Finland

Abstract

We selected the most significant early PPP projects (later referred to as SchoolProject and MotorwayProject) as cases, reflecting specific implementation requirements in the two sectors they represent (construction and transport infrastructure). The Finnish construction sector is highly regulated: national regulations and norms condition construction practices and set boundaries and requirements for actors operating within the field. Public procurers, which include state actors and municipalities, play an influential role in the industry as major investors in the built environment. The role of different industry associations in developing standards, norms, and practices as well as facilitating cooperation among the actors has also been significant in Finland. PPPs are a relatively new phenomenon in the Finnish context. The first case chosen was the first property construction PPP project in Finland, paving the way for PPP use and refined the requirements for such projects elsewhere. The project took place in Espoo, the second-largest city in Finland. The other case chosen, was the second Finnish motorway PPP project and, at the time of construction, due to its scope, the most expensive road construction project ever in Finland. The project was an extension of the motorway between Turku (the largest city in southwest Finland) and the capital region of Finland. The scope of the project included the construction and operations of a 51.3 km motorway including seven road tunnels. This project finalized the nonstop motorway link between the city of Turku and the Helsinki capital region.