Green Building Council Finland (FIGBC) launched

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Rapal receives RSA-quality system certificate

Thursday, February 04, 2010

RSA –board has granted Rapal Oy a quality system certificate December 12th 2009. RSA –quality system is produced by RALA (a registered association for building quality) and is both widely recognized and known quality system evaluation and approval procedure. Its purpose is to enhance companies’ quality assurance level by clarifying processes, operations, structures and management. Regular follow-up, evaluation and development of these fields enables continuous quality improvement. RSA –quality system and its requirements also ease a buyers task in choosing planning and consulting companies for co-operation.

We offer our clients high quality expert services and solutions for managing the built environment. To us, quality means that our products and services are able to fulfil our clients’ needs, wishes and expectations. We make sure that our quality standard is set high and our goal is that there is no other product or service to the client in the market that exceeds our quality and quality standard.

Rapal Oy’s management has committed to continuous development of quality and quality standard. It controls and quides it according to the quality policy. Quality system is audited both internally and externally periodically.

For more information, contact:

Pekka Montin, Rapal Oy
pekka.montin(a)rapal.fi
+358 50 5401514

Rapal Oy buys a share of CC Infra Oy

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Rapal Oy and CC Infra have signed a contract, where the two companys become partners. CC Infra, founded 2008, is a company that offers expert and project management services for infrastructure projects.

CEO Tuomas Kaarlehto from Rapal and CEO Antti Haapalahti from CC Infra say: “The goal of the arrangement in the ownership is to provide customers management services, where high quality project management, advanced economic management and knowledge as well as modern ICT solutions are combined. As a result of our cooperation, a stronger service variety exists; it covers the whole life cycle of infrastructure”.

For more information, please contact:

CEO Tuomas Kaarlehto tuomas.kaarlehto(at)rapal.fi

CEO Antti Haapalahti antti.haapalahti(at)ccinfra.fi

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2010!

Monday, December 21, 2009

This year Rapal donates Christmas greetings funds to Luonnonperintösäätiö (Finnish Natural Heritage Foundation), who with the help of the donation, protects one hectar of Limberg Old-Growth forest in Lohja. Make sure you read our Christmas greeting by clicking the following link: http://kymppiserveri.fi/rapal/christmas/

One can find out more information on the subject at the Finnish Natural Heritage Foundation’s web page.

The reasons behind our choice generate from our principle to support sustainable development and want to continue to decrease our carbon footprint. During the past year Rapal Oy has invested in decreasing environmental impacts by services offered to our customers as well as by reorganizing its own operations. We offer our customers services that increase profitability and enhance sustainability, so that savings are reached for the customer as well as for the environment.  The most concrete examples are our newest products: Optimaze.net Evironmental calculation and In-Infra.net infrastructure project’s CO2 calculation.

Our chance for remarkable reduction on environmental impacts took place in August with the intended move. An important criteria in choosing the new space, was the size of the carbon footprint caused. Make sure you read more on the subject on the Rapal Ways of Working -document.

Rapal’s operations were to cause a carbon footprint of 80 000 kgCO2 for the year 2010 before the compensation of the emissions. The Old-Growth forest we supported will, in the next 40 years, offset the carbon load equal to Rapal’s CO2 emissions in one year.  Our future goal is to be a carbon-free Rapal.

Also other operations and values of the Finnish Natural Heritage Foundation are important to Rapal. These include conservation of the most endangered nature, life’s diversity and putting emphasis on the beauty and integrity of the forest.

Mynämäki municipality takes up Fore

Monday, September 07, 2009

Mynämäki municipality took up the In-Infra.net Fore as a part of their plan and planning process. ”With the Fore sub-products Hola and Rola we will confidently manage the municipalityfinances, and we can make more cost-efficient decisions. We are living in difficult financial times in municipalities and a careful financial management is ever more important,” says Technical Director Timo Oja of Mynämäki municipality.

