Espoo builds sustainably and takes stormwater into account

The management of all kinds of stormwater from rain and melting snow, for example, is an important part of urban construction. In densely built urban areas, directing the water helps prevent floods and keep the water cleaner. Ideally, stormwater solutions support the city’s greenery, comfort and natural diversity and help adapt to climate change.

For example, the rainwater and meltwater in the Monikonpuro stream that is located in Leppävaara is channelled to retention basins. The basins slow down water flow, which helps the evaporation and soil absorption of the water and reduces flood risk. The plants in the basins filter impurities from the water before it flows into water systems. The bed of the stream has been modified and floodplains have been created along it to balance the flow. This is why Monikonpuro has remained ecologically diverse – even the endangered sea trout swims up the stream to spawn, even though it runs through the most urban parts of Espoo.

Among other means, stormwater is addressed by means of the Green Factor Tool, which has been tried out in city planning. It is used to steer the planning of plots and city blocks towards more sustainable and greener solutions. The City uses the green factor to determine how much green area a plot to be built up should have and how stormwater is to be managed and biodiversity improved within the plot. The City Planning Committee will decide on the actual deployment of the green factor during the remainder of the year.

Because trees and plants help manage rainwater and meltwater naturally, we encourage residents and developers to retain any trees on plots. Tree roots absorb water, and the birch, for example, can absorb hundreds of litres of water a day. You can read more about the benefits of trees in yard areas in the brochure of Espoo’s Environmental and Building Control Department.

We also provide instruction for the management of stormwater on worksites. Water on worksites must be processed correctly to keep water systems free of oil, heavy metals or soil that can prevent fish reproduction and cause eutrophication, for example. Espoo must adhere to the Helsinki Metropolitan Area site water guidelines (in Finnish)(external link, opens in a new window). Espoo Environmental Protection has been involved in the preparation of the guidelines.

The majority of urban emissions are caused by traffic, which is why varying efforts are being made to increase the use of sustainable modes of transport. Espoo City Rail, which is currently under construction, will bring two additional tracks between Leppävaara and Kauklahti is an important step on the path towards emission-free mobility. At the same time, the Rantaradanbaana route will be constructed for cyclists and pedestrians.

The public transport arrangements in Espoo lean heavily on the railway system. In addition to trains, people in Espoo use the metro and tram.

In addition to this, the City’s own construction of facilities such as schools, day care centres and indoor swimming pools take sustainable development into account. In the design of new buildings, the aim is to gain at least 10% of the energy consumed by the building from on-site renewable energy, such as solar electricity and geothermal heat.

In its new construction projects, Espoo also favours wood construction, because wood is a renewable material which stores carbon in the building for a long time. Good examples of wood construction are the expansion of the Mankkaa day care centre, and the Metsola day care centre, Tiistilä school and day care centre, and Aarrekartta day care centre. 

Sustainable Development in Espoo

Espoo’s climate goals

Espoo Climate Watch(external link, opens in a new window)