Defence Properties Finland is investing even more heavily in ensuring good indoor air conditions for conscripts and for the personnel of the Finnish Defence Forces and their strategic partners. The new indoor air experts at Senate Properties’ subsidiary enterprise focus on the preventing problems. Building reviews and bonuses for tipoffs are a good help.
In summer 2021, three indoor air experts started at Defence Properties Finland’s Maintenance Unit. They are all qualified building health specialists and have extensive experience of investigating and resolving indoor air problems.
Mauri Sakko, Hanna Tuovinen and Jouni Vuohijoki are tasked in particular with proactive indoor air activities. They develop the competence of Defence Properties’ own personnel in indoor air matters by assisting the personnel in projects and by education. Besides this, our indoor air experts are responsible for client cooperation, developing operations, coordination of indoor air and harmful substance studies as well as maintenance and reporting of a situational picture of buildings.
Even though our experts are based in offices in different parts of Finland, their area of responsibility covers the whole of Finland. Mauri Sakko is based in Oulu, Hanna Tuovinen in Upinniemi and Jouni Vuohijoki in Turku.
Regular inspections of Defence Properties’ buildings and ventilation are carried out. Inspections focus particularly on factors affecting indoor air conditions.
Inspections provide good information on the condition of buildings and the need for further investigation. Once a building’s condition and need for repairs have been established, any repairs can be correctly targeted and timed to effectively improve the indoor conditions of buildings.
Structural and indoor inspections have been carried out in Defence Properties since 2019. A total of some 150 buildings were inspected between 2019 and 2022. By the end of 2023, we will have inspected 400 buildings at least once.
“During this year, we will inspect 180 buildings. This figure includes buildings that have already been inspected once, since depending on what they are used for, we inspect buildings at 3-5 year intervals,” says Indoor Air Expert Mauri Sakko.
Nowadays, most of the inspections are done by Defence Properties Finland’s partners, which enables a large number of inspections each year.
The inspections examine the structures and ventilation and kick off by studying the basic documentation and history of a building. During the field work phase of the inspection, the premises are surveyed using sensory and direct marker devices such as a surface moisture indicator and thermal cameras.
“Any problems arising in inspections result in corrective measures. Where needed, we carry out a more detailed condition investigation where we open up structures and take samples as necessary. Building condition inspections are also carried out as a pro-active measure. As a rule, we carry out comprehensive condition inspections even though problems have only arisen in a part of the building,” Sakko says.
Indoor Air Expert Hanna Tuovinen points out that building users can contribute to good indoor air by their own actions, including keeping the facilities tidy and easily cleanable as well as by reporting any adverse indoor air factors they notice.
Indoor air experts provide targeted education for Defence Properties Finland’s own personnel and for building users, including conscripts and Defence Properties’ personnel.
“A video on indoor air matters will shortly be completed for conscripts and we are also making written material for them. The heads at Defence Properties, our technical experts and the persons responsible for renovation and newbuild projects in the Construction Management Unit are given indoor air learning material intended for them. We also tailor separate educational material for cleaners and persons responsible for property maintenance,” Tuovinen says.
Education is carried out in the form of online education modules and where necessary, indoor air experts visit areas on training rounds.
”Where necessary, we’re happy to present our indoor air processes and activities to the personnel and also to answer questions in situ. However, it’s practically impossible to educate the entire personnel live. Online learning means we can easily meet our goal.”
Indoor air experts have been pleasantly surprised by the positive approach and skills of Defence Forces and Defence Properties Finland’s employees.
”The attitude to our focus on indoor air matters has been great. The matter is considered to be important,” Jouni Vuohijoki says.
At the beginning of this year, Defence Properties Finland introduced a system for employees to give indoor air tips. Good tips can receive an incentive reward.
“A reward is paid if the tip is an observation of particular importance affecting the quality of indoor air problems and which leads to corrective measures. We encourage our employees to give tips at a low threshold,” Vuohijoki says.
The barracks buildings used by the Finnish Defence Forces were built on average during the 1960s-1970s. Problems typical of the properties of the time can be found in the external wall structures, base floors and foundation structures. On the other hand, problems can arise in properties built of solid brick in the early 1900s if, for example, the original insulation materials in the intermediate and upper floor fillings have become damp.
Inspections help to predict the need for and cost of repairs and thus save money in the long term. Inspections and condition surveys provide valuable information about the condition of a building and allows matters to be intervened in before they become problems.
When the general public thinks of defence properties, the first thing that usually comes to mind is the garrisons and their barracks. Nevertheless, garrisons account for around just 15% of Defence Properties Finland’s building stock. The rest of the buildings are various offices, maintenance and storage facilities, hospitals and health centres as well as personnel housing.
Half of the barracks have been renovated in the 2000s and 15% of the barracks are now undergoing renovation. The remainder of the barracks will be renovated in the next few years. Renovation has resulted in a significant improvement in indoor air conditions and indoor air quality is constantly in focus.
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