Further information: Timo Oja, Mynämäki municipality and Tarmo Savolainen, Rapal Oy

Lahti region chose Fore

Monday, September 07, 2009

Lahti region has decided to take up In-Infra.net Fore after a pilot period. Lahti, Hollola, Nastola, Asikkala and Orimattila and the Lahti Region Municipal Technology Oy, responsible for the municipal technology production, are now enjoying the benefits of the Rola and Hola sub-products in the financial management of projects. Systematic, consistent and easy-to-use Fore also meets the needs of wider co-operation.

Further information: Jarkko Koskipalo, Lahti Region Municipal Technology Oy and Tarmo Savolainen, Rapal Oy.

City of Hämeenlinna goes for Fore

Monday, September 07, 2009

City of Hämeenlinna has chosen In-Infra.net Fore after a pilot period in the spring. Due to municipal consolidation Hämeenlinna has grown into an approximately eleven times larger geographical area than the old Tavastia Proper, stretching the financial management of infrastructure construction into new proportions. Hämeenlinna is expecting the Fore sub-product Rola to help with financial estimates of planning solutions in particular.

Further information: Jani Mantere, City of Hämeenlinna and Tarmo Savolainen, Rapal Oy.

Maisema-arkkitehdit Byman & Ruokonen Oy Landscape Architects choose Fore

Monday, September 07, 2009

Experienced landscape architecture agency Byman & Ruokonen Oy has adopted all four In-Infra.net Fore sub-products. With Scope, Hola, Rola and Arena the essential planning information is always up-to-date and the project cost estimates are immediately available for the following phases of planning. When the information is consistently collected into one place, the co-operation between the client and the architect is more straight-forward.

Further information from Ria Ruokonen at Maisema-arkkitehdit Byman & Ruokonen Oy Landscape Architects and Tarmo Savolainen at Rapal Oy.

City of Valkeakoski decided on Fore pilot

Monday, September 07, 2009

City of Valkeakoski has ordered the In-Infra.net Fore pilot period for the autumn. The pilot will train the city staff to use Fore and it will be a part of an organisational tool pack. There will be a decision during the autumn concerning further utilisation of Fore. "We believe that tools like Fore will boost our organisation’s working methods, give confidence in cost management and bring savings!" says Works Manager Seppo Helenius of the City of Valkeakoski Municipal Technology Office.

Further information on the Fore decision from Seppo Helenius at City of Valkeakoski and Tarmo Savolainen at Rapal Oy.

Pöyry CM Oy takes up Fore

Monday, September 07, 2009

Pöyry CM Oy and Rapal Oy have signed an agreement on the use of Fore services. Pöyry CM Oy - the largest infrastructure constructor organisation in Finland - and Rapal Oy have agreed to increase their co-operation on cost information also in the future. ”We want to be among the first to adopt new services. Taking up Fore has an important role in our continuous development of customer service,” says Development Manager Ilkka Laitinen of Pöyry CM Oy.

Further information: Ilkka Laitinen, Pöyry CM Oy and Tarmo Savolainen, Rapal Oy.

City of Lappeenranta takes on Fore

Tuesday, May 05, 2009

The city of Lappeenranta has decided to use the In-Infra.net Fore in managing the city’s infrastructure construction costs. “Positive experiences of the user-friendliness and the price list usage, for example, during the implementation confirmed that this is the best choice for us. Cost management is particularly important today when the few tax euros you have, must be well targeted”, says Pasi Leimi, Production Manager at the City of Lappeenranta.

Further information: Pasi Leimi, City of Lappeenranta and Tarmo Savolainen, Rapal Oy

City of Kotka takes on Fore

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

The city of Kotka has taken on the In-Infra.net Fore after a successful pilot period. “In-Infra.net Fore has developed into a user-friendly and a good-quality tool when managing the costs in urban construction. Successful implementation guaranteed that everyone learned to use Fore, and thus full benefits from the product were gained, says Matti Paavola, the Planning Manager at the City of Kotka.

Further information: Matti Paavola, City of Kotka and Tarmo Savolainen, Rapal Oy

In-Infra.net Fore published in full

Thursday, January 22, 2009

In-Infra.net Fore was fully completed on Jan. 2nd 2009, as the sub-products Hola and Arena were finished. The new service package for cost management comprises four complementary sub-products:

• Scope – Project program
• Hola – End product element calculation
• Rola – Building element calculation
• Arena – Project management

Sub-products Scope and Rola were published earlier in the autumn of 2008. Fore productizes the cost management methods and documentation - the IK calculation - developed in the IK project. With Fore you can better manage the infrastructure construction costs through the whole lifecycle of a project.

