All of Kojamo’s properties switched to Helen’s hydropower-certified electricity

Kojamo is developing more eco-friendly living already in approximately 700 residential properties across the Helsinki Metropolitan Area and Finland’s other major growth centres. This year, all of Kojamo’s properties switched to Helen’s hydropower-certified electricity. In properties, electricity is used, among other things, in operating ventilation, lighting shared facilities and outdoor areas, heating saunas and heating cars on parking areas. In the near future, it will also be used for charging electric vehicles.

The hydropower-certified electricity that Kojamo purchases for its properties is hydropower generated in the Nordic countries, mainly in Helen’s hydroelectric power plants.

“Responsibility is integral to Kojamo’s operations and the housing of the future. In everyday life, responsibility consists of many small things. Hydropower certification is a good example of this. The certification ensures that the electricity we use in our properties is carbon-free and produced from renewable sources, considering the electricity production process in its entirety”, says Pasi Kujansuu, Director of Kojamo’s Property Services unit.

“Helen’s goal is to achieve carbon neutrality in 2035, together with the customers. It is significant that companies and households increasingly make responsible choices in their energy consumption,” says Ritva Määttänen, Sales Manager at Helen.

In addition to the hydropower certificate, certificates of origin can also be granted for other renewable sources of energy, such as wind and solar power or bioenergy. For instance, Helen’s wind certificate guarantees that electricity is LEED-certified wind power produced in the Nordic countries or Northern Europe and their bio certificate guarantees that electricity is renewable energy produced locally in Helsinki, using pellets that are sawmill industry by-products as raw material.

Kojamo has more than 35,000 Lumo rental apartments around Finland, housing approximately 50,000 residents. Living in a Lumo home is a more ecological housing option also from the resident’s point of view.

“As the latest Lumo benefit, we offer, together with our partner Helen, the opportunity to purchase carbon-free electricity for your household needs at a lower price. Helen’s new Service Agreement for Household covers both an electricity contract and home insurance. This package includes 100% hydropower for your household and a comprehensive home insurance policy. For people living in apartment buildings, Helen also offers an apartment-specific contract on renewable district heating,” Kujansuu adds.

According to Kujansuu, the maintenance of Kojamo’s properties could be compared to an orchestra where it must be ensured that the members play seamlessly together. In all everyday matters, residents are served by Kojamo’s own customer service, the property manager and the most visible partner: the maintenance company. Property maintenance and living comfort also require the contribution of numerous other experts from different fields.

“Our maintenance partner network for a single property consists of more than 30 companies, from which we purchase many kinds of services. These services include, among other things, servicing the building’s ventilation or heating systems. In addition, the maintenance of elevators, locks and safety systems, for instance, must be carried out by specialists. Cooperation is guided and developed with the aid of quality control systems and regular client satisfaction measurements and inspections.”