of the summer's main events even on a national level. The Housing Fair concept is certainly worth exploring for Swedish and Norwegian guests, and at the Scabeac-Summit event, you'll hear more about it and get to explore the area, Elina Yli-Luuko says and adds in conclusion:

• The sea always has much to offer, at least for me, as I love swimming in natural waters year-round.