New in Finland! In-Infra.net Fore - a new service package for managing infrastructure costs

Tuesday, July 01, 2008

We will soon reveal a new evergreen service package.

In-Infra.net Fore has been developed in collaboration with the industry’s top professionals. The service includes more than 3000 building part prices, more than 200 project part models and new tools and methods for managing projects and cost control. Fore will take infrastructure construction to a new level. 

For more information on Fore that will come out in fall 2008:

Tarmo Savolainen, tel. 050 463 5742, tarmo.savolainen@rapal.fi
Pekka Montin, tel. 050 540 1514, pekka.montin@rapal.fi

In-Infra.net at Vianordica 2008 congress 9.-11.6.2008

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

In-Infra.net attended the Via Nordica congress in Helsinki. The event gathered professionals of the road industry from the Nordic countries. In-Infra.net introduced its new Fore service at the convention.

The board of the construction cost management project assembled for a meeting

Wednesday, May 07, 2008

The board of the construction cost management project met to discuss the project on May 7 in Helsinki. The board was pleased with the state of the project and further procedures were gone through. At the meeting cost comparison for municipal maintenance was presented and a committee was appointed to prepare a new contract.

Lahti region becomes an In-Infra.net client

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Lahti region introduced In-Infra.net on April 4 at an information event. There are five municipalities in the Lahti region participating in the implementation, Lahti, Hollola, Asikkala, Nastola, Orimattila and the municipal engineering department of the Lahti region. “We believe the system will enable better cost management in early project stages”, says technical director Jarkko Koskipalo.

The implementation will continue with introductory briefings and active user support. Decisions about the project’s future will be made later this year. For more information, contact Jarkko Koskipalo (municipal engineering) or Tarmo Savolainen (Rapal).

City of Kotka introduces In-Infra.net services

Monday, March 17, 2008

The city of Kotka has become a user of the In-Infra.net system. The solution implementation began on March 19th with an introductory briefing to which nine people attended. “This system brings in certainty for cost management of projects. We want to be a part of using and developing nation-wide price data. Systematic cost management brings certainty into decision-making”, says construction manager Risto Lehtonen.

Skanska becomes a HoLa client

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Skanska Infra Ltd signed an agreement to start using In-Infra.net HoLa. “HoLa is an advanced tool that helps our project management. HoLa completes our competence in the form of a nationally broad and continuously maintained documentation”, says business executive Antti Tuomainen from Skanska Infra. Skanska Infra and Rapal also agreed about collaboration regarding commenting and developing the construction cost management project. The partnership will bring a contractor viewpoint to the software development and the goal is to improve the accuracy and usability of In|infra.net system even more.

City of Mikkeli implements In|Infra.net solutions

Wednesday, January 02, 2008

City of Mikkeli became an In-Infra.net client in early 2008. “We implemented the In-Infra.net system and we believe that it will be essential in cost management of projects, budgeting and cost control of planning”, states Maini Väisänen from Mikkeli.

For more information, contact Maini Väisänen (Mikkeli) or Tarmo Savolainen (Rapal).

City of Kerava introduces HoLa

Friday, November 16, 2007

City of Kerava have implemented In-Infra.net products. The municipal engineering department of Kerava signed a HoLa contract. “HoLa and the systematic pricelists developed in the construction cost management project bring in certainty in the early stages of projects when creating a budget”, says Seppo Arppola from Kerava.

City of Joensuu implements In-Infra.net

Monday, September 03, 2007

City of Joensuu introduced In-Infra.net cost management service during the summer. An introductory briefing of implementation was held before the vacation season and now the city uses In-Infra.net Channel service. “We are certain that this service will systematize out infrastructure cost management and this way make our business more efficient”, says Jorma Ilonen, who represents the city of Joensuu.

