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Leading organisations in Finland show their support for carbon neutral built environment by 2035

Green Building Council Finland (GBC Finland) has today (8 November 2021) announced that a total of 24 Finnish organisations have pledged their support to the #BuildingLife Programme for Carbon Neutrality in the Built Environment. Anticipating an ever-accelerating change in the industry, the supporters are also committed to developing their own programmes for carbon neutrality. For sustainable business, legislation is only the first step – building better ensures business continuity in the future, too.

A strong expression of common will

A draft version of the Programme for Carbon Neutrality in the Built Environment, compiled in extensive collaboration, was published in September, and received a wealth of feedback. During the year, more than 100 organisations and a wide range of experts in the field participated in workshops organised by GBC Finland. Twenty companies and three cities have now given their support to the programme:

City of Helsinki, City of Tampere, City of Lahti, One Click LCA Ltd., A-Insinöörit, Granlund, Sweco Finland, Realia Management, Saint-Gobain Finland, Stora Enso, KONE Finland and the Baltics, Consolis Parma, Peikko Group, Bonava Suomi, Ilmarinen, SOK, Antilooppi Management, SRV, Fira, Skanska, Ramirent, EcoReal, Durat, Rototec.

The programme, produced in extensive co-operation and supported by leading organisations in the field, is a strong expression of intent: the goal for the built environment is to be carbon neutral by 2035.

Forward-learners are a step ahead

Change in the real estate and construction sector has been rapid in the past few years. The prognosis is further acceleration. Investors and occupants demand a sustainable built environment and legislative progress supports the demand. Those in the field who have sensed the shift in advance – the forward-learners – have already committed themselves to carbon-neutrality pledges and are actively developing their operations to be low-carbon and circular. The updated Programme for Carbon Neutrality in the Built Environment is a guide to creating a roadmap for carbon neutrality within each business. It offers businesses of all sizes guidelines for the development of their own operations, and contains clear programme charts which include the categorised and scheduled unequivocal needed actions.

Committed leadership and well-informed organisations lead the way to success

The real estate and construction sector is in the midst of a systemic change towards low-carbon value changes and eventual carbon neutrality. Company management must commit to sustainable practices and create plans to allow for the growth and improvement of the whole organisation.

About GBC Finland

GBC Finland strives to make the aspect of sustainable development a natural part of both the real estate and construction industry. Taking energy and environmental efficiency into account yields significant benefits for the owners, investors, users, builders, and developers of the Finnish built environment.

GBC Finland promotes new and innovative solutions and offers impartial information and studies to be used by the member organisations in their decision-making. The association provides its members with training in sustainability, information services, and development. GBC Finland also brings a national perspective on how to adapt international environmental certifications, such as LEED and BREEAM, to Finnish real estate.

About #BuildingLife

#BuildingLife is accelerating the ambitions of the European Green Deal in the building sector by creating the first region-wide response to the vision of a net-zero embodied carbon built environment set out in WorldGBC’s 2019 report. The project will create a pathway for other world regions to follow.

WorldGBC and 10 Green Building Councils will do this by:

  • Creating a roadmap demonstrating how EU buildings policy can adopt whole life carbon targets.
  • Launching a new Whole Life Carbon Commitment within WorldGBC’s global Advancing Net Zero project.
  • Establishing leadership groups on a European and national scale to contribute to the creation of national whole life carbon roadmaps towards net zero.
  • Supporting the development of a building product database on the full environmental impact of different building materials.
  • Kickstarting a communications campaign recruiting MEPs, policymakers and industry leaders to publicly advocate for a whole life cycle approach.