Living Business

Lahti and its neighbouring towns are home to a notable research and development cluster for housing and construction, thanks to Lahti Science and Business Park and the Housing Finance and Development Centre of Finland, which is based in Lahti. Cooperation with local businesses and research organisations plays a major role in the cluster’s operation.

The focus of the Lahti Region Centre of Expertise for Housing is on promoting energy-efficient residential development and on building a more energy-efficient housing stock, as well as on increasing the energy efficiency and material efficiency of construction.

The first ever low-energy building in the Nordic Countries was constructed in Heinola in 2009. The building has none of the traditional heating systems, and the design is based on a concept developed by a Heinola-based construction firm. Two low-energy buildings are currently under construction in Lahti. The Centre of Expertise also promotes energy efficiency in local planning.

The construction of Finland’s first ever wooden apartment block of more than four stories has begun in Heinola. The design combines the best elements of wood-based construction and low-energy solutions, and the project is a unique joint venture of local government, businesses, research centres, and development organisations.

A project named SouthWood was recently launched in Lahti to promote wood-based construction and the wood processing industry. The project involves building energy-efficient detached and semi-detached housing in the Karisto area according to plans and designs that will be made available to the public. Lahti also participates in an EU-co-financed project aimed at promoting sustainable living and the sustainable use of the environment, where Lahti’s role is to promote energy efficiency in residential and industrial property renovation projects. The project involves producing standardised long-term renovation plans for different kinds of residential properties on the basis of new Finnish legislation on housing cooperatives, which entered into force on 1 July 2010. The cluster has also launched a project aimed at sharing housing know-how and innovations and at creating new business opportunities for enterprises operating in and around Heinola.

instance, energy efficient model houses have been designed for the use of the coming home builders.

Contact details

www.lahtisbp.fi
www.livingbusiness.fi