BIM and the New Finnish Building Act: Protect Your Confidentiality in Digital Permitting

The Finnish construction industry is undergoing a historical digital transformation. Starting January 1, 2026, the new Finnish Building Act (751/2023) mandates BIM-based (Building Information Modeling) permitting. This means that a building’s entire “DNA”—from technical innovations to detailed material data—must be submitted to official government registers and the national data system on built environment (RYHTI).

For international operators and innovative developers, this presents a new challenge: How to comply with Finland’s strict digital permitting requirements without compromising your confidentiality?

BIM Data as a Public Record

In Finland, any document or data set submitted to a public authority is, by default, a public record under the Act on the Openness of Government Activities (621/1999). While the law protects private business secrets (Section 24, Subsection 20), protecting them in the world of BIM requires technical precision:

• Metadata reveals strategic information: An IFC model may inadvertently contain internal cost codes, precise supply chain details, or unique technical innovations.

• Machine-Readability vs. Privacy: Unlike traditional PDF drawings, “redacting” sensitive information from a BIM model is a technical process that requires deep BIM expertise.

RAVA3Pro and Finnish Digital Standards

Permitting in Finland is increasingly based on data content definitions established by the RAVA3Pro project. For example, the City of Helsinki’s latest BIM guidelines (7/2024) emphasize that data exported to the city model must be filterable so that only the building’s external envelope is visible.

This is a critical junction: authorities need specific data for automated compliance checks (such as carbon footprint calculations and fire safety), but your company’s competitive advantage must not be leaked to the public.

Localization Services by Laitila Architects: A Bridge Between International Design and Finnish Law

At Laitila Architects, we are helping international Architecture and Engineering practices and developers navigating this new digital regulatory landscape. Our localisation services ensure that:

1. Designs Comply with the Building Act: We adapt international designs to meet Finnish statutory requirements (e.g., Sections 61 and 69 of the Building Act).

2. BIM Models are Securely Filtered: Laitila Architects creates a “permit version” of the model (MVD – Model View Definition) that strips away business secrets while remaining fully compliant with automated government checks.

3. ‘Ryhti’ System Compatibility: We ensure that the final As-built models meet national standard without compromising the property owner’s data security.

Do Not Accidentally Surrender Your Competitive Advantage

Digitalization offers massive opportunities for faster permitting and the circular economy. However, it must not happen at the expense of innovation. Laitila Architects acts as a professional filter between technical excellence and legal protection.

Are you planning a project in Finland?

Contact Laitila Architects to ensure your project meets the requirements of the new Building Act—securely and efficiently.

Contact our Localization Experts today to keep your competitive data safe