Helsinki Shipyard

The new DALI-based smart lighting system implemented by Greenled at the Shipyard is one of the most advanced in the industry. The system can be managed via a customized user interface both on-site at the Shipyard and remotely from anywhere in the world. Furthermore, previously installed LED luminaires were successfully integrated into the same centralized control system.

“One of Finland’s absolute best lighting control systems has been installed here at the shipyard. It features a fully graphical interface, meaning we can adjust each luminaire individually, create zones, dim the lights, and monitor energy consumption at any time. The system ensures a long lifecycle for the luminaires while providing flexibility as needs change,” says Leevi Martikainen, Systems Specialist at Greenled.

Helsinki Shipyard is a prime example of a site where smart lighting plays a major role in reducing energy consumption and emissions. Presence detection is a cornerstone of upcoming EU legislation, and the shipyard’s system is now state-of-the-art in this regard. By programming the lighting to be demand-based—meaning lights are on only when needed—vast amounts of energy are saved in such a large-scale property.

The investment has yielded immediate results. Calculated electricity consumption has decreased by up to 74%, translating into a reduction of approximately 160 tonnes in annual CO2 emissions. This also strongly supports the shipyard’s environmental and sustainability goals. Martikainen is positively surprised by the achieved results:

“Initially, we estimated an energy saving of around 70%, but over the last few months, it has actually looked to be around 74%. We need to continue monitoring the data over the coming year to see where it eventually settles.”

Occupational Safety Above All

Energy savings are the "easily measurable" aspect of smart lighting, but for the Shipyard, safety was another absolute requirement:

“Ensuring occupational safety was extremely important. With a top-tier lighting system, we can ensure that safety standards are also top-tier,” Saramies emphasizes.

The smart controls have been tailored to the shipyard’s logistical needs. The variable nature of production posed certain challenges compared to more stable production environments. The lighting responds to motion sensors, but the system also accounts for large steel blocks where employees operate inside. In practice, it is virtually impossible to move through the production halls in the dark. This ensures maximum occupational safety.

Lindeblad (left), Saramies, and Martikainen are all highly satisfied with the final result.

A Superior, Glare-Free Outcome

The smoothness of daily operations is the most important metric at the shipyard. Over 1,500 Finnish-made luminaires now provide a uniform, glare-free lighting level of over 500 lux across the entire massive facility.

“Working conditions have improved significantly. It’s much more pleasant for the team to do their jobs. We’ve also been able to largely do away with additional portable floodlights,” says Department Manager Ari Sylve with satisfaction.

Jarmo Saramies shares his colleague’s sentiment:

“Even though we had high expectations for the end result, the biggest surprise has been just how good the lighting is now—and how massive the practical difference is compared to what we had before.”

Have you already read about how the Shipyard decided on Greenled and the unique requirements that had to be considered for the project in Helsinki?