Environmental certifications for construction projects

An environmental certificate is a third-party verified quality mark for the environmental efficiency of a construction project.

During the project, environmental certification facilitates dialogue among stakeholders to develop the project. Environmental certification increases the value of the building and facilitates its sale.

We support you in choosing the most suitable certification and quality level for your situation and help develop the most efficient, cost-effective, and best solutions for the project’s quality. Our certification process begins with a comprehensive preliminary study to identify the project’s objectives and potential environmental certification level. Our experts support and guide the fulfillment of criteria throughout the entire design and construction project.

Sustera has been responsible for the majority of environmental classifications carried out in Finland, all of which have achieved or exceeded the targeted certification level within the agreed timeframe.

LEED Environmental Certification

The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) environmental certification system is developed and maintained by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for certifying the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of buildings. It is the most widely used environmental certification system internationally: there are over 197,000 projects in over 180 countries.

The LEED certification system assesses the environmental qualities of spaces, buildings, and areas. The certificate verifies that the building has been designed and built according to strict environmental goals. Certification provides tools for sustainable maintenance of the building and savings in energy consumption.

We have completed approximately over 70% of LEED certifications for project phases in Finland.

BREEAM Environmental Certification

BREEAM (Building Research Establishment’s Environmental Assessment Method) is Europe’s most popular environmental certification. It has been nationalized in several countries (Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, and Spain) and allows for the utilization of the best national practices in quality assurance.

The BREEAM environmental certificate provides a clear and systematic model for setting environmental goals, guiding design and construction, and verifying the final outcome. Additionally, it serves as an excellent tool for sustainable maintenance and energy savings in addition to project-phase guidance.

WELL Environmental Certification

WELL certification focuses on the health and well-being of property users. By investing in user well-being and comfort, a company’s attractiveness and productivity can be enhanced.

In construction projects, our services cover WELL preliminary studies and certification guidance throughout the entire design and construction project. Sustera has several WELL AP-certified individuals and Finland’s first completed WELL projects: Espoon Säterinportti and Kutomo Business Park tenant spaces.

We have expanded our service offering as the first Finnish GBCI (Green Business Certification Inc.) authorized operator to also conduct WELL Performance Testing audits. WELL Performance Testing audits consist of comprehensive verification of indoor conditions, including measurements of air quality, thermal conditions, water quality, lighting, and room acoustics. The audit also includes laboratory tests for air and water quality, which, together with on-site measurements, ensure compliance with WELL criteria. Through audits, we can offer flexible and domestic processing of the entire WELL certification process from preliminary studies and project guidance to audits.

RTYL Environmental Certification

RTYL (former RTS) is an environmental certificate developed by Rakennustieto Oy, whose criteria are based on the utilization of the best national methods. The RTYL environmental classification ensures the consideration of sustainable development principles in the project, focusing on the most significant national aspects. The main targets of the tool are indoor climate, energy efficiency, and moisture-related risk management. The RTYL tool is suitable for new construction, refurbishments, and partial refurbishments with significant changes in building services.