The city block in Jätkäsaari is the first location where the Low2No model will be developed and specified in practice. In addition to apartments and Sitra's headquarters, the block will have grocery stores offering local food, an ecological laundry, public sauna, cafe and opportunities for small-scale urban cultivation. The team of international and Finnish designers of the block introduced the project’s current status at a sustainable urban development conference arranged jointly by Sitra, the Finnish Association of Architects, and Suomen Rakennusinsinöörien Liitto on 8 February.
"SRV and VVO will build about 200 apartments in the block, and Sitra's new premises will be built there. Over half of the apartments will be owner-occupied, and some of them will be funded through the Hitas system. The rest will be rented apartments of VVO," says Timo Kokkila of SRV and Esa Kankainen of VVO.
"Sitra's office building will account for slightly less than one-third of the permitted building volume of 22,000 square metres and it will be built of wood," says Jukka Noponen, Sitra's Energy Programme.
The project is designed to comply with the nearly zero energy use and optimized on-site renewable energy production requirements that will be established under the EU’s Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) which will take effect in 2020.
Sitra, the Finnish Innovation Fund is an independent public fund which under the supervision of the Finnish Parliament promotes the welfare of Finnish society. Sitra’s responsibilities have been stipulated in law.
Read Sitra´s Media release 8 February 2011
