Sustainability has become an increasingly important criterion when choosing an office space
Inquiries about property and office space sustainability received by the shared workspace expert Technopolis have quadrupled over the last three years. Especially the carbon-neutral production of electricity and heating has become an important criterion for companies looking for new workspaces. An example of this is Tomra, which recently moved to Technopolis Aviapolis in Vantaa.
The sustainability inquiries received by Technopolis show a growing interest in the environmental impact of workspaces and the sustainability of operations. When choosing a workspace, customers have become particularly interested in the consumption data, emissions, and energy sources used in buildings. In addition to emissions, accessibility by public transport and the recycling solutions available are increasingly important factors for customers.
According to Johanna Kivelä, Sustainability Manager at Technopolis, the increased number of inquiries is primarily due to a greater interest in sustainability issues. Kivelä emphasizes that the number of inquiries has grown significantly over the past ten years and accelerated further over the past few years.
“We are receiving more and more inquiries and questions related to measuring sustainability from current and potential customers. This topic also came up in our discussions with Tomra, which recently moved to Aviapolis. It is delightful to see that more and more companies are genuinely interested in the sustainability of their workspaces. I believe that the importance of sustainability when choosing a workspace will only grow in the future,” Kivelä says.
Kivelä believes that the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), which entered into force at the beginning of 2024, and the consequent need to measure, e.g., Scope 3 emissions, will further affect the number of inquiries in the future.
All Technopolis campuses in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area are carbon-neutral in their total energy use. The company has been determined to reduce its properties’ energy consumption and carbon footprint, and Technopolis aims to achieve full carbon neutrality in energy use for all its properties by 2030.
Tomra placed great importance on sustainability when choosing a workspace
For Tomra, which offers recycling solutions for empty beverage containers, environmental criteria were among the key criteria when choosing its new workspace. When Tomra was mapping possible workspaces, CO2 emissions of the property were one of the topics of discussion with Technopolis.
“Environmental criteria are genuinely important to us, and Technopolis’ transition to both emission-free electricity and carbon-neutral heating energy weighed significantly on our decision. In addition to energy sources, energy efficiency has a major effect overall,” says Hanne Suomalainen, Marketing and Communications Manager at Tomra.
At Technopolis properties, energy efficiency is optimized by using Lassila & Tikanoja’s Smartti Automation system. Technopolis was recently awarded the Energy Genius of the Year 2023 recognition for piloting the very same smart control system that improves energy efficiency.
Technopolis Aviapolis in Vantaa, which uses carbon-neutral electricity and heating energy, proved to be a clear choice for Tomra. Regarding sustainability, Tomra also considered accessibility by public transport, EV charging possibilities, and recycling solutions in its decision. In addition to concretely visible recycling solutions, the circular economy was also taken into account in furniture design.
“As a recycling company, we wanted to implement the same value-based choices in office furniture as well. For example, we utilized the frames from old electric desks, which gave us a neat and uniform design complemented by new tabletops made of natural material,” says Suomalainen from Tomra.
Tomra had operated in its old premises for a long time and was seeking better-utilized squares, an easily accessible location, and services that would increase the comfort of everyday life. When making the decision, Tomra also surveyed its employees’ wishes and aimed for a solution that best suited them.
“The office space was designed according to the employees’ wishes and using natural and recycled materials as much as possible. It was important for the employees to maintain the peace of their own workspaces. Our new premises are slightly smaller in square meters than before, but they better serve our needs,” says Suomalainen.
More information:
Johanna Kivelä
Sustainability Manager
johanna.kivela@technopolis.fi
+358 40 761 1577