Sustainable structural materials to improve durability, circularity and performance

Construction materials are responsible for around 11% of global energy-related CO2 emissions. The construction and demolition sector also generates roughly one-third of the world’s solid waste, largely due to limited material circularity.  

Developing sustainable structural materials and improving their longevity and reuse potential reduces the environmental footprint of construction and accelerates the shift toward carbon neutrality.  

This is where VTT plays a central role. We carry out applied research, development and innovation to make structural materials more sustainable, durable and circular. Our work covers cementitious materials, structural steels and engineered wood, helping industry and infrastructure owners improve performance and reduce environmental impact.

Structural materials must withstand decades of mechanical loads as well as environmental loads, such as thermal and chemical exposure. VTT studies their performance under demanding conditions, including marine or harsh groundwater environments, extreme cold, temperature fluctuations and seismic hazards such as earthquakes. This knowledge helps industry make reliable material choices, design safer structures and predict long-term performance. 

We combine materials science, material characterisation, multiscale modelling, laboratory testing and field validation to develop new material solutions and assess the performance of existing ones. We model material behaviour from the atomistic scale to the structural level, linking microscopic phenomena to macroscopic performance. 

We help the construction industry and infrastructure owners: 

• Lower material emissions by developing and testing low-carbon concretes, steels and renewable alternatives.

• Predict durability and service life using experimental testing, data analysis and advanced modelling.

• Accelerate material development and decision-making by combining state-of-the-art material models with advanced testing facilities.

• Ensure the safety and resilience of structures and infrastructure portfolios.

• Validate new material concepts and components virtually or under realistic conditions in our research and pilot environments.

• Enable circular construction through methods that support reuse, recycling and material traceability.

• Make research-based decisions and define the right material specifications and performance requirements for each case or infrastructure. 

Concrete and other cementitious materials are the backbone of construction but also among the most carbon-intensive ones. Portland cement production alone is responsible for about 7–8% of global CO2 emissions, making it one of the largest single industrial sources of greenhouse gases. 

Reducing the carbon footprint of concrete starts with lowering the amount of cement and virgin raw materials used in production. Even partial replacement of cement or aggregates can significantly cut emissions. 

VTT develops low-carbon cement and sustainable concrete. We explore how alternative binders, industrial side streams and recycled materials (e.g. aggregates) can replace conventional ingredients without compromising strength and long-term performance.  

Our research focuses on optimising material compositions to cut emissions while maintaining the mechanical and durability performance required for long-lasting concrete structures. 

Our spin-off Carbonaide has a solution for manufacturing carbon-negative concrete by combining efficient carbonation during curing with low-carbon binders. 

Beyond reducing embodied carbon, concrete structures must also meet stringent durability requirements. We study the long-term performance of concrete in demanding conditions where mechanical loads, moisture, temperature variations and chemically aggressive environments accelerate degradation. Some examples include: 

• Offshore wind turbine foundations and hydropower dams – constantly exposed to chemically aggressive environments or extreme weather. 

• Underground heat storage systems – subjected to the combined effects of hydrostatic pressures, elevated temperatures, prolonged thermal cycling and potentially chemically aggressive groundwater exposure that challenge material integrity. 

• Nuclear waste repositories – where materials must remain stable and prevent the release of radionuclides over exceptionally long timescales.

Steel is another essential structural material in modern construction. However, global constructional steel production remains highly carbon-intensive and accounts for around 4–6% of global CO₂ emissions. 

• As steel is already recycled at high rates, VTT focuses on extending its service life and enabling reuse without melting the material. This approach can reduce steel’s carbon footprint by 90%. 

• We develop new structural applications and circular solutions for carbon steel and stainless steel, including testing protocols and assessment methodologies for reused materials. 

• Our research and testing cover the performance and durability of steel structures, including studies on corrosion, ageing, reusability and recyclability. With decades of experience in the structural use of stainless steels in harsh environments, we help ensure long service life in demanding conditions. 

Our work also advances traceability and material data management to support the circular use of structural materials. We develop and apply methods to assess, qualify and enable the reuse of these materials. This includes testing materials recovered from existing buildings and infrastructure, analysing their properties and defining the requirements for future materials to improve their reuse potential. 

Turning construction and demolition waste into valuable resources helps lower emissions while securing access to sustainable raw materials in the future. Circularity also depends on the careful design of today’s structures – they must be made of low-impact materials, be durable, safe and resilient, and remain adaptable to future use scenarios.

We collaborate across the entire lifecycle of construction materials, buildings and infrastructure – from early design and material development to the reuse and recycling of structures at the end of their service life. We work with: 

• Building designers, consultants and construction companies – to provide knowledge, guidance and tools for the early design and planning phase, modelling material behaviour and predicting long-term performance.

• Material producers – to develop and validate new, low-carbon and durable materials for demanding and load-bearing applications.

• Component manufacturers – to apply these materials in practice and ensure they meet performance and sustainability targets.

• Building and infrastructure owners – to support material selection and design choices that meet performance requirements and durability targets.

• Demolition and recycling companies – to recover and reuse materials and components, keeping them in circulation instead of turning them into waste.

• Regulators and policymakers – to provide scientific data and assessments that support the development of new construction standards and policies.