(AGENPARL) – Mon 14 July 2025 KONE Corporation, press release, July 14, 2025
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KONE, a global leader in the elevator and escalator industry, is launching the
KONE Renaissance program, a five-year research, development and innovation
initiative to transform urban renewal through digital and sustainable
modernization. The program is co-funded by Business Finland.
The purpose of the KONE Renaissance program is to revive existing buildings for
low emission living and working. This collaborative effort will create a digital
and sustainable ecosystem hub and bring together key industry stakeholders,
research institutions, small and medium sized companies, and start-ups. The
program will support the low carbon targets of cities by enabling adaptation,
digitalization and decarbonization of existing buildings.
Urbanization, sustainability, and digitalization continue to shape the
construction industry. By 2050, over six billion people are estimated to live in
cities, and 80% of today’s buildings will still be in use. * These buildings
must be adapted to new demands such as aging populations, extreme weather, and
energy efficiency. The construction sector, responsible for 40% of global energy
-related emissions and 50% of natural resource consumption, urgently needs
industrial-scale retrofitting and optimization solutions. **
The KONE Renaissance program aspires to make Finland a hub for digital and
sustainable building renewal, enhancing export potential for the ecosystem and
increasing R&D investments, patents, scientific publications, and university
theses through co-research and co-innovation projects. Building competencies in
circularity, decarbonization, and new business models will boost Finland’s
competitive edge at the European level.
“The KONE Renaissance program is launching at a pivotal moment. The demand for
smart technologies and AI-driven solutions is rapidly increasing. Finland is
well-positioned to lead in sustainable and digitally connected buildings, thanks
to the local construction and real-estate ecosystem. KONE will drive research
and development of innovative solutions and business models to the market on a
global scale, both for KONE’s own solutions and for the ecosystem,” says Tomio
Pihkala, Chief Technology Officer at KONE.
KONE aims to create a lasting impact beyond the Renaissance program’s five-year
horizon. The program will boost the Finnish technological know-how, which will
create new competences and job opportunities and attract top talents to Finland.
* World Economic Forum, 2022
** Ministry of the Environment, 2024
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