HELSINKI, September 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

The new IKEA store under construction in Kuopio and the Ikano shopping centre being built in Vantaa will use Ruukki's energy panels to improve the energy efficiency of the buildings. The total of over 15,000 square metres of panels to be installed on the buildings will greatly reduce their carbon footprint. The energy panels will enable significant savings in the annual heating costs of the buildings.

Energy panels are prefabricated elements that are installed on the exterior walls of a building and make the exterior walls airtight. Thanks to its airtightness, Ruukki's energy panel system considerably reduces the need to heat and cool a building and also cuts carbon dioxide emissions. Besides commercial buildings, energy panels are ideal for industrial buildings, logistics centres and warehouses, among others. Ruukki's energy panels enable savings of up to tens of thousands of euros in heating costs. Carbon dioxide emissions will also decrease since less energy is required to heat the buildings.

"Ruukki gives its panels an airtightness promise that can be used to improve the energy efficiency of a building. This is how we provide customers with a ready-planned, definite way to save both costs and natural resources," says Petteri Lautso, Director, Sustainability and Architecture at Ruukki.

"We chose Ruukki's energy panels because they are in line with our green values. We are working hard to save energy and this is reflected among other things in the prices of our products. In other words, there is no pressure to increase prices because of higher energy costs, quite the opposite. Not only will the IKEA in Kuopio have energy panels, but it will also be heated from fully renewable energy sources," says Construction Manager Hasse Lillkull at IKEA Finland.

Peab Oy is the construction company in both projects. Ruukki will deliver full panel systems made at Ruukki's Alajärvi plant in Finland for both projects. As well as energy panels, the Ikano shopping centre project also includes delivery and installation of the steel frame for the building. Deliveries and installation work will take place during September-October.

For more information about Ruukki's solutions promoting energy efficiency, see:

Release 30 March 2011: Reduce energy costs with Ruukki's new energy panels

Release 27 May 2011: Ruukki has developed a fully-integrated solar panel façade

Green building media kit

Ruukki sees sustainable development as a business opportunity in the construction sector. This opportunity becomes a success story when the entire sector develops solutions together. Ruukki's mission is to provide products and services to enable our customers and partners to complete safe, environmentally-sustainable projects cost effectively.

The solutions we offer improve the energy efficiency of the built environment by reducing lifespan energy consumption and minimising environmental impacts during construction. Our business is driven by the innovation of new sustainable solutions for the construction sector.

Rautaruukki supplies metal-based components, systems and integrated systems to the construction and engineering industries. The company has a wide selection of metal products and services. Rautaruukki has operations in 27 countries and employs 11,700 people. Net sales in 2010 totalled EUR 2.4 billion. The company's share is quoted on NASDAQ OMX Helsinki (Rautaruukki Oyj: RTRKS). The Corporation uses the marketing name Ruukki.

http://www.ruukki.com

SOURCE Rautaruukki Corporation