The first schools and a day care centre for Espoo school services to be completed
In 2020, the City of Espoo, Kumppanuuskoulut and YIT signed an agreement to implement a total of eight schools and day care centres with a new procurement model. The first three schools and a day care centre under the new model will be completed this summer. A total of 2,245 Espoo children will start their autumn semester in the new schools in August, with the number of new early childhood education places totalling 168.
The school premises to be completed in the summer include Pohjois-Tapiolan koulu, Nauriskasken koulu and the premises for the Perkkaan koulu ja nuorisotila school and youth centre and Nöykkiönniityn päiväkoti day care centre. The agreement also includes the Perkkaan päiväkoti day care centre, Kilon koulu ja päiväkoti school and day care centre and the primary school section of the Kuitinmäki koulu school. The latter will be completed in 2023.
“The premises are designed to be as versatile as possible, in accordance with the client’s wishes. They can be used for educational purposes during the day and evening use in the evenings. We are responsible for the conditions and indoor air quality in the facilities. The materials have been selected with the whole life cycle of the building in mind so that they are best suited for the intended use, high quality, durable and safe,” says Hannu Soikkeli, Director of Life Cycle Projects at YIT.
The share of renewable energy in the sites exceeds 20%. The use of geothermal energy reduces the need for purchased energy, and the schools have provisions for solar panels. The properties will also have charging points for electric cars, the number of which will be in line with the upcoming stricter official requirements. Systematic maintenance and maximised energy efficiency help keep the properties’ carbon footprint as low as possible. The E-value indicating energy efficiency exceeds the national requirement by about 35% at both sites.
The aim is to achieve a four-star rating in the RTS environmental classification for the properties. The RTS environmental classification is developed for construction and property maintenance in Finland.
“The Carbon-neutral Espoo 2030 goal is ambitious, and this school project also contributes significantly to this important goal,” says Maija Lehtinen, Managing Director of the Premises Department public utility.
The new model encourages sustainable solutions
In the so-called Public-Private Partnership (PPP) procurement model, the City of Espoo signed a service contract with a project company called Kumppanuuskoulut Oy. This company will be a service provider providing comprehensive service. It will plan and fund the project, obtain the requisite permits and handle construction. The company will also be responsible for maintenance throughout the 20-year contract period. After a school or day care centre has been completed, the City starts to pay the project company a service fee covering the financing, implementation and maintenance costs of the school or day care centre.
“In the procurement model, Espoo purchases a comprehensive service, not construction. Any deficiencies in the service will result in deductions to the service fee. The service provider is responsible for the whole throughout the contract period, so there will be no repair backlog with these sites,” says Jaakko Kouvalainen, CEO of Kumppanuuskoulut Oy.