Finland’s first LEED Gold-certified log-built daycare centre was constructed from a material that is an ecological and responsible choice. The Haukilahti Pilke daycare centre was built in collaboration with design and build contractor Hoivarakentajat, who are pioneers in the construction of log buildings in the public sector, and log structure expert Honkarakenne.
Log is naturally low-carbon and eco-friendly, and therefore an increasingly popular building material for municipalities, cities and businesses. As a result of the thriving partnership between Honkarakenne and Hoivarakentajat in log construction, nearly 50 log properties have been erected in Finland, including schools, daycare centres and nursing homes.
Finland’s first LEED Gold-certified log-built daycare centre was constructed from Honkarakenne’s ecological and healthy logs. An English-language Pilke daycare centre in Espoo was built in collaboration between Honka and Hoivarakentajat, a renowned pioneer in log construction in the public sector. Little learners moved in to the brand-new, gleaming facilities of the log-built daycare centre in the Haukilahti district of Espoo in November 2022.
Log meets stringent environmental requirements
The most widely adopted international environmental certification system, also popular in Finland, is the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED certification.
LEED certification is divided into four rating levels: Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum.
“When we examined the requirements for LEED certification, we found that the log-built properties we constructed already meet at least the LEED Silver level. With very small adjustments, such as the installation of motion sensor lighting or automatic taps, we were able to achieve LEED Gold certification for the Pilke log-built daycare centre in Haukilahti, Espoo,” says Hoivarakentajat project manager Jussi-Pekka Salmi.
In the LEED certification, the environmental impacts of the building are comprehensively assessed. The documentation needs to be extremely precise and comprehensive. The certification therefore demonstrates that the property has been designed and constructed in accordance with very strict environmental standards.
“Key aspects to be assessed include the building’s energy efficiency, environmental risk management, the airtightness of the building, the quality of the building technology, system monitoring and occupational safety. The location of the building also affects its environmental impact,” Salmi explains
A natural log frame has a small carbon footprint
For LEED Gold certification, the materials used in the building play a significant role.
“To minimise the environmental impact of a building, it’s advisable to choose timber as the framing material, as it’s a renewable resource with a small carbon footprint. Not every log-built project is certified, but if certification is desired for a building, it’s clear that timber will be extensively utilised in it,” Salmi says.
Timber is an interesting and much-sought building material. In addition to its small carbon footprint and environmental friendliness, timber creates a pleasant indoor environment and gentle acoustics in a building. Wood also looks beautiful and feels good. Its scent is proven to be calming. In a log-built daycare centre, both children and staff feel well.
Honkarakenne creates a sustainable future
For Honkarakenne, sustainability is more than just a word. Sustainability is a daily choice for the good of both people and nature. Sustainable procurement and ecologically friendly production are at the core of Honkarakenne’s operations and the future of construction.
Sustainably grown timber at the heart of it all. The timber raw material for log buildings comes from forests where the principles of sustainable development and biodiversity are adhered to.
“Even though sustainable construction demands more, it is the direction of the future. Customers are interested in sustainable development and log construction. LEED certification is an environmental good deed that undeniably enhances the value of a building,” Salmi points out.
It’s time to make mouldy buildings a thing of the past. We can use healthy and ecological building materials, such as pure Finnish wood.
Marko Saarelainen, CEO at Honkarakenne Oyj
Honka Projects
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