Residents in Kirkkonummi, Finland report their homes shaking from powerful explosions at a nearby Microsoft data center construction site. The blasting work has intensified in recent weeks, causing growing alarm among homeowners in the Kartanonranta residential area.
Ulla Karjala, who lives approximately half a kilometer from the construction zone, describes the situation. "These are quite substantial bangs. The whole house shakes like crazy and the windows rattle," she says. Karjala notes that cracks have recently appeared in her bathroom tiles, though she cannot definitively prove they resulted from the blasting.
The construction company Destia conducts the blasting operations to clear bedrock for Microsoft's server hall development. Independent experts monitor vibration levels using eleven measurement devices installed throughout the work area and surrounding neighborhood. Company representatives state that all recorded vibrations remain below 50 percent of maximum threshold values established by Finnish construction guidelines.
Local residents want more proactive communication from the contractors. Many homeowners express uncertainty about whether buildings will receive post-construction inspections for potential damage. The community's Facebook group shows increasing discussion about whether the intense vibrations could harm property structures and who would bear responsibility for repairs.
Microsoft's communications manager addressed recent concerns. "We have received contacts about recent explosions and have carefully reviewed the vibration values," the representative stated. "The vibrations were slightly stronger than in previous blasts but still clearly below 50 percent of the set maximum vibration limits."
The Kartanonranta school sits near the construction site and has one vibration monitor on its property. School authorities indicate they trust the safety monitoring process and plan to inspect the building after construction concludes.
This situation highlights the tension between Finland's growing tech infrastructure development and residential community concerns. As multinational companies expand their Nordic data center operations, local municipalities face balancing economic development with quality of life issues. The Kirkkonummi case demonstrates how even technically compliant construction can generate substantial community anxiety when residents feel inadequately informed about safety measures and damage protocols.
Finnish construction regulations follow guidelines from building industry association RIL. When vibrations stay below established limits, experts consider structural damage risk minimal. Yet homeowners reasonably question whether guideline thresholds fully account for cumulative effects or pre-existing building conditions.
The ongoing construction continues through the year as Microsoft expands its Nordic cloud infrastructure. Similar concerns have emerged near other data center projects across Finland and Sweden, suggesting a broader pattern as tech giants rapidly expand their northern European operations.