SSAB Raahe Research Centre
FinlandThe SSAB Raahe research and administration building doesn’t fit just into a single category. It’s part lab, part office, part meeting hub; a space where raw material analysis and strategic planning happen under the same roof. For a building that operates around the clock and supports around 100 staff, energy efficiency, flexibility, and reliability aren’t optional. They’re baseline expectations.
The building houses one of the largest materials laboratories in the Nordics in terms of sample volume, running 24/7 to support SSAB’s mission to decarbonise steelmaking. Just down the corridor, teams meet in conference rooms and shared workspaces to coordinate efforts that span from mine to final product.
Photo: Nick Tulinen
This kind of hybrid use raises practical lighting control questions – not only about efficiency, but about how to maintain performance and comfort across spaces with very different demands. In the lab, lights need to support focused, continuous work without causing fatigue or flicker. In offices and shared areas, the priority shifts toward human-centric needs: daylight harvesting, occupancy-driven control, adaptability, and collaboration support.
The decision to use a DALI-2 infrastructure across the entire 7,836 m² building gave the team the control granularity and system flexibility needed for that diversity. Helvar 950 application controllers form the backbone of the installation, supporting zones that can be tuned individually based on the function and use pattern of each space. The system is sensor-rich, with presence and daylight sensors tuned to actual occupancy behavior, not theoretical models.
Photo: Jaakko Mylly
The lighting control system is a wired Helvar Imagine system, designed to support long-term scalability and integration. It allowed the core lighting infrastructure to be delivered and commissioned in full last year, while giving the customer space to assess future needs. Support didn’t end at commissioning. Some of SSAB’s maintenance staff were trained to use Helvar Designer software. Giving the in-house team visibility and control builds confidence and ensures that the system remains useful as needs evolve.
This year, SSAB opted to add Helvar Insights to the setup, a cloud-based lighting management platform. That service-layer decision came not because something was missing, but because the system had room to grow. For a 24/7 facility with critical lab operations, Insights gives the maintenance team a clearer operational picture: real-time system status, automated fault alerts, and energy data that can be tracked over time.
This also means less guesswork and fewer site visits. Remote diagnostics and system monitoring can flag issues before they become problems, and when paired with trained on-site staff using Designer, issues can often be resolved without outside intervention. For facility managers, Insights also opens up a longer view: understanding which spaces are underused, how control strategies are performing, and where future improvements can be targeted.
From a technical perspective, the project shows what’s possible when lighting control is treated as part of the building’s long-term infrastructure, not just an electrical package.
And while lighting is just one piece of SSAB’s broader goal to remove fossil fuels from the steel value chain, it’s a relevant one. A future-ready lighting system reduces energy consumption, supports 24/7 operations efficiently, and aligns with the same low-carbon objectives that drive SSAB’s materials research.
In buildings like this – buildings of the future – good decisions aren’t just about today’s use. They’re about leaving the room and being prepared for change.
Key facts
Project completed: 2023
Project location: Raahe, Finland
Owner: SSAB Europe Oy
Electrical Contractor: Bilfinger Engineering & Maintenance Nordics Oy
Finland
