All building permits processed online in Espoo
In Finland, all construction projects require a building permit handled by the municipal building control department. The process is carried out in cooperation by the developer and the local authority. The developer applies for the permit and submits all necessary plans and reports. The control authority provides advice, handles the application and supervises the project in terms of public interest.
During some years, construction in Finland has increased, particularly in the growth centers. In order to optimize operations, many municipalities have taken their permit process online. This is the case in the City of Espoo, too. The city kicked off an electronic service in 2009 and transferred the permit process fully online in 2017.
Customers have embraced the electronic service. For the last couple of years, no applications have been submitted on paper.
Espoo’s efficient permit process is enabled by a control system provided by Trimble. Its tools support the entire process from application to building completion. In addition to the internal processes of the authority, the system includes a service for the builders, through which can apply for the permit online. The system also provides a platform for the communications between the project parties from start to finish.
With the help of Trimble’s control system, the City of Espoo processes close to 2,000 permits annually, out of which about half is for construction. One of these concerns Trimble’s new offices which received the building permit 21 March 2019.
Trimble’s new offices are being built in Espoo
Trimble’s new offices are to be completed in 2021. The commercial property is being built in the Hatsinanpuisto area of the district of Leppävaara in Espoo. The owner of the property is insurance company Varma, and the developer and contractor is NCC.
At Trimble, we are closely involved in the planning and design, wanting to create a place where our people can develop the best software in the world. The building will showcase how Trimble products and services help build the best urban infrastructure in the world.
One of the first Trimble products used in the project is the system that enables the planning and supervisory process to take place completely online. Both can be pursued completely digitally online. The system developed by Trimble makes life easier for both the applicants and the authorities.
In order to learn what this means in practice, we have interviewed Project Director Pirkka Pikkarainen and architects Leena Brooke and Anna Ryhänen of Architects Cederqvist & Jäntti in charge of the permission process. The representatives of Espoo City interviewed are documentation engineer Jani Salminen and secretary at technical administration Maarit Lakso.