Circular refurbishment with measurable impact

Haiku is an office property in eastern central Helsinki, originally built in 1976. During 2023–2024, Areim carried out a comprehensive refurbishment focused on improving energy efficiency, reducing operational carbon emissions and extending the building’s life cycle through circular solutions.

To enable both tenants and the surrounding community to thrive, a ground‑floor restaurant was introduced, alongside bike parking with e‑bike charging and showers to encourage sustainable commuting. Technical upgrades included a renewed roof, new ventilation systems, upgraded cooling, and connection to district heating and district cooling.

A key circular pilot focused on Haiku’s original windows. While approximately 600 window frames were replaced to improve the building’s performance, the glass panes were reused on site as indoor glass wall elements. This avoided new material production and reduced embodied carbon by approximately 8 per cent compared with new glass.

These measures resulted in LEED Gold certification (Core & Shell) and an improved EPC rating from C to B. Taken together, the refurbishment of Haiku has attracted widespread international recognition. The project also received support from the Circular Economy Department of the City of Helsinki. Haiku was awarded the SAFA Sustainable Development Award “Tunnustuspaanu” in 2026 and selected as a finalist in the Retrofit category at the 2025 World Architecture Festival.