Hybrid Handshake: Interview with Simo Hakkarainen, Business Director, DELTABEAM®

 

What does hybrid construction mean at Peikko?

At Peikko, hybrid construction means combining wood, concrete, and steel in a way that brings the best out of each material.

 

Why has hybrid construction become topical?

Construction methods have evolved significantly, and particularly they enable the use of wood in public buildings and high-rise construction as well, not only in traditional housing.

 

How does Peikko bring forward the concept of hybrid construction?

The first projects of DELTABEAM® with wooden CLT slabs date back to 2014 in Austria, and ever since the development has been ongoing – always together with our customers and in real projects. The next development step will take place in the connections sector, as they allow for faster, safer, and more standardized construction.

 

How do you see the future of hybrid construction?

The environmental aspect supports hybrid construction as a future method. Wood as a material is light and environmentally friendly, but for more durable solutions wood requires the co-use of harder materials, such as concrete and steel. In my opinion, construction methods will continue developing and expanding the industry opportunities.

 

Why DELTABEAM® is an ideal solution for slim floors in hybrid construction?

DELTABEAM® is a slim-floor solution that enables extremely long spans and reduces the floor height in a way beyond comparison. Fire-safety is also a topic to consider, and one point more for DELTABEAM®. On the other hand, if you consider the ecological aspect, DELTABEAM® Green is a perfect fit for wooden slabs as it reduces the building’s carbon footprint significantly. 

 

Will hybrid construction develop DELTABEAM® itself as well?

Hybrid construction will definitely increase the use cases for DELTABEAM®. Being a prefabricated solution, it follows the industry trends. Ecological aspect, and the need for connection items, will surely further impact our product development in the future as well.

 

What are the dream opportunities for DELTABEAM® in the future?

DELTABEAM® continuously evolves step by step, and our customer are the trendsetters in this evolution. The need for high-rise and seismic construction is always present. Furthermore, the digitalization will change the industry. As an example, our beams already carry a QR code with the installation instructions, and the design tools are developing ever further. What comes to the requirements for greener construction, our DELTABEAM® is being developed to match the needs of circular economy and reuse. We are also working on a customer calculation tool for estimating the carbon footprint of our beams.

 

How do you see the future of connection items in hybrid construction?

Connection items are important, and even an enabler, for hybrid construction. We at Peikko understand the importance, and our R&D efforts are focused on it. Just stay tuned – there will be something coming out sooner thank you may think!