The Building Register is now part of a larger e-construction platform
We have moved from simply developing the EHR to developing an e-construction platform, because, as we know, no building exists in a vacuum. It is surrounded by other buildings and structures, and construction must comply with applicable plans and restrictions. The new platform allows for better visualization of data links and integration into services.
We are taking a step closer to a solution where architects or homeowners can see all the requirements and possibilities for a plot of land in a single view.
There is still a lot of work to be done in the area of user-friendliness.
The construction sector is complex, and the legislation regulating it is also complex. We are trying to translate this complexity into an increasingly simple user interface and a user experience that is as similar as possible across Estonia. We are moving towards simplification and streamlining of processes. User feedback is valuable to us, although implementing suggestions is somewhat time-consuming. We operate on a limited budget, and many changes can only be made as part of a larger project. The good news is that the legislator is also looking for ways to simplify procedures and other processes that we could implement in the building register procedures.
Simplification often requires more than just refining what already exists; sometimes things need to be done differently: For example, a construction guide and chatbot that illustrates and simplifies legislation, or a 3D twin that allows you to send a 3D image of an object to the parties involved instead of a PDF file with multiple markings, which can be viewed from different angles in the existing environment. Work is also simplified when information does not have to be entered twice into different systems or searched for in them. In this area, projects are currently being launched to harmonize the exchange of data on boreholes, including geothermal systems, and information on heritage buildings with external information systems.
File naming is not necessary for small projects
In many ways, user-friendliness is a more complex optimization task than it appears. With every change, we must consider its impact on different user groups. To put it figuratively, if we completely abandoned the file naming rules that many find tedious, it would be difficult for the processor, rescue official, involved network administrator, and others to find the specific file they need among dozens or hundreds of construction project files, and the processing time would increase many times over. This does not mean, of course, that we have given up on simplifying naming, because in the case of small projects, for example, where there are only a few files as attachments, hobby builders do not have to bother learning complex standards. It is enough for them to select from a list what type of file it is.
In addition to thinking about convenience for the private sector, we definitely need to optimize the gateways through which permit procedures pass, i.e., the work of 79 local governments and the TTJA. In addition, the Rescue Board, the Environmental Board, and other coordinating bodies. We are doing this step by step. For example, the mass notification application launched in early 2025 will make it much easier for local governments to send messages to those involved. Since large infrastructure projects can involve hundreds of people, the time saved could amount to several weeks per procedure, according to local government estimates.
We will continue development
There are developments whose results affect us all indirectly (e.g., solutions for speeding up wind farm procedures) or directly (e.g., adding land improvement system procedures to the e-construction platform could speed up water drainage planning and procedures, among other things). We are also taking steps to alleviate the situation where, as taxpayers, we pay more for more complex procedures (in Estonia, every thousand taxpayers maintain a public database that they need to interact with at one point or another). For example, part of the railway register infrastructure will also be transferred to the e-construction platform this year, while the processing of wastewater treatment systems will be built into the EHR instead of the originally planned separate application.
The planning processing information system PLANIS will be added at the end of 2025
The most significant change on the e-construction platform this year will be the launch of the planning processing information system PLANIS. We have very little time to develop it, so various conveniences and automation features will certainly be added in the coming years. It will be a nationwide system that, among other things, will be directly linked to the EHR and will contribute step by step to the harmonization of procedures in all local governments.
Naturally, the BIM permit environment, which is still in beta development, will continue to evolve, becoming more stable and offering broader functionality (e.g., better integration with 3D twins), and with the development of ÜBN, it should also work better with structures. We plan to launch the BIM permit procedure by the beginning of next year.
All land and spatial services in one place
The e-construction platform is an important digital leap forward. It is the first "tangible" step towards a spatial services platform, through which the Land and Spatial Development Board brings all land and spatial data and related services together in one window for the user. This allows us to reduce the maintenance costs and complexity of the system, which in turn is an important means of increasing reliability.
Bringing services together also increases the efficiency of customer processes, as it is easier for us to view and optimize them holistically. For example, if a river that forms the boundary between two cadastral units changes its course, an automatic process is triggered in both the land cadastre and the administrative unit database as soon as the relevant information is updated in the topology database. The updated cadastral (and administrative unit) boundaries are immediately available to landowners, planners, builders, and other stakeholders. This saves weeks of time and avoids errors in all related procedures.
By consolidating services in one place, we can ensure that they function similarly and that users do not have to learn the specifics of each application for each system.
Author: Taavi Jakobson, Director of Digital Services
Loomise kuupäev: 14.11.2025
