Sustainable urban development with circular economy

Creating sustainable, comfortable and safe urban development by utilising opportunities provided by the circular economy

As a pioneer in its field and with the help of opportunities provided by the circular economy, YIT promotes the urban development of sustainable, comfortable and safe cities by building long-term and attractive residential environments. YIT increases carbon-neutral construction as well as develops services related to building lifecycle management. YIT designs and builds safe neighbourhoods that promote a sense of community in the respective region.

Our approach

Urbanisation is one of the megatrends we have identified as having a major impact on today’s society. We want to play a role in enabling sustainable, comfortable and safe living for people in cities as well as revitalise existing urban areas. We develop solutions based on the circular economy and promote carbonneutral construction.

Renovation, the use of recycled materials and property life-cycle services are good examples of our planned circular economy solutions.

Did you know?

Did you know that in 2019 74,5% of the population in Europe and 84.2% of the population in Finland live in cities? Our vision is to bring more life in sustainable cities.

What is a sustainable city like?

A sustainable city is valuable for all of its stakeholders:

Citizens

For citizens a sustainable city means it's a comfortable place to live in, services are close, public transportation operates well and it's a good surrounding for living a happy and sustainable life.

Companies

For companies, a sustainable city means a place with population density and flow is good enough for profitable business at the footing of buildings. There is demand for many kinds of services and it is possible to spesialise. Sustainable city is a lively place and an innovative environment for business.

City officials

For city officials this means attractive urban areas that support the city's future as a sustainable place to live and work in. Besides, it means trustworthy partnerships in urban development.

The environment

For the environment a sustainable city means less greenhouse gas emissions, smaller utilisation of natural resources and more places for the nature and biodiversity to thrive in the city.

In a sustainable city all three dimensions of sustainable development are taken into account:

Socially

From the social point of view, a sustainable city is a place where people feel comfortable in, where the community is strong and people feel attached to the neighbourhood. The city also feels like a safe place to live in. Daily life is smooth in a sustainable city.

Ecologically

A sustainable city minimises the greenhouse gases that are produced in and outside of the city. The need for private cars and other means of transportation is low and public transportation is effective and attractive. Biodiversity is protected and nature is a natural part of the city.

Economically

Economically a sustainable city continues to be an attractive area to live in from one decade to another and the local real estate maintains its value, thus being a safe investment for people. The technical solutions used in the buildings are also made to last and the buildings are easily maintainable.

SDG 11: Sustainable cities and communitiesSDG 11: Sustainable cities and communities

11. Sustainable Cities and Communities
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.

Building sustainable cities is at the core of our strategy. We offer rental and owner-occupied housing to our customers, construct business premises and other public buildings and build eco-friendly public transport solutions. We also utilise our expertise in demanding infrastructure construction projects in areas such as municipal wastewater management and the construction of production facilities for renewable energy, such as wind power and hydropower.

The concept of sustainable cities also covers areas developed with the mixed use principle, which combines housing, services, jobs and public transport. Examples of our mixed use projects currently in development include Keilaniemenranta, Punos in Itäkeskus and the Pasila district in Helsinki.

Our actions:

11.1 By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services, and upgrade slums.

We offer rental and owner-occupied housing to our customers and invest in the quality of construction. For example, in 2019, we expanded our operations in the rental housing market.
We aim to create a strong sense of community and increase the safety and comfort of our projects through various living services. For example, in 2019, we launched a cooperation with a car-sharing company in Poland and developed the Smartti Mokotów co-living project, where the residents are able to use extensive shared facilities to work and exercise.
We take the initiative to create area development visions particularly to support the development of different city districts and areas. We want to enable a safe, sustainable and comfortable life for as many people as possible. For example, in 2019, we carried out an area development plan for Turku’s Pansio district.

11.2 By 2030, provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all, improving road safety, notably by expanding public transport, with special attention to the needs of those in vulnerable situations, women, children, persons with disabilities and older persons.

We build eco-friendly public transport solutions, which promotes sustainable life in sustainable cities. Public transport provides an alternative to the use of private cars and reduces transport emissions. For example, in 2019, we started the construction of the Jokeri Light Rail project and continued the construction of two Länsimetro stations and the Tampere Light Rail.

11.6 By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality, municipal and other waste management.

Through our choices and actions, we can significantly influence the extent to which cities, their residents and companies support sustainable development. We support low-emission lifestyles for our customers; for example, by enabling the carbon neutrality of buildings during use. We also strive to reduce the emissions generated by our own operations.
Dense urban development and, among other things, the proximity of daily consumer goods retail services and public transport to our residential properties help reduce the emissions of the people who live in our residences. We monitor the development of these performance indicators in our self-developed projects.
We provide renovation services to extend the life cycle of existing buildings.

11.7 By 2030, provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces, particularly for women and children, older persons and persons with disabilities.

To celebrate the centenary of Finland’s independence, we developed a yard concept for creating functional and comfortable yards. Created in cooperation with external stakeholders, the yard concept is built around three functionalities: quiet, social and active. We want to incorporate nature into the lives of our customers.
We cater for the needs of special groups in our projects. Tripla, for example, is a pioneer in accessibility. In practice, accessibility is reflected in Tripla's color coding and contrast contrast, as well as lighting, fingertip guidance, white stick floor guides, induction loops, plain-language maps, and completely designed accessibility.