Carbon-neutral Helsinki

The biggest emission cuts can be achieved with sensible and efficient energy use in buildings, with low-emission public transport, and by increasing the share of renewable energy in the processes of the City of Helsinki-owned energy company Helen. Helsinki’s carbon dioxide emissions went down by 26 per cent from 1990 to 2019, although the city’s population grew by 150,000 in the same period of time.

The City has set highly strict and binding energy efficiency requirements for its own building stock both in new construction and in renovations. In addition, local production of renewable energy is increased, including locally produced heat and electricity. The City’s activities are wide-ranging and thereby have major impacts, because the requirements apply to all City offices, public service buildings and the residential buildings of the City’s rental housing company Helsingin kaupungin asunnot Oy.

The building E-figure (that is, the figure composed of the building’s calculated annual consumption of purchased energy, weighted with the factors of various forms of energy) required by the City from its new office buildings and new public service buildings is 20 per cent lower than the E-figure of national standards. The building energy consumption resulting from renovations cannot exceed 80 per cent of national standards. All new City office buildings and new public service buildings are built with solar power systems, and the use of geothermal energy as the main heating system is investigated in new construction projects. The use of geothermal energy is always investigated in renovation projects. The existing building stock is fitted with solar power systems. The City’s 2020 budget allocates 4.5 million euros for this purpose. Properties heated with electricity are equipped with heat pumps.

New City of Helsinki residential buildings comply with the standards of energy efficiency class A. In residential renovation projects, the resulting energy consumption cannot exceed 80 per cent of that required by the national standard. All new residential buildings are fitted with solar panels whenever this is technically feasible. The feasibility and economic viability of geothermal systems are always investigated in renovation projects, and solar panels are installed whenever technically feasible. In addition, energy efficiency upgrades are implemented independently of renovation projects.

In addition to energy efficiency upgrades in City-owned real estate, Helsinki launches Energy Renaissance, a programme to improve energy efficiency in the private building stock. The programme seeks to improve the energy efficiency of privately owned buildings and to increase the use and production of renewable energy in housing companies. The goal of the programme is to launch enough energy renovations annually to achieve a 30-per cent cut in purchased energy by 2035. Helsinki puts together an extensive network of energy engineers to provide technical support for housing companies when they plan energy renovations. The City also puts a heavy emphasis on the development of regional cooperation, meaning that the City links housing companies in their efforts to prepare for and implement energy renovations.                                                                                   

Helsinki seeks to find long-term sustainable solutions to heat the city in the future and to serve as a platform for new and innovative solutions that other cities around the world can also benefit from. For this purpose, the City launched the international Helsinki Energy Challenge competition in February 2020. The competition seeks solutions to heat the city sustainably in the coming decades – without coal and with as little biomass as possible. The winner will be announced in March 2021. The competition’s first prize is one million euros.

Helsinki-Uusimaa is a key center of cleantech in Finland. The region has access to 54,000 – 49% – of the national core resource of cleantech professionals, consisting of cleantech professionals living in the region and those communing to the region from nearby areas. Core competences include renewables, waste, circular economy, bio-economy, water, and energy including smart grid solutions. The industry is attracting new talent – 56% are aged 18–34. (TechSkillsAtlas™ Finland 2018, MCJ Lemagnen Associates Ltd)

Examples of smart energy solutions already in use in Greater Helsinki

• The smart energy system of Kalasatama. Read more
• A public two-way charging point installed in Helsinki enables vehicle-to-grid charging and electricity storage. Read more
• Reducing thermal load on the Baltic Sea with a new heat pump in the world’s largest heating and cooling plant. Read more
• Underground heating and cooling plant utilizes excess heat – and is a step towards climate neutrality. Read more
• Helsinki is home to the world’s first liquid-cooled base station deployed in an apartment building. Read more
• Viikki Environment House – Finland’s most energy efficient office building. Read more
• Virtual power plants enable building operators to back up power plants. The Siemens virtual power plant approach piloted at Helsinki Central Railway Station. Read more

Piloting opportunities in smart energy for local and foreign enterprises

Smart Otaniemi is an innovation ecosystem that connects experts, organisations, technologies and pilot projects. It connects the building blocks of the smart future. The ecosystem looks for new possibilities for reforming the energy sector, with new types of cooperation among sectors and stakeholders, and new ways to create sustainable growth.