SATO company
Press release January 10, 2023 at 12:45 p.m
The energy crisis is reflected as concrete actions in the daily lives of tenants. In the past 12 months, almost 76% have made changes related to energy use and 83% related to mobility, according to a survey commissioned by housing investment company SATO in November. The survey explored tenants’ views on sustainable housing.
People living in rented houses pay increased attention to energy consumption, and the energy crisis manifests itself as concrete actions in the daily lives of tenants. A survey commissioned by SATO in November shows that 76% of tenants have made changes to energy use or energy saving. The survey, conducted via an online panel, included 1,005 respondents who live in a rented home or are considering moving into a rented home in the next 12 months.
The majority (67%) of landlords tried to save energy by taking small everyday actions such as turning off unnecessary lights or not leaving entertainment devices on standby. More than half of those surveyed say they have already reduced their electricity and water consumption, and a clear majority are willing to make changes to reduce electricity and water consumption in the future. Respondents are more ready to save electricity than water.
Households in Finland use energy mainly for heating, and almost one in three respondents (29%) turned down the temperature in their home.
“Heating is included in the rent of SATO rental houses, and in most houses the residents do not have the opportunity to influence the temperature. Instead, the temperature is monitored and controlled in a centralized way using artificial intelligence. Our goal is to keep SATO homes around 21°C, which is a healthy and energy-efficient indoor temperature,” he says Elina VaurasaloExecutive Vice President of Housing at SATO.
“As a large provider of rental housing, we have the opportunity to significantly influence energy consumption, and during the current energy crisis we paid even more attention to temperatures. According to the survey, more than half of respondents hope that their rental housing provider will advise them on sustainable housing issues. In addition to our own energy saving measures, we have also provided our residents with active guidance on how they can contribute to energy savings in their daily lives,” continues Elina Vaurasalo.
Almost every renter does this recycling – 53% recycle all household waste
From the survey, it is hoped that the rental housing provider will provide good opportunities for waste sorting and recycling. Awareness of recycling is high among tenants, with 96% of respondents recycling at least one type of recyclable waste and up to 53% recycling all household waste. Cardboard, paper and glass are recycled most often, but more than two out of three also recycle metals, plastics and bio-waste.
“We actively support and guide our residents to recycle waste, as this has a direct impact on reducing the environmental burden of our activities. One of the goals of our Sustainability Program is to increase material efficiency and promote circular economy principles during the residential use phase. For example, we are constantly developing our waste reporting and trying to enable our residents to track the waste from their residential buildings in more detail,” says the SATO Sustainability Manager. Susanna Kari Gonzalez.
Walking or public transport – a central location allows for a more sustainable lifestyle
In addition to reducing energy consumption, tenants have also changed their mobility over the past 12 months. A total of 83% of respondents have made at least one change in their mobility in a more sustainable direction, with young respondents aged 18-24 up to 94%.
About half of respondents have increased their walking and are trying to run multiple errands at once instead of making multiple trips. Other mobility changes include reduced use of private care (29%), reduced mobility and travel (25%) and increased use of public transport (24%).
The central location of the home makes it easier to make mobility changes. If the store is close enough, you can walk or bike there. As a result, the majority (80%) of respondents consider the location of the home to be an aspect that enables a more responsible and sustainable lifestyle.
Made in collaboration with Nope Insight Oy’s November 2022 online panel survey included 1,005 respondents who live in a rented home or are considering moving into a rented home in the next 12 months. The respondents were Finnish-speaking residents aged 18–74 Uusimaa, Tampere and Turku urban areas. The survey explored respondents’ expectations regarding the responsibility and sustainability of rental housing providers and respondents’ own choices regarding aspects of sustainable everyday living.
For the summary of results (in Finnish) and the press release published on 16 December 2022, visit the sato.fi website at https://www.sato.fi/en/releases/release2575243
For media inquiries please contact:
SATO Corporation, Elina Vaurasalo, EVP, Housing Business, phone +358 40 131 4010, [email protected]
Susanna Kari González, Sustainable Development Manager, [email protected], phone +358 201 34 4194
Jenni Rantanen, Communications Manager, [email protected], phone +358 50 386 4381
SATO Corporation is an expert in sustainable rental housing and one of Finland’s largest rental housing providers. SATO owns around 25,000 rental houses in the metropolitan area of Helsinki, Tampere and Turku.
SATO aims to provide an excellent customer experience and a comprehensive offer of urban rental housing alternatives with good access to public transport and services. We support sustainable development and work in open interaction with our stakeholders. SATO invests profitably, sustainably and with a long-term perspective. We increase the value of our property through investments, sales and repairs.
In 2021, SATO Group’s net sales reached €298.3 million, operating profit €304.5 million and profit before tax €259.4 million. The value of SATO’s investment properties is around EUR 5 billion. www.sato.fi
