Kojamo has passed the halfway point on the way to its target of carbon-neutral energy consumption in its properties by 2030. In four years, the apartment-specific carbon footprint of Lumo homes has already decreased by 56 per cent.
In the housing sector, the most significant environmental impacts are related to the energy consumption of properties during their use and the resulting carbon dioxide emissions due to the long life cycle of the properties.
As Kojamo is the largest private housing investment company in Finland with more than 40,000 apartments, we also have the opportunity to have a positive influence on the environmental impacts of housing. Kojamo is committed to improving the energy efficiency of its operations and reducing greenhouse gas emissions – with the goal of carbon-neutral energy consumption at its properties by 2030, and the carbon footprint of Lumo homes per apartment as the most important indicator.
The carbon neutrality work is progressing according to plan: the carbon footprint per apartment has already decreased by 56 per cent from 2020 to the end of 2024.
Energy efficiency as a key priority
The achievement of Kojamo’s carbon neutrality goal is guided by a carbon roadmap prepared in 2021, which focuses on ensuring the basic energy efficiency of properties. The carbon roadmap includes many different measures, such as the deployment of solar panels, heat pump solutions and the optimisation of buildings’ ventilation and water efficiency.
Emissions from district heating account for the largest part of the carbon footprint per apartment. Kojamo uses property electricity produced with renewable energy sources in all of its buildings to light the common areas and yards, operate the ventilation and heat the building’s saunas and washing rooms.
“The investments of district heating companies in renewable energy sources also play a key role in reducing emissions,” says Pasi Kujansuu, Director of Property Services at Kojamo.
In addition, Kojamo has developed its own heating optimisation solution, the LumoHeat concept, which keeps room temperatures stable, improves the energy efficiency of the property and increases the comfort of living. The heating optimisation solution was renewed at 100 properties in 2024.
Kojamo has also invested in geothermal heat projects. Of the seven geothermal heat projects started in 2023, the last were completed in spring 2024. At the same time, geothermal heating implementations were planned for the next five sites, the project was put out to tender and will be implemented in 2025.
Kojamo has also invested in the development of energy efficiency in renovation projects. The goal is to achieve a relative improvement of at least 30 per cent in energy efficiency in all renovation projects concerning an entire building. Three renovation projects were completed in 2024.
“All of these measures will contribute to improving the energy efficiency of Kojamo’s property portfolio and move us at a steady pace towards our goal of carbon-neutral energy consumption in our properties by 2030,” says Elina Ekelund, Kojamo’s Sustainability Manager.
Supporting the sustainable everyday life of residents
Kojamo not only focuses on the energy efficiency of its properties but also offers 60,000 Lumo home residents the opportunity to reduce their own carbon footprint.
The carbon footprint test created for residents allows them to assess the sustainability of their lifestyle, especially in questions related to housing, consumption and mobility. The test offers tips and Lumo services, which allow residents to further reduce their own carbon footprint.
For example, residents can participate in climate campaigns by zeroing the carbon footprint of heating by purchasing the Zero-carbon heating service, the profits of which Kojamo uses to purchase renewable district heating for Lumo homes. At the end of 2024, 166 Lumo buildings were already heated with fully renewable and carbon-neutral energy, also utilising the service purchases made by the residents.
At the request of the residents, charging stations for electric vehicles have also been added to Lumo buildings. There are already more than 1,700 charging stations where residents can charge their vehicles with carbon-neutral electricity.
“Our goal is to use energy efficiently in properties without compromising on the comfort of living and while supporting the sustainable lifestyles of residents,” says Ekelund.