For more information, contact

Jorma Ilonen (Joensuu)
Tarmo Savolainen (Rapal)

Rapal Ltd performs market research in Russia

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Rapal Ltd and Transacta Consulting Ltd have agreed to carry out a market research in Russia. The goal is to study the business opportunities and search for potential partners in Russia.

For more information, contact

CEO Tuomas Kaarlehto (Rapal)
GSM 0500 601 725

Juha Lehto (Transacta Consulting)
firstname.lastname@transacta.fi

Pöyry Group extended deployment of the In-Infra.net Service

Friday, June 29, 2007

Pöyry group implemented the cost management solutions of In-Infra.net in early May. With 51 Channel and four HoLa licenses ensures effective cost management in the organization. “We want to be a part of the wide-ranged development work of orderers”, says Tapio Karvonen from Pöyry Infra. For more information, contact (Pöyry) or Tarmo Savolainen (Rapal).

City of Vaasa will start In-Infra.net partnership

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

City of Vaasa chose to implement In-Infra.net system for managing costs of road, water and region construction. A training session held in May began the Channel use of Vaasa.

“The In-Infra.net solutions systematize and give certainty for calculations. It is interesting to apply these solutions in actual projects. The first impression is positive”, says Siri Gröndahl from Vaasa.

For more information, contact Siri Gröndahl (Vaasa) or Tarmo Savolainen (Rapal).

City of Lappeenranta implements HoLa

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

City of Lappeenranta upgraded its use of In-Infra.net solutions by implementing HoLa, the professional system for construction element calculations. Lappeenranta chose to implement after test use during which the program was put to the test.

“HoLa is a tool that makes our accounting quicker and more accurate. Especially when processing new town plans we receive certainty of costs”, say the production manager Pasi Leimi from Lappeenranta and Tarmo Savolainen from Rapal.

The board of the construction cost management project met up in Jyväskylä

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

The board of infra construction cost management project got together in Jyväskylä on April 13th hosted by technical director Osmo Rosti. It was noted that the project had progressed according to schedule and the results were excellent. Also the upcoming activities were presented to the board.

Some of Jyväskylä’s large projects were also presented, such as the public traffic center and new residential areas. The host of these excursions was contractor chief Jari Lohi. The cost estimates of these projects were carried out using In-Infra.net solutions developed in the construction cost management project.

FCG Plancenter Ltd starts In-Infra.net collaboration

Friday, February 16, 2007

FCG Plancenter Ltd signed an In-Infra.net contract on February 2, 2007. The agreement covers ten In-Infra.net Channel licenses. Thus FCG Plancenter Ltd began training and actual use of the system. For more information, contact Kari Kotro (FCG Plancenter Ltd) or Tarmo Savolainen (Rapal).

A-Insinöörit tie an agreement of HoLa

Monday, August 28, 2006

A-Insinöörit Ltd and Rapal Ltd have reached an agreement of a phased implementation of In-Infra.net Hola and Channel. An implementation day held on September 25 began the project’s first phase during which A-Insinöörit will decide about using In-Infra.net solutions.

“A-Insiröörit aims to be a part of the collaboration of Finland’s leading orderers that are developing cost management”, says Jouni Turunen from A-Insinöörit.

For more information, contact Jouni Turunen, (A-Insinöörit) or Tarmo Savolainen, (Rapal).

HoLa approved

Friday, June 30, 2006

Rapal Ltd and Vianova Systems Finland Ltd approved the new HoLa 1.0 software version. The handshake of the CEOs ended a year long development project that resulted in a universally unique professional system for managing costs of infrastructure construction.

“The project was challenging but it was worth all the efforts. Now we have an instrument for managing infrastructure assets. The product makes the orderer’s cost management processes very efficient because determining, monitoring and control of project goals and options become easier”, says CEO Tuomas Kaarlehto from Rapal Ltd.

CEO Heikki Halttula from Vianova Systems Finland Ltd regards HoLa as an important step towards the perfect product model-based planning process. “The orderer’s determinations in the first stages of the project come from HoLa and in the future we will build a link to planning software that supports the product model. This ensures the continuous development of information and we will get rid of the a culture of information wasting”, states Halttula.

The teamwork will continue in the form of a maintenance contract and development of HoLa’s properties.