Voluntary Agreements for Buildings

Last updated: 5 November 2017
This measure is still in force, please see the measure "Voluntary Energy Efficiency Agreements for 2008 - 2016".
In May 1999, the Ministry of Trade and industry and the Finnish Association of Building Owners (RAKLI )and Construction Clients signed an Energy Conservation Agreement relating to the real estate and construction business. The target was to have 10% less specific heat consumption in buildings in 2005 and 15% less in 2010 compared to 1998. There is also a target to stop the increase in electricity consumption and reverse the trend before 2005. Commercial sector enterprises, for example shops, banks, insurance companies and media, could join the energy conservation agreement and the activities subject to it. By the end of 2001, the coverage of the agreement was 73%. In 2002, the Ministry of Environment and the Finnish Federation of Housing Property Owners and Developers (ASRA) renewed this agreement and extended it to cover also public sector real estate. Unlike the other agreements, ASRA's agreement on housing properties extends to the end of 2012.The extended agreement replaced the co-operation programme for public property units which was signed in 1997 and expired at the end of 2002. The target is to have 10% less specific heat consumption in buildings in 2008 and 15% less in 2012. The same target was also set for water consumption. There is also a target to stop the increase in electricity consumption and reverse the trend before 2008. The coverage of the agreement should be 80 % in 2010. In 2006, the Ministry of Environment, together with the Ministry of Trade and Industry, prepared another extension of the agreements practice to the residential building sector (see separate entry). A further extension was agreed in 2008 -see separate entry.

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