Across many European countries including Finland, the number of people diagnosed with autism has grown in the last decades. To help meet the needs for services and care to people with autism, Autismisäätiö, Autism Foundation Finland, was established in 1998 by the Finnish Autism Society.
Autismisäätiö is a non-profit operator, and profits go directly into further enhancing the operations and the knowledge and capability to provide services and care to people with autism. Today, Autismisäätiö operates care homes in 22 locations across Finland, and another 6 are in the pipeline, the first two being the care home in Kuopio and another in Lappeenranta.
The care home in Kuopio is currently 40% completed and will be finished by the end of this year. The remaining 60% will be completed as forward funding.
Visualization of the care home under development in Kuopio
Once completed, the care home will house 34 residents with special support needs. The asset comprises a total area of approximately 2,000 sqm.
The seller is Hoivarakentajat, a Finnish constructor and developer specializing in environmentally and energy-efficient care homes and kindergartens built from logs.
So far, we have had three care home completions in Finland and seven Forward Funding projects under construction. All of the current projects are expected to be completed by spring 2024. We continue to invest actively and are looking for opportunities in both developments and existing healthcare assets, comments Jannika Kankare, Investment Director in Finland.
In the development of the care home, Autismisäätiö, Hoivarakentajat and a team of architects have partnered up to create an ambitious, new concept that at the same time ensures the well-being and everyday life of the residents and is environmentally friendly. Even staff members and residents have been involved in process to make sure that the care home will suit the specific needs of people with autism.
Visualization of the common areas of the care home
As an example, the care home is constructed using domestic wood which is not only a sustainable choice but also a material that prevents unnecessary sensory stimuli for the residents. Other focus areas are the acoustics and the space management of the common areas which have been designed to avoid restlessness. The indoor climate is based on geothermal heating and cooling with 100% of the energy from renewable sources.
With the strong commitment to sustainability in the construction and the green energy solutions, the aim is to achieve LEED Gold certification. The Kuopio care home would be the first asset in the fund’s Finnish portfolio to become LEED Gold certified.
About Northern Horizon
Northern Horizon specializes in healthcare and other specialized investment strategies in Northern Europe. ‘Aged Care Fund IV’ helps the Nordic countries meet the challenge of a rapidly ageing population by funding the development of modern and high-quality care homes and healthcare assets.
