Niemi Janne
Building Control Manager
Vitality
The Riihimaki.fi website uses Google Translate.
According to Section 132a of the Land Use and Construction Act (1999/126), building a geothermal system requires applying for a permit from the building control authority. A permit is required both for new construction and when changing the heating system of an existing building to geothermal heat. For some of the new sites, the permit for the construction of geothermal energy can be included as a separate measure in the site's building permit.
A license fee according to the valid building control fee is charged for the procedure permit. In the permit application and decision, the measures are presented to ensure that the work is risk-free and to prevent harm. Restrictions may be placed on the construction of a geothermal system in an important groundwater area, and the construction of the system also requires applying for a permit in accordance with the Water Act from the competent authority. A geothermal system cannot be built in the protected areas of water intakes and in their vicinity.
Anyone planning a geothermal system, especially an energy well, should consult the guide provided by the Ministry of the Environment on the subject.
Geothermal collection systems include an energy well, earth circuit and water body.
In the urban and site plan area, an energy well is usually the only option as a heat source among ground heat collection systems. The space required by the district in a standard small house is approximately 1–000 square meters. Buildings cannot be built on top of the collection pipeline. An area that is plowed in the winter is also not suitable for the area of the collection pipeline. Land may not be built in areas where groundwater is formed. The pipeline to be placed in the water system requires the permission of the owner of the water area and a water construction notification to the ELY center and possibly the permission of the regional administration agency.
The recommended minimum distances of the energy well borehole to different targets are shown in the table below.
Target | Minimum distance |
---|---|
Property boundary | 7,5 m (when drilling vertical) |
Building | 3,0m |
The property's street or public area boundary | 4,0m |
Water and sewer lines | 3,0 m (own pipes), 5,0 m (other people's pipes) ¹ |
Another thermal well | 15,0 m (when drilling vertical) ² |
Tire well | 20,0m |
Rock bore well | 40,0m |
¹ the distance depends on the quality of the soil, the depth of the trench and the pipes to be placed in the trench
² when drilling at an angle, see the environmental guide
If the construction of a geothermal system also requires a permit other than the Land Use and Building Act, information about the documents needed to apply for them can be obtained from the authority granting the permit in question.
The operational permit decision regarding the construction of the geothermal system includes a condition for the completion of the final inspection. Order a final inspection from the building control authority during the validity period of the permit. The procedure permit is valid for three years after it becomes law.
At the latest at the final inspection, submit the implementation report of the energy well or underground pipeline to the building control authority, which must contain at least the following information:
Attach the information about the energy well or the landscape to the property's operating and maintenance instructions.
When replacing the heat transfer medium of the geothermal system with a new one, the old heat transfer medium must be treated as hazardous waste.
If an oil tank that was previously in use is removed during the transition to a geothermal system, the rescue service must be notified and the regulations given in the oil heating regulation and the environmental protection regulations of the city of Riihimäki must be followed.
Coarse stone material and sludge formed by water and solid matter generated during the drilling of an energy well must be handled in such a way that it does not cause harm to the environment or neighbors. Aggregate or sludge must not be led as such directly into a body of water (stream, pond, lake) or into the general drainage network. If sludge is piped into the soil of the plot to be drilled, it must be done in such a way that it does not cause waterlogging of the neighboring plot or clogging of ditches. The aggregate must be stored during the work in such a way that it does not blow dust with the wind or spread uncontrollably into the environment as sludge with the rain.
As the heat transfer agent of the geothermal system, a substance that is as harmless as possible to the environment, such as ethanol, should be used. Possible leakage of heat collection pipes can cause groundwater pollution. To prevent the risk of pollution, compounds harmful to groundwater, for example ethylene or propylene glycol or methanol, should not be used as a heat transfer agent.
The direct access of surface water to the groundwater must be prevented by properly sealed well structures.
The transfer of possibly radon-containing air in the bedrock through the pipe penetrations from the energy well to the living spaces must be prevented by sealing the penetrations with suitable elastic sealants.
Building Control Manager
Vitality
Building inspector
Vitality