The Helsinki courthouse will soon breathe easier. The energy renovation will modernise the building’s ventilation and building automation.
Hemsö is carrying out an extensive energy renovation of the Helsinki Court House, which will significantly improve the indoor air quality and energy efficiency of the building.
“For example, in the court of appeal, the ventilation in the courtrooms has been at the same level all the time, regardless of the use of the space. Now we can both improve the conditions for the people working in the building and at the same time cut climate emissions by almost a fifth,” says Mika Kvist , Head of Technical Management at Hemsö Finland.
In future, carbon dioxide sensors will tell the ventilation system whether the hall is empty, full or perhaps half full. The ventilation power will automatically adapt to the situation.
Hemsö owns, develops and operates public sector properties in Finland, Sweden and Germany. Hemsö bought a courthouse on the shores of Salmisaari in 2019.
The Helsinki Courthouse is a well-known landmark and a massive building, with a total floor area of 78 000 square metres and a volume of 175 000 cubic metres. Some of the courtrooms are up to seven metres high.
The largest tenant of the archive building is the Finnish State. The building houses the Helsinki District Court, the Helsinki Court of Appeal, the Helsinki Legal Aid Office and the Southern Finland Prosecution District of the Public Prosecution Service. The courthouse also houses a restaurant, commercial premises and law offices.
LeaseGreen, which specialises in energy efficiency for large properties, carries out renovations on a turnkey basis. The project includes design, installation of 60 supply air fans, connection of carbon dioxide and temperature sensors and optimisation of building automation. The energy efficiency project will be completed in October 2021, after which the property will be connected to LeaseGreen’s remote monitoring system.
“With such a huge property, even small improvements can bring big savings. According to our calculations, smart ventilation will cut the courthouse’s district heating consumption by 15% and electricity consumption by 25%. Air emissions are reduced by 19%, or 379 tonnes per year,” says Essi Boije afGennäs, LeaseGreen’s Director of Technical Solutions.
The payback period of the project is 6.5 years. In addition to the savings, improving energy efficiency protects against rising energy prices.
The project is in line with Hemsö’s sustainable development objectives.
“We will make our entire property portfolio carbon neutral by 2035. This includes a switch to 100% renewable energy in all our properties. At the same time, energy efficiency will be improved by 3% per year.”
The Helsinki courthouse is protected by a zoning plan. The functional building known as Salmisaarental was also completed in 1940, designed by architect Väinö Vähäkallio, as a factory, headquarters and central warehouse for Oy Alkoholiliike Ab.
Mika Kvist, Head of Technical Management Finland, Hemsö
+358 50 307 2943
mika.kvist@hemso.se
Essi Boije af Gennäs, Director, LeaseGreen
+358 50 469 5494
essi.boijeafgennas@leasegreen.fi
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