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Environmental administration to introduce a built environment information system

Ministry of the Environment
Publication date 28.9.2020 10.57
News item

The project on the built environment information system of the environmental administration (Ryhti) is preparing major changes to how information on the built environment is being managed. The aim is to have all information created in land use and building operations in one place in an accessible and interoperable form. This will also streamline the management of this information and facilitate the work of the users.

Along with the reform of the Land Use and Building Act that is currently under way, information created in zoning and building permit processes will be entered to the built environment information systems, i.e. the land use planning information system and building information system. 

The information systems will contain information specified in the Land Use and Building Act, such as information on different types of plans, building ordinances, building prohibitions, derogations, use restrictions, as well as core data on buildings. Core data comprises e.g. the permanent building code, purpose of use, and technical properties and size of a building. Information will be used through a platform to be constructed in the project. The platform will also search interoperable information from systems maintained by other organisations. 

At present zoning and building permit information is compiled by several central government organisations, and local governments send information to several different places. The change will improve the access to and usability and quality of information. The aim is to reduce overlapping processing and storing of information. High-quality information creates new opportunities to use information in both public administration and the business sector. Information will also help decision-makers in monitoring the climate impacts of building and zoning.

The implementation will take place within the administrative branch of the Ministry of the Environment. In future the responsibility for the built environment information system will rest with the Finnish Environment Institute. The organisations involved in the project include the Digital and Population Data Services Agency, National Land Survey of Finland and Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities. The purpose of this broad cooperation is to ensure the benefits of the change to all parties. One of the benefits to be achieved is the harmonisation of information structures such as lexicons and information models. These are currently being specified in the cooperation group on the interoperability of the built environment.

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