Kera's climate road map guides how to develop neighbourhoods to be carbon neutral
Kera is one of the largest regional development projects in Espoo and the Helsinki metropolitan area, where solutions supporting a carbon-neutral circular economy are tested and developed. The carbon neutrality road map for the new district shows what kind of climate solutions will be needed as the old industrial area becomes a city center with 14,000 residents.
Like the whole of Espoo, the development of Kera is guided by the climate goal recorded in the Espoo city strategy, the Espoo Story, to be carbon neutral by 2030. In Kera, urban development is also guided by the development commitment attached to the land use agreements, which sets sustainable development goals for all landowners and builders in Kera. The actions in the climate roadmap correspond to the goals set in both the Espoo story and the development commitment.
Carbon neutrality solutions in a developing area
The roadmap, completed in late 2021, is based on the Kera area's emissions calculation, in which emissions from traffic, energy as well as infrastructure and building construction were compared. Alternative and viable ways to reduce emissions are grouped together in a roadmap, which helps to outline the importance, timing and synergies of different solutions. Promoting carbon neutrality in the area can be seen as resource-wise construction and innovative and low-emission energy solutions. In addition to identifying the means, the key task of the roadmap is to explain how the different solutions are implemented in practice.
Solutions have been identified for the entire Kera area, blocks as well as individual buildings. The biggest individual solutions to achieve carbon neutrality are Fortum's commitment with the City of Espoo to develop energy solutions in the Kera area, as well as the existing commuter train and other public transport connections. These play a significant role in reducing emissions in the area. The role of the City of Espoo, for example as a planner and a public constructor, is also important in the pursuit of carbon neutrality. The way Espoo builds itself is a good example to other constructors regarding the direction to follow.
A roadmap made together is also useful elsewhere
One of the goals of the roadmap is also to strengthen cooperation between Kera's developers - landowners, the city, contractors, and constructors. At its best, good cooperation can achieve synergies and reduce waste. Together, it is worth solving, for example, sustainable site traffic, the recycling of demolition waste or energy solutions in residential areas. The roadmap itself is an example of the importance of cooperation. The roadmap, developed in collaboration with stakeholders, contains extensive measures and development proposals from Kera's operators.
The development curve of Kera described in the roadmap covers the changes in the area until 2040. It creates a strong foundation for long-term cooperation in Kera. Although the carbon neutrality roadmap has been prepared with Kera in mind, the compiled solutions can also be utilised elsewhere in Espoo and Finland. Read more about what sustainable urban development is being done in Kera as a part of The Implementation Pathway for Environments that Accelerate Sustainable Growth -project (KETO) via this link.
The roadmap has been drafted by Ramboll in cooperation with the City of Espoo.
Go to Kera’s development commitment via this link.(external link, opens in a new window)
Read more and download the roadmap below:
Downloadable files
More information:
- Sustainability
- Urban development