Development commitment guides the implementation of a sustainable district – the tool developed in Kera also interests other cities
A development commitment between the city and land owners, with goals specified by the developers together, is being used to update the Kera district of Espoo. The intention is to use the urban development tool in other areas of Espoo as well. Other cities are also interested in utilising the Kera operating model – the recently started Rakli clinic considers ways in which to use the tool in other Finnish cities.
The efforts to build the former Kera industrial area into a residential and working area of the future have begun. The intention is to carry out the change as sustainably as possible – Kera is looking for new solutions with energy, housing and mobility, for example. The needs of the new district have been considered systematically through extensive cooperation with land owners, companies and other developers. The network’s collaborative efforts have identified shared goals for developing the area, which have been recorded in the form of the Kera development commitment. Any projects started in the area are obliged to prepare a plan on how to reach the shared goals.
Kera’s sustainable development increases the city's handprint
The Espoo Story, i.e. the city strategy, specifies that development commitments should also be implemented in other areas of Espoo. The commitments can be used agree on objectives related to regional vitality or sustainable development, for example. The commitment as a tool requires development, because areas have varying characteristics and goals. In cooperation with the Rakli association of property owners and developers, the City of Espoo will be organising a clinic event aimed considering the implementation of the commitment model in various areas, cities and cooperation networks. “We can also increase the city’s positive climate impacts, i.e. its handprint, by helping implement solutions developed in Espoo in other locations as well,” describes Development Manager Emmi Kauhanen of the City of Espoo.
The clinic is intended for other cities, property owners and developers that are interested in the topic. Cities such as Jyväskylä, Kuopio, Lahti, Tampere, Turku and Vantaa have committed to the clinic work, which will last for the spring. “It’s a wonderful thing that Espoo made the initiative regarding the commitment clinic because there is a demand among cities with demanding regional development projects. More means are for dialogue and cooperation are also required between the private and public sector – new initiatives such as the development commitment play an important role in this regard,” says Kimmo Kurunmäki, Director, Urban development and infrastructure at Rakli.
Read more about the development commitment: https://www.espoo.fi/en/kera-development-commitment
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