Hanasaari

Senate Properties managed indoor conditions systematically in Hanasaari

The unique Hanasaari cultural and conference centre was built in the 1970s to promote the cooperation between Finland and Sweden. When the time came to renovate the seaside property, Sweco’s experts were responsible for the challenging moisture and cleanliness control of the site.

The Swedish-Finnish cultural centre owned by Senate Properties was opened in 1975. The seaside property designed by the architect Veikko Malmio includes several different kinds of facilities, such as 66 hotel rooms, auditoriums, a restaurant and sauna facilities. Hanasaari was one of the first sites in which Senate Properties began to pay attention to the management of indoor conditions systematically.

“We had already been thinking of ways to prevent indoor air risks for years, which is why we signed a moisture control coordinator onto the project,” says Construction Project Manager Markku Inkeroinen, Senate Properties. According to him, a third party perspective helps to ensure the right design and implementation for indoor conditions. “A third party also creates openness towards the users of the facilities when the whole production chain is documented.”

As the moisture and indoor air expert, Sweco ensured that the renovation was successful all the way to the commissioning of the premises. “We monitored the cleanliness of the facilities and surfaces and took measurements to ensure that all structural junctions are tight,” Sweco’s Project Manager Miika Virtanen sums up.

Today, Senate Properties has zero tolerance for problems in indoor conditions in all of the more than 9,000 buildings it owns. “We are focusing on anticipating the indoor conditions throughout the life cycle of our properties,” Inkeroinen says. “When moisture control is systematic, risks can be dealt with quickly and in time.”

Clean and safe premises for the users of the centre

In addition to the sea view, the nature on the open rocks is also present in the facilities of the centre in Hanasaari. In the lobby, the cliff is a part of a water art installation. “We made sure that the rock is cleaned of organic material carefully and that the water removal system works as it should,” Virtanen says.

There are two saunas and a swimming pool downstairs. The wood structures in the area had sustained moisture damage, due to insufficient ventilation. During the renovation, the structures were repaired with new, airtight layers. Challenging wet areas were also found in the hotel rooms.

“Each room has its own bathroom, so a great deal of moisture is generated during their use,” Virtanen says. Waterproofing had to be done carefully in each area, with no quality defects. In fact, model work was done in different sections and checked with tracer gas tests before installation. In small areas, adjusting the ventilation and controlling the pressure differences was also challenging. “A lot of exhaust air is needed, but underpressure must not be created in the rooms.”

In other areas, underpressure could be used in moisture and cleanliness control. “Hanasaari is surrounded by the sea on three sides with a complex façade line, and there are air spaces between the rock and some of the exterior walls. The decision was made to create underpressure in all air and crawl spaces, which means that air or moisture cannot get into the rooms,” Inkeroinen says.

A framework agreement and a solid partnership were established with Senate Properties

The cooperation with Senate Properties was harmonious, and currently Senate Properties has a framework agreement with Sweco on indoor climate analyses and condition surveys, as well as indoor air quality assurance consulting everywhere except for Eastern and Southern Finland.

“Our partnership also covers projects in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area that started during the previous framework agreement,” Inkeroinen says. One of them is the renovation of Merikasarmi in Katajanokka. “Sweco’s experts have commented on the plans from the beginning and addressed issues that have come up during the demolition work. In fact, our cooperation continues on a wide front.”

“A moisture control coordinator helps to ensure the right design and corresponding implementation for indoor conditions of high quality.”
– Markku Inkeroinen, Senate Properties

“A third party creates openness towards the users of the facilities when the whole production chain is documented.”
– Markku Inkeroinen, Senate Properties

“We focused on anticipating the indoor conditions throughout the life cycle of all of our 9,000 properties.”
– Markku Inkeroinen, Senate Properties