The pilot project is being carried out by the SOFTacademy which focuses on community involvement and comprehensive urban space renewal in line with the principles of the European New Bauhaus. Tallinn City Government said it is the first initiative of its kind in the capital.

Four apartment buildings located at Akadeemia tee 4, 6, 14, and 22 will be upgraded to an A energy class standard, and the surrounding urban space will be improved.

The buildings will be renovated using factory-produced modular elements. For the first time, elevators will be added to two of the buildings during the renovation process.

The buildings included in the project were selected for multiple reasons.

"Finding the buildings was partly a matter of chance when we started preparing the project. We needed a pilot area, and since our project partners already had previous contacts with these buildings, we managed to secure them within a tight time frame. But these also happen to be the oldest buildings in the Mustamäe microdistrict," Tallinn's green transition project manager Kadri Auväärt told "Vikerhommik" on Monday.

Work is expected to begin this year and should be completed by the first quarter of 2027. The team hopes to finish by July 2026.

It took significant outreach and persuasion to persuade apartment owners to participate in the project.

"Residents have been supportive of the project, but reaching financial decisions is always a challenge," Auväärt said.

The renovation decision was made through a vote, requiring the approval of 51 percent of owners. Gathering the necessary votes was difficult, but was achieved by active residents, she added.

Most costs will be covered by residents. However, the project is also supported by the European Urban Initiative and the Business and Innovation Agency (EIS).

Auväärt said the design and construction of the four buildings will cost a total of €15,045,311, of which EISA will contribute €6,289,815. The SOFTacademy project will provide €500,000 per building, totaling €2 million.

Parking space problems

Parking has long been a problem in Mustamäe and especially around apartment blocks.

The goal is to move parking areas away from buildings to garages located on the edges of microdistricts. These parking structures have yet to be built.

Auväärt said the city's broader aim is to reduce car use, and along with it, the number of parking spaces. This project will also remove parking spots between the buildings.

Additionally, it is hoped that lessons can be learnt from the project's process and serve as a model for urban planning.

"Neighborhood-level renovation is not just an aesthetic upgrade, but an opportunity to launch a comprehensive wave of renovations in Tallinn. SOFTacademy is a pilot for this direction and, hopefully, an inspiration for other neighborhoods," explained Deputy Mayor Madle Lippus (SDE).

In the future, the city aims to use the lessons learned from the project to offer renovation opportunities to other apartment buildings as well.

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