3.5 Million Euros to Advance User Comfort and Sustainable Construction – HAMK Coordinates the Project
Modern buildings need to be comfortable and sustainable. In a research project led by Häme University of Applied Sciences (HAMK), solutions and design rules are being developed for innovative steel roof systems. The aim is to improve indoor sound quality while maintaining the strength required for the safe load-bearing capacity of buildings.
Modern buildings need to be comfortable and sustainable. In a research project led by Häme University of Applied Sciences (HAMK), solutions and design rules are being developed for innovative steel roof systems. The aim is to improve indoor sound quality while maintaining the strength required for the safe load-bearing capacity of buildings.
In recent years, increasing efforts have been made to improve user comfort in buildings such as hospitals, schools, sports halls and shopping centres. An important part of this is acoustic comfort, meaning how sound behaves indoors. In response to the demand for acoustic solutions, companies in the steel industry have developed roof structures that also improve indoor sound quality.
Structural Strength And Acoustic Properties in the Same Product
To improve sound absorption, small holes, known as perforations, have been designed into steel roof panels. Together with insulation materials, these perforations help absorb sound and reduce noise inside buildings. However, they also change the structural behaviour of the roof panels and may affect their ability to withstand loads caused by, for example, snow and wind. In addition, research on how the panels behave in fire situations remains limited.
In the new project, HAMK is working with its partners to develop design guidelines for innovative roof panel solutions that combine structural strength and acoustic properties in the same product. This can, among other things, lower construction costs and support the design of buildings that can be adapted to changing needs over time. By making buildings more durable and resource-efficient, our research also supports sustainable construction and reduced environmental impacts.
“Our research promotes the development and scaling of innovations in roof panel solutions,” says project manager Zhongcheng Ma, Principal Research Scientist at HAMK.
The research project led by HAMK is carried out in cooperation with leading steel industry companies Ruukki Construction and Joris Ide, as well as the real estate and construction company TUU – Building Design Management. The project also involves Tampere University, Aalto University, the University of Coimbra in Portugal and VUB Brussels University in Belgium.
The total budget of the Structural and Functional Roof Decking with Perforations and Microprofiles (PERFORM) project is 3,5 million euros. HAMK’s budget is half a million euros. The project is funded by the European Research Fund for Coal and Steel (RFCS).
Structural and functional roof decking with PERFORations and Microprofiles (PERFORM)
Structural and functional roof decking with PERFORations and Microprofiles (PERFORM) project runs from 1.9.2026 – 28.2.2030 and is funded by the European Union Research Fund for Coal and Steel (RFCS).
The research is done with seven partners: Tampere University, Aalto University, University of Coimbra, VUB Brussels University, Ruukki Construction, Joris Ide and TUU Building Design Management.
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