Geolo Helped Gesterby School Centre Wigge Cut 917 Tons of CO₂ – Equivalent to 6.6 Million Kilometres Driven by a Typical Car

Significant Reductions During Construction

Once completed in autumn 2025, the school centre will serve nearly 1,300 students and will also be open for use by local residents and community groups. The project is among the first to utilise the Geolo system and is being delivered using a lifecycle model.

Geolo was in operation at the site from October 2023 to April 2025, delivering significant savings during the construction phase. Compared to fossil fuel-based alternatives, the solution reduced carbon emissions by approximately 917 tonnes of CO₂. The savings in purchased energy amounted to approximately 79% compared to the alternative energy source.

Factory-Like Indoor Conditions

The municipality of Kirkkonummi set ambitious targets for reducing the carbon footprint of the construction process. To meet these goals, YIT chose Geolo as part of its comprehensive solution.

Geolo is a patented Finnish energy system that utilises ground-source heat and advanced pump technology to deliver emission-free energy. In addition to reducing emissions, it creates stable, factory-like indoor conditions on site — optimising both construction quality and working environments.

“The solution supports the optimal drying of structures and ensures that materials are installed under the right conditions. With Geolo, the working conditions for employees are always maintained at a good level. According to customer feedback, sick leaves are reduced and job satisfaction improves. At a YIT construction site, the cooling provided by Geolo during the summer was a new addition and received excellent feedback”, says Janne Vanhanen, CEO of Sustera Climate Solutions Oy.

“With Geolo, the working conditions for employees are always maintained at a good level.”

YIT gained hands-on experience with the Geolo system across both winter and summer seasons. According to YIT Site Manager Mikko Vitikainen, the solution proved to be a highly effective tool for reducing the carbon footprint during the construction phase.

“The cooling and the charging of the geothermal field provided good working conditions in the building during the summer season,” says Vitikainen.

He also praised Geolo’s remote control capabilities, as well as the collaborative and forward-thinking mindset of the development team.

“Both parties learned a great deal from working together.”

Geothermal Field Condition Secured

In addition to geothermal heat, Geolo produces heat from the air. The energy balance of the geothermal field is maintained by recharging it with waste heat. The system also purges air and debris, preparing both the field and the building’s internal systems for long-term use.

For the municipality of Kirkkonummi, ensuring the condition of the geothermal field was a key factor in supporting sustainable operation throughout the building’s lifecycle.

“It is important that heating during the construction phase does not reduce the thermal capacity of the ground,” says Hanne Nylund, Construction Manager for the Municipality of Kirkkonummi.

Geolo played a central role in helping the school centre meet its ambitious environmental targets during the construction phase. According to Nylund, the school center’s carbon footprint is 20% smaller than a comparable building’s.

“We are applying for a four-star environmental classification from Rakennustieto, which indicates the building’s environmental friendliness and sustainability. The design-phase audit has already been approved, so receiving the full rating is likely.”

In addition to the Geolo solution, Sustera provided a wide range of services for the project — including lifecycle and energy planning, carbon and energy footprint assessments, moisture management coordination, cleanliness management coordination, S2 thermal condition assessment, and construction site safety coordination.

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