For PSOAS, sustainability is a core value, which can also be seen in the design and construction of its new building, UNO. Housing is one of the most significant factors in your personal carbon footprint, which is why choosing sustainable housing helps you reduce the emissions from your lifestyle. At UNO, sustainability has been taken into consideration in many ways.
Sustainability and environmental values are present everywhere at UNO – starting from its location and hard-wearing materials. Lifecycle principles have been applied to the choices of materials: when the materials are as durable as possible, they also have a longer lifecycle.
“The materials are subject to much more wear in a rental apartment than in an owner-occupied apartment. The fixtures are the responsibility of the housing provider, PSOAS, and not the tenant, so it is environmentally sustainable to choose durable materials,” says Eerik Junnikkala, Property Manager from PSOAS.
UNO is located in the Välkkylä district, on top of existing infrastructure, which is a sustainable choice, since the infrastructure for electricity, heating and water supply does not need to be built from scratch; instead, connections can be made to the existing grids.
Supporting sustainable means of energy and mobility
The most significant carbon dioxide emissions related to housing come from energy consumption. This is why the roof of the UNO carpark and the electricity systems of the high-rise are designed so that they support solar panelling.
“Space is reserved for solar power installations so that starting the building’s own solar power would be as easy as possible in the future. Each apartment will also have digital screens through which tenants can monitor their energy and water consumption. In the shared spaces, the lights will have motions sensors so that the lights don’t stay on unnecessarily.”
The high-rise building’s central location next to excellent transport connections also supports a sustainable lifestyle: a car is not necessary when buses to various destinations stop by your home, and the cycling opportunities are unprecedented.
“A cycling lane called Hiukkabaana is being built right next to UNO, by Kajaanintie street, which will make cycling a breeze. There will be lockable bike racks for over 190 bikes, and seven spaces for special-structure bikes. And there will be another 136 bike parking spaces in the yard. The Välkkylä neighbourhood has 1,200 parking spaces for bikes in total.”
The lower floors of UNO will have a maintenance facility where tenants can wash and fix their bikes with the tools provided. The carpark will also have a bicycle shelter and parking spaces for visitors’ bicycles. There will be fewer car parking spaces: the new carpark will have 91 spaces, all of which will have a charging station for electric cars.
“We want to concentrate the car parking area in one corner so that the middle yard will be more comfortable and easier for the tenants to enjoy. It will have a barbecue gazebo and a boules court. These help us build community spirit, too.”
Social responsibility through community spirit
At UNO, significant contributions have been made to support community spirit. The lower floors are dedicated to everyday encounters: the ground floor will include a laundry room, a community room and spaces for studying. The lower floors are like a second living room for the students, and they are encouraged to spend time there.
“The ceiling height on the ground floor will be four metres, and there will be several glass walls so that people aren’t hidden by walls, but interacting with each other. As soon as you enter, you can see if anyone else is there. Similarly, mail will not be delivered to homes, but to the individual letterboxes on the ground floor. There will even be pleasant facilities next to the laundry room so that tenants can chat with each other while waiting for their laundry,” Junnikkala says.
The community activities also extend to the upper floors. The tenant gym will have a seaside view, and the sauna facilities will share a large glazed terrace. The gym and support for cycling also encourage tenants to pursue an active lifestyle. This is part of our sustainability thinking: an active lifestyle is not only eco-friendly, but it also has health benefits.
At the construction stage, the UNO worksite is the cleanest in Finland. The outcome will be of the highest purity class, P1, which ensures that the building’s indoor air will be fresh when the first tenants move in. The site also pays attention to accessibility. Eight per cent of the homes will be fully accessible, and the two lifts in the building will be spacious enough for wheelchairs.
PSOAS offers rental apartments for students in Oulu
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