Almost half of the municipal decision-makers who responded to a survey by the Finnish Association of Building Technology Industry and Trade say that their municipality cannot afford to maintain its current property stock in the future. However, municipalities consider their own building stock to be an important part of both service provision and attractiveness.
45 percent of respondents to a municipal decision-maker survey commissioned by the Finnish Building Technology and Trade Association estimated that in the future their own municipality will not be able to afford to maintain the current property stock, and a third say it will be challenging.
However, municipal decision-makers consider buildings and their good indoor environment important. 93 percent of respondents say that their municipality's building stock is an important part of the service offering. 80 percent, in turn, believe that the comfort, health and safety of buildings have a very large or large impact on the attractiveness of a municipality.
"Healthy and safe public spaces, such as schools and daycare centers, create vitality and attractiveness in municipalities in the eyes of not only decision-makers but also residents. Therefore, it is positive that almost 60 percent of the municipal decision-makers who responded to our survey are satisfied with the attractiveness of their own municipality's buildings and only two percent describe their feelings as depressed. The majority also see that buildings play an important role in developing the municipality's future attractiveness and retention power," says Talteka's CEO. Ilkka Salo says.
"On the other hand, the tight financial situation of municipalities is pulling municipal decision-makers in another direction: exactly half of our respondents consider the building stock to be a financial burden. However, it is noteworthy that only five percent think that municipalities should not own buildings at all."
Iro Research conducted a survey of municipal decision-makers' opinions on municipal public buildings – such as daycare centers, schools, libraries, offices, health centers, and service centers. A total of 101 municipal or city mayors, council chairmen, and other municipal decision-makers from across Finland responded to the survey*.
Many municipalities lack a real estate strategy
Of the municipal decision-makers who responded to the survey, 56 percent say that their municipality has a real estate strategy or business premises program – and 41 percent do not. Cities have a strategy more often than municipalities.
The strategies have more generally taken into account the maintenance and repair of building services, the quality of the indoor environment and changes in service networks in welfare areas. Increasing extreme weather phenomena have been taken into account in only one in four strategies.
"The municipal building stock is under the cross-pressure of a variety of expectations, financial pressures, tightening regulations and changes in the service networks of welfare areas. This uncertain situation highlights the importance of a real estate strategy, and therefore every new council should ensure that its municipality has an up-to-date real estate strategy. Cooperation with private actors could also bring new opportunities for developing the building stock in this situation. The long-term and goal-oriented development and maintenance of municipal properties is of both national economic and public health importance," says Ilkka Salo.
Abandonment and demolition more common priorities than renovation and new construction
When municipal decision-makers were asked about the most important priorities for developing the building stock, six out of ten ranked investment in maintenance and property management as number one. Half then mentioned selling and demolishing buildings.
"The need for municipalities to modify and even reduce their building stock is understandable. Yet it is startling that the sale and demolition of municipal buildings take precedence over renovations, new construction, and energy and indoor air renovations. When buildings have been well cared for, they are easier to sell or change their purpose," says Ilkka Salo.
58 percent of the respondents to the survey say that their municipality has budgeted enough money for property management, maintenance and repairs. Savings have been made from the property budget in this term in 59 percent of the respondents' municipalities. Most savings have been made on renovations, servicing and maintenance, and the renewal of technical systems.
At the beginning of the year, Talteka also surveyed Finns' views on the municipal building stock and the indoor conditions of public buildings. The research results can be found at From Talteka's website.
* Iro Research collected data commissioned by the Building Technology Industry and Trade Association The study material was collected through telephone interviews and an online form from 22.1 January to 4.2.2025 February 101. The sample size was 71 people in total. 30 of the respondents were municipal leaders, technical managers and directors, heads of public works departments and other technical decision-makers. XNUMX respondents were municipal council chairmen. Half of them were interviewed by telephone and half responded to the survey via an online form.
For more information and more extensive research material:
Ilkka Salo
CEO
ilkka.salo@rt.fi + 358 40 847 9907Finnish Building Services Industries and Trade (Talteka)