Our aim is to enable healthy, functional, safe and energy-efficient environments for learning, working and research. Our project planning focuses on either our customers’ premises alteration needs or new construction needs, or renovation needs based on the current condition of existing buildings. When planning the projects, we take into account with the users current and future objectives and space requirements, and develop environments for learning, working and research. As in previous years, responsibility and sustainability are our main themes in construction and maintenance.

Construction and maintenance largely share the same objectives and themes, which means that we achieve excellent synergies by acting in the same organisation. This way, we also ensure the best possible flow of information between our experts in these fields.

The company’s investments totalled EUR 115 million in 2020. On the balance sheet date, the company had 78 investment projects in the preparatory and planning stages (EUR 110 million) and 71 projects in the investment phase (EUR 160 million). The projects also include maintenance investment projects.

Indicators of the environmental impacts of new buildings and renovation projects

We use the BREEAM classification system to evaluate new construction projects and major renovation projects. BREEAM, short for Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methodology, is a comprehensive set of indicators for monitoring the environmental impacts of buildings.

The scoring incorporates criteria including management, health and well-being, energy, transport, water, materials, waste, land use, innovation and the prevention of contamination. Last year, we also initiated the review of our existing buildings in compliance with the BREEAM In-Use certificate. During 2020, we achieved the first BREEAM Excellent rating when the design of the Aurum building in Turku was judged to be worth the Excellent rating.

Property development

The most important of the projects in progress last year was Aurum, for Åbo Akademi University and the University of Turku. This project, the biggest in our history, progressed according to plan in good cooperation with the universities and the contractor. The key features of Aurum are energy efficiency and the preparedness to produce renewable energy. These features are supported by geothermal energy and several solar panels in the property. During 2020, the building received a BREEAM Excellent rating, which is the first Excellent rating in the history of SYK. The site will be completed in 2021.

During the year, joint development work has been carried out in connection with the Ylistönrinne development plans of the University of Jyväskylä and with the development of the upper secondary school of Åbo Akademi University’s teacher training school.

Maintenance

In 2020, the key focal areas of maintenance operations were energy management, the establishment of a virtual power plant, the development of need-based maintenance, and repairs during the lifespan. In 2020, an audit tool was introduced to support the assessment of maintenance service network operations. The competitive bidding process for service contracts has continued as planned and will be completed during 2021. The campus safety project has become part of the operating model for maintenance. Safety is promoted in close cooperation with the universities.

The long-term renovation planning process has progressed towards the rolling Capex audit model. The assessment principles have been created, and synergy benefits with the BREEAM In Use assessments have been utilised in the assessment rounds.

The operating model of energy management improves the sustainability of real estate properties

The operating model of energy management has been reformed, and a new model has been introduced in 2020. As a sustainable development project, SYK has joined the demand response market, which enables more extensive utilisation of renewable energy in the national electricity grid. The demand response project was implemented with the agreed scope.

The project for demand response in electricity consumption advanced from plans to implementation. The incorporation of the actual demand response electricity consumption technology into property automation systems was also completed in 2020. As part of the project, a battery bank was added to the Lappeenranta University of Technology campus at the supplier’s initiative. The work to adapt the property automation systems became a challenge for the project’s time schedule. The desired demand response capacity will be available in early 2021.

The buildings’ energy and water consumption and emissions 2016–2020

Waste and recycling 2016–2020