Kojamo plc Media release 5 June 2023 at 1:00 p.m.
Lumo homes' carbon footprint per apartment has halved faster than the target
Kojamo is already at the halfway point to its carbon neutrality target – carbon-neutral energy consumption in its properties by 2030. According to the latest forecast made in April, the carbon footprint per apartment has already decreased by 50% in just over three years.
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.
With its sustainability programme, Kojamo is committed to carbon-neutral energy consumption in its properties by 2030. As part of the carbon neutrality target, Kojamo has also joined the Net Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment of the World Green Building Council. One of the most important sustainability indicators is the carbon footprint per apartment of Lumo homes, where significant results have already been achieved.
“According to the forecast, the carbon footprint per apartment has already decreased by 50% from 2019 by the end of the first quarter of 2023. We are significantly ahead of our target in terms of the schedule,” says Kojamo’s Sustainability Manager Niina Turri.
Roadmap to carbon-neutral energy consumption at our properties
The roadmap prepared in 2021 guides Kojamo's work towards the carbon neutrality target. The roadmap includes measures such as improving the ventilation and water efficiency of properties, apartment-specific heating optimisation and larger geothermal projects, as well as the adoption of solar panels. The goal is efficient energy consumption in properties without compromising the comfort of housing.
Kojamo has set its emission reduction target for its entire property portfolio – approximately 39,000 apartments today – of at least a 4% annual reduction in carbon dioxide emissions per apartment until the end of 2025. The target was exceeded in 2022, when the emission reduction per apartment was 9.4%. The annual emission reduction target is scheduled to be updated in 2025.
“The measures taken to improve energy efficiency in accordance with the roadmap have had a significant impact on reducing the carbon footprint of apartments. However, it is also thanks to district heating companies that, in accordance with their own carbon neutrality goals, they have increased the availability of district heating produced with renewable energy sources, which has also enabled us to increase the use of zero-emission district heating in Lumo buildings” Turri explains.
Emissions from district heating account for the largest part of the carbon footprint per apartment.
From the beginning of 2019, Kojamo's carbon neutrality target has also been supported by real estate electricity produced with renewable energy sources, which is used to light up common areas and yards, heat the shared saunas, run the machines in the washing room and power the ventilation systems in all Lumo buildings across Finland.
“We are continuously developing our operations to improve the energy efficiency of Lumo buildings and to reduce the carbon footprint of Lumo homes. We have made great progress in line with our goal, but there is still a lot of work to be done, for example, in mapping the emissions and emission reduction potential of our value chain,” Turri explains.
Lumo helps its residents make sustainable choices in everyday life
To support the sustainable lifestyle of its residents, Lumo has built a carbon footprint test for the use of its residents, which enables them to assess the sustainability of their lifestyle, especially through questions related to housing, consumption and mobility.
Tips and Lumo services have been added to the carbon footprint test, which allow residents to further reduce their own carbon footprint. Residents can, for example, participate in climate action by zeroing the carbon footprint of heating by purchasing the Zero-carbon heating service.
“Services supporting sustainable living are an important part of our range of services. It is important to us that residents have the opportunity to make sustainable choices in terms of housing as well. For example, we have increased charging points for electric cars at the request of residents. There are already more than 1,500 charging points,” Turri says.
Further information:
Pasi Kujansuu, Unit Director, Property Services, Kojamo plc, tel. +358 20 508 4422, pasi.kujansuu@kojamo.fi
Niina Turri, Manager, Sustainability Manager, Kojamo plc, tel. +358 20 508 4018, niina.turri@kojamo.fi
Kojamo is Finland’s largest private residential real estate company and one of the biggest investors in Finland. Our mission is to create better urban living. Lumo offers environmentally friendly housing and services for the city dweller who appreciates quality and effortlessness. We actively develop the value of our investment properties by developing new properties and our existing property portfolio. We want to be the property market frontrunner and the number one choice for our customers. Kojamo’s shares are listed on the official list of Nasdaq Helsinki. For more information, please visit: https://kojamo.fi/en