All kinds of materials research and testing were in a central position when VTT began its operations in 1942.

The fire-technical laboratory developed, for example, fireproof roofing felt and wood materials for the army.

ThermoWood

Wood is still an important building material in Finland.

The ThermoWood thermal modification method, used extensively in the outer cladding and patio structures of buildings, was developed by VTT.

Wood-plastic composites

VTT also cooperated with Conenor Oy in the development of a manufacturing method of a wood-plastic composite, or a wood-plastic-material manufactured from the sawdust and chips of different trees and plastics. The raw materials are mainly by-products from other production and extremely well recyclable. The wood-plastic composite is also used in building patios, etc., but also in various design products.

UPM manufactures wood-plastic planks out of stickertape edges from its Tampere plant. This kind of manufacturing is one of the fastest-growing fields of production in the plastic industry.

Prefabricated construction

Prefabricated construction became common in Finland as early as by the end of the 1950s. VTT studied the fundamentals of building in both the arctic conditions of the North and the hot and humid weather of the South, developing new prefabrication technology.

The construction industry utilised these research results in both Finland and when planning export projects to the Middle East, Africa, South-East Asia and the northern regions of the Soviet Union.

Construction energy solutions have become an area of special interest in the 2000s, as the improvement of the energy efficiency of buildings and the built environment is an important means of fighting climate change.

In addition to low-energy solutions, passive houses that are heated mainly with waste heat have already been developed. Passive solutions can achieve savings of up to 70 per cent in heating costs. VTT has created new solutions with, for example, Rakennusliike Reponen and Paroc Oy Ab. Reponen has implemented an entire low-energy block of flats in Heinola, and Paroc is currently renovating a block of flats from the 70s constructed with precast concrete into a passive building.