How Senate will cut emissions by 2035

Two years ago, the Finnish Government announced an ambitious goal: Finland will be the first fossil-free welfare society in 2035. Senate is moving towards this goal through concrete actions.

“Government premises can be carbon neutral in 2035. This is how we can do our bit to combat climate change. We aim to be a cost-effective frontrunner,” says Juha Lemström, Director of Quality and Corporate Social Responsibility and head of the Carbon-neutral Senate programme at Senate Properties.

“We have long worked for emissions reductions and the results speak for themselves: an 80% reduction in emissions in the use of central government premises during 2012–2020.”

Emissions arise in central government from countless different sources: premises, mobility, procurements and services account for most of the emissions. Senate is pursuing carbon neutrality on two fronts: the use of carbon-neutral properties and carbon-neutral construction and repair.

Zero emissions during the use of buildings by 2035

Juha Lemström says that Senate will reset the emissions arising from the use of central government properties to zero by 2035 and approach zero already this decade.

“Emissions in properties will be reduced in a concrete way by improving space and energy efficiency, reducing energy consumption and by switching to emission-free energy. We will increase the use of solar power: we will build around 60 solar power plants in government properties by 2025. On top of this, we will phase out oil heating and switch to emission-free district heating and cooling,” Lemström says.

There are already good examples of improvement in the energy efficiency of buildings. These include heat pumps using the latest technology acquired for the ten-year-old Musiikkitalo in Helsinki.

“Heat pumps will provide half of the energy required for cooling, while heating saves 25%. Investment in the pumps will be recouped in two or three years. It’s a win-win situation for the environment and economy,” Lemström says.

Senate’s key means to reach the goal:

1. Improved space efficiency and reduced energy consumption
2. Transition to emission-free energy
3. Maintenance measures to improve energy efficiency
4. Potential offsetting of remaining emissions

Construction emissions halved by 2035

However, Lemström says that 2035 will come too quickly to reset to zero emissions in construction, repairs and maintenance. Senate’s aim is to halve these emissions.

“The construction industry is a global industrial sector. Components in Finnish buildings come from China, for example. It will take time before all construction components, production and transport chains are carbon-neutral,” Lemström explains.

Senate’s key means to reach the goal:

1. Less construction: modification flexibility and shared usability
2. Circular economy principles and zero-emission construction materials such as low-emission concrete and steel
3. Zero-emission construction sites
4. Potential offsetting of remaining emissions