Building permits: documentation of statistics
The documentation of the statistics describes how the statistics were compiled and what methods were used in the compilation. The data help interpret the figures of the statistics and evaluate their reliability and comparability. The quality report is based on the EU's SIMS model. The documentation also contains change releases describing changes in the statistics and possible specifying methodological descriptions.
If you are looking for statistical figures for these statistics, go to the statistics page: Building permits
Quality report
Data description (SIMS 3.1)
The statistics have been discontinued. The statistics on granted building permits describe monthly development in the number of building permits. The population for the statistics are new buildings and building extensions. The statistics do not extend to building repairs. These statistics are compiled as anticipatory, so that they can be used to forecast development in the volume of building construction as early as possible. The statistics measure the volume with the cubic capacity and number of dwellings of building projects.
Concepts and definitions (SIMS 3.4)
Building
A building refers to any independent structure permanently constructed or erected on its site. It has its own entrance and contains covered space intended for different purposes, usually enclosed within outer walls or walls separating it from other structures (buildings). Caves and other subterranean spaces which are mainly enclosed within rock or similar walls and/or which do not contain structures comparable to the interior structures of buildings proper, such as underground oil tanks, are not buildings. Buildings do not include light-structured stalls, kiosks and the like, which do not include spaces separated by closed walls, or transportable caravans, ships and so on. The building data derive from the building information system maintained by the Finnish Environment Institute Syke. The building stock statistics of Statistics Finland do not include: - liquid storage buildings - buildings used only in agricultural production - sauna buildings belonging to residential buildings - outhouses of residential buildings - buildings entirely controlled by foreign missions - buildings of the Finnish Defence Forces, - air raid shelters except where the above-mentioned buildings are occupied or have commercial properties. The data on new production of buildings do not include: - buildings entirely controlled by foreign missions - buildings of the Finnish Defence Forces - air raid shelters
Building material
The building material refers to the material from which the vertical supporting structures of the building are mainly made. The classification is as follows: - concrete, light concrete - brick - steel - wood - other, unknown.
Building permit
A building permit is a licence to build which is issued in accordance with the Land Use Act and the Planning and Construction Act and is granted by the municipal building control or environmental control authority dependent on the size of the building project. A notification must be made of all building projects subject to a building permit, and statistics on building and dwelling production are compiled from the information in these notifications. Projects subject to a building permit comprise construction of a new building, construction of an annex, repairs and alterations comparable to the construction of a new building, extension of a building or increase of the space included in its floor area, and essential change of the purpose of use of a building or part of a building.
Building production
Building production refers to the production of buildings subject to a building permit as a result of which buildings are created for different purposes of use.
Cubic capacity of a building
The cubic capacity of a building is the space limited by the exterior surfaces of outer walls, the lower surface of the base floor (the base of the building’s lowest space with thermal insulation) and the upper surface of the roof (the building part limiting the building's uppermost heated space from above including thermal insulation and protection). The cubic capacity of a building is calculated in accordance with the Finnish Standards Association's standard SFS 2460, RT 120.12.
Dwelling
A dwelling refers to a room or a suite of rooms which is intended for year-round habitation; is furnished with a kitchen, kitchenette or cooking area; and has a floor area of at least 7 square metres. Every dwelling must have its own entrance. A single-family house may be entered through an enclosed porch or veranda. If a dwelling is entered through the premises of another dwelling, it is not regarded as a separate dwelling but instead those two constitute one dwelling.
Dwelling production
Dwelling production refers to building construction subject to a building permit as an outcome of which dwellings, or residential apartments are produced. A dwelling refers to a room or suite of rooms which is intended for year-round habitation, is furnished with a kitchen, kitchenette or cooking area and has a floor area of at least 7 square metres. A dwelling also has its own, direct entrance.
Method of construction
Method of construction is determined by the main method of construction used for the building frame: Buildings in which over half of load bearing structures or certain parts of load bearing structures, such as externals walls, are mass produced are referred to as having a prefabricated structure. Buildings for which load bearing structures are built on site are deemed to have been produced in-situ. Only heating and ventilation ducts, flights of stairs, balconies and bathrooms may be factory-made in a building constructed in-situ.
Newbuilding
Newbuilding includes construction of new buildings subject to building permits, expansion of buildings and alterations comparable to rebuilding. Newbuilding produces new space either entirely in the form of new building construction, extensions made to existing buildings or reconstructed buildings.
Residential block of flats
A house with at least three dwellings of which at least two are on top of each other.
Single-family house
Single-family houses refer to detached houses, semi-detached houses or two-storey houses with two dwellings.
Type of building
Dwellings are classified according to the type of building as follows: - one to two-dwelling houses: one to two-dwelling houses and permanently occupied free-time residences - terraced houses: detached houses with at least three adjoining dwellings and where the spaces belonging to different dwellings are not on top of each other. - blocks of flats: residential buildings of at least three dwellings in which at least two dwellings are located on top of each other and which do not belong to the categories above - other buildings: also buildings whose type of building is unknown.
Institutional mandate (SIMS 6)
The compilation of statistics is guided by the Statistics Act. The Statistics Act contains provisions on collection of data, processing of data and the obligation to provide data. Besides the Statistics Act, the General Data Protection Regulation, the Data Protection Act and the Act on the Openness of Government Activities are applied to processing of data when producing statistics.
Statistics Finland compiles statistics in line with the EU’s regulations applicable to statistics, which steer the statistical agencies of all EU Member States.
Further information: Statistical legislation
Quality assurance (SIMS 11.1)
Quality management requires comprehensive guidance of activities. The European Statistics Code of Practice forms the basis for the common quality system of the European Statistical System.
The Code of Practice is based on 16 principles that concern statistical authorities' independence, accountability and the quality of the processes and data to be published.
The principles are in line with the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics approved by the United Nations Statistics Commission and are supplementary to them. The quality criteria of Official Statistics of Finland are compatible with the European Statistics Code of Practice.
Further information:
Release calendar (SIMS 8.1)
Statistics Finland publishes new statistical data at 8 am on weekdays in its web service. The release times of statistics are given in advance in the release calendar available in the web service. The data become public after they have been updated in the web service.
Further information: Publication principles for statistics at Statistics Finland
User access (SIMS 8.3)
The data are released to all users at the same time. Statistical data may be processed at Statistics Finland and information on them may be given before release only by persons involved in the production of the statistics concerned or who need the data of the statistics concerned in their own work before the data are published.
Further information: Publication principles for statistics
Unless otherwise specifically stated in connection with the product, data or service concerned, Statistics Finland is the producer and copyright owner of the data.
Further information: The terms of use for statistical data
Confidentiality - policy (SIMS 7.1)
The data protection of data collected for statistical purposes is guaranteed. The compilation of statistics is guided by the Statistics Act. Alongside the Statistics Act, the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (eur-lex.europa.eu) and the Finnish Data Protection Act (Finlex.fi) are applied to the processing of personal data. Provisions on the confidentiality of data collected for statistical purposes are laid down in the Act on the Openness of Government Activities (Finlex.fi).
The data are processed only by persons who need the data in their work. The use of data is restricted by usage rights. All persons employed by Statistics Finland have signed a pledge of secrecy, where they have obliged to keep secret the data prescribed as confidential by virtue of the Statistics Act or the Act on the Openness of Government Activities.
Further information: Data protection