Environmental sustainability

The real estate and construction sector has significant and long-lasting impacts on the environment and climate. Buildings consume a substantial share of society’s energy, and globally, up to half of all usable materials are used in construction and property maintenance. Therefore, as industry actors, we also have an exceptional responsibility to find more sustainable solutions.

At Avain Yhtiöt, environmental responsibility is not treated as a separate topic but as an integral part of decision-making throughout the entire value chain, from land acquisition and design to construction and the long-term management of properties. We have identified the key climate and environmental impacts of our operations and focus particularly on areas where we can make a genuine difference: energy efficiency, emissions reduction, responsible resource use, and low-carbon construction solutions.

Significant amounts of energy are consumed annually in property maintenance, construction, and the production of building materials. We closely monitor our energy consumption through advanced systems and continuously and systematically improve the energy efficiency of our property portfolio.

Our climate targets were established in 2025 based on the material and most significant sources of greenhouse gas emissions identified through our emissions assessment. The targets and their implementation are reviewed annually and updated as required.

Our targets are:

No overall emissions reduction target has been set, as total emissions vary significantly from year to year depending on the volume of new construction projects.

Biodiversity has been identified as a material sustainability topic in Avain Yhtiöt’s own operations and, in particular, throughout the construction value chain. The natural resources required for the manufacture of building materials place a burden on the environment and have negative impacts on biodiversity. New construction also affects biodiversity within completed urban environments.

At present, Avain Yhtiöt does not have a dedicated action plan or specific targets for promoting biodiversity or minimizing related adverse impacts. We actively monitor industry practices and development and will rapidly adopt best practices that are compatible with our business operations.

The majority of Avain Yhtiöt water consumption consists of water used by residents and users of our properties. A smaller share comes from water used at construction sites and in the production of precast concrete elements.

We aim to reduce water consumption through active measures and continuous improvement. Key water-saving initiatives include technical solutions such as apartment-specific water metering, systematic monitoring of consumption and prompt intervention in deviations, as well as proactive resident communications and campaigns promoting responsible water-use habits.

We recognize that the real estate and construction industry is highly material-intensive. Significant quantities of materials are used in new construction and property maintenance, and residential communities generate considerable amounts of household waste each year. We have defined circular economy principles for our various operations. These principles, together with new circular economy practices, are reviewed regularly on an annual basis.

Data on household waste is collected from partners responsible for waste management services at our properties. The reported waste quantities by fraction are based on estimates calculated from the frequency of waste container collections.