Pyhä Ski Resort – environmental responsibility

Environmental and climate responsibility

running on renewable energy

Built on a sustainable tourism Masterplan

Reduction of CO₂ emissions since 2008

Committed to the EU Energy Efficiency Agreement

Sustainable Development at Pyhätunturi

We have developed the Pyhä ski resort in a long-term and sustainable manner. Land use planning and construction have been guided by efficient practices that respect natural values, focusing on developing existing areas within Pyhä’s unique fell landscape. Responsibility has long been an integral part of Pyhä’s operations, and environmental work is reflected in everyday decisions throughout the resort’s activities.

Renewable Energy and Reduced Emissions

The main goal of Pyhä’s sustainability efforts is to ensure that future generations will also have the opportunity to enjoy skiing, the joys of winter, and the fell landscape. The most significant single measure in achieving this goal has been a commitment to the use of renewable energy sources. We use electricity and heating produced from renewable energy. Snow groomers, which account for approximately 85% of total fuel consumption, have transitioned from fossil fuels to renewable diesel. Snowmobiles use models that consume less fuel and produce fewer emissions. Emissions from staff commuting have been offset since 2011.

Through these measures, we have reached a situation where our direct and indirect emissions (scope 1 and 2) have decreased by approximately 90% since 2008. The remaining emissions are offset through the protection of Finnish peatlands. Our next goals include transitioning to electric snowmobiles and snow groomers to further reduce climate impacts. Increasing our own energy production is also included in the clean transition plan of our sustainability program. You can read more about climate change mitigation below.

Energy Efficiency

In addition to mitigating climate change, another key focus of our environmental responsibility is improving energy efficiency. Together with Ruka, we became the first ski resort in Finland to join the EU Energy Efficiency Agreement in 2008. The current agreement period extends until 2035. The most important development areas include improving the efficiency of water and electricity use in snowmaking, as well as reducing the fuel consumption of snow groomers. During 2026, we will implement the ETJ+ energy efficiency management system. You can read more about our energy efficiency efforts below.

Circular Economy

We promote the circular economy primarily through our equipment rental and accommodation operations. Equipment rental significantly reduces the need for customers to purchase new gear. At Pyhä, more than 25 000 pieces of equipment are rented annually.

In the Ski-Inn accommodation concept, the circular economy is realized by renting privately owned apartments when their owners are not using them. At the same time, this minimizes the environmental impacts of land use and construction, as well as unnecessary energy consumption.

We also promote the circular economy in our other operations. For example, we have introduced several used ski lifts into service. Furniture that becomes outdated during Ski-Inn apartment renovations is passed on for reuse. In our operational activities, various materials are reused whenever possible.

Easy Choice for a Sustainable Holiday

We enable our customers to enjoy an environmentally responsible holiday by providing the conditions for a car-free stay at Pyhä. Ski-Inn accommodations use renewable electricity and heating, and the slopes and services are within walking distance or accessible by lift from the accommodation. A low-emission skiing holiday at Pyhä comes naturally: arrive by train, stay in a Ski-Inn property, and ski on slopes powered by renewable energy. Pyhä’s Ski-Inn properties are Green Key certified.

Climate change mitigation

Climate change is the most significant threat to snowy winters and ski resort operations. At Pyhätunturi, we set a goal in 2008 to be a carbon-neutral ski resort in terms of our own direct emissions (scope 1) and emissions from purchased energy (scope 2). We have made steady progress toward this goal by transitioning to renewable electricity and heating as well as renewable diesel for snow groomers. In addition, we offset emissions that result from the unavoidable use of fossil fuels, such as those from snowmobiles and other vehicle traffic. Emissions from staff work travels are also offset as part of our sustainability efforts.

Due to changes in legislation, offsetting emissions is no longer officially accepted as a means to achieve carbon neutrality targets. However, we have continued offsetting, as it still supports climate change mitigation.

The majority of emissions generated by Pyhä’s operations – over 97% – occur in the value chain (scope 3 emissions). These calculations do not include emissions from customer travel, which are known to significantly increase scope 3 emissions. Although we cannot directly influence our customers’ travel choices, we encourage them to choose lower-emission modes of transport whenever possible.

In addition to emissions from customer travel, the most significant scope 3 emissions in the value chain arise from procurement and investments. Reducing these emissions is more challenging than reducing scope 1 and 2 emissions, as our ability to influence them is more limited. Nevertheless, we are committed to reducing scope 3 emissions as well and to working with our stakeholders to promote sustainable solutions.

Energy efficiency

In addition to mitigating climate change, improving energy efficiency is another key focus of Pyhä’s environmental responsibility work.

We focus on improving energy efficiency especially in slope operations and buildings, where energy consumption is highest. Practical measures we have taken to improve energy efficiency at Pyhä include:

Automation of snowmaking systems
Optimization of snowmaking using technology and monitoring
Increasing the use of LED lighting in slopes and accommodation
Optimizing slope lighting based on customer demand and usage situations
Utilizing waste heat from snowmaking for heating buildings
Optimizing snow groomer operations, including staff training and incentives for energy-efficient driving
Introducing lower-consumption snowmobile models
Optimizing lift speed and usage based on customer numbers
Increasing heat recovery in buildings
Utilizing smart energy management solutions in Ski-Inn apartments
Setting the base temperature of apartments to 21°C
Limiting water consumption in accommodation

SKI-INN IS A GREEN KEY CERTIFIED ACCOMMODATION OPTION

Pyhä’s Ski-Inn Hotels & Apartments were awarded the internationally respected Green Key sustainability certification in spring 2025, in recognition of our long-term and impactful sustainability work.

When staying in Ski-Inn apartments, you can enjoy your holiday with peace of mind, as the electricity and heating energy used are produced from renewable natural resources. The apartments are located within walking distance of lifts and services, enabling a car-free holiday at Pyhä all year round.

The ownership model of Ski-Inn apartments, where privately owned holiday apartments are rented out year-round, is an environmentally responsible solution. This model reduces land use and environmental impacts by combining owner-occupied and rental apartments within the same buildings. Read more >

All Ski-Inn apartments at Pyhä are equipped with sorting bins and clear recycling instructions. Guests can recycle bio waste, plastic, glass, small metal, cardboard, and paper. Recycling points are located near the accommodations. Ski-Inn recycling instructions >

The rental bed linen and towels used in Ski-Inn apartments carry the Nordic Swan Ecolabel, ensuring more environmentally friendly laundry and textile services. Read more >

Cleaning of Ski-Inn apartments is handled by SOL, which is committed to developing its operations responsibly. Learn more about their sustainability efforts >

STANDING WITH SNOWY WINTERS AND NATURE