Built Environment

We promote the testing and development of new clean and smart solutions in an urban environment. Solutions may relate to, for example, construction, the promotion of energy efficiency, energy production, air quality, as well as the utilisation of new technologies (e.g. IoT, 5G) in an urban environment. Are you interested in co-creating a smarter and more sustainable city environment? Please contact us!

What do the test platform activities offer to businesses?

We offer both companies and RDI actors of different sizes and stages of development the opportunity to develop, experiment, and pilot smart and sustainable solutions in an urban environment together with city experts and residents. The solutions place special emphasis on enabling smooth everyday living, as well as on environmental and climate goals.

In the built urban environment, smart and clean businesses are promoted in several ways. We offer smaller experimentation challenges, as well as with wider scalable solutions through competitions and market dialogue.

Testbeds for the built environment

The City of Helsinki actively promotes smart, energy-efficient, and climate-smart solutions in their renovation and infill construction sites. They are developed and implemented in residential and service construction sites. Both individual buildings as well as at the block level are utilised. The Urban Environment Division, the City of Helsinki Housing Production (ATT), and Helsinki City Housing Company (Heka Oy) are central players in these projects.

In cooperation with various business partners, the City of Helsinki has conducted numerous experiments with smart technologies, related to e.g. 5G and extended reality, to be utilised in the urban environment. The aim is to find solutions that can be scaled elsewhere.

  • New concepts for the events sector were seeked in an innovation challenge by the City of Helsinki, Fullsteam Agency and Helsinki XR Center. Solutions utilising virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR), camera technology, and motion sensing were tested in summer events 2022.

  • New sound beacons for metro stations and other sites were searched through an open call for agile experiments. The open call was carried out as a collaboration between the City of Helsinki and Helsinki City Transport (HKL). Companies produced solutions for more accessible public space by making it easier for different user groups to move and function independently.

  • The Health Outdoor Premises for Everyone HOPE project developed, among other things, air quality measurement technology and Helsinki’s air quality measurement network. It also offered new real-time local measurement data for companies to utilise together with their partners. The project is funded by Europe’s Structural Fund’s Urban Innovative Action program.

To whom are the solutions developed for?

With the help of new, sustainable and smart solutions, a more functional and enjoyable city is built for Helsinki residents. Companies participating in the test platform activities are able to develop their business. The need-based nature and quality of their products and services improve. 

News

Promising energy savings with hyperlocal weather forecast

30 percent of the used energy is consumed by buildings, largely for heating and cooling. The initial results of our experiment with a hyperlocal weather station aimed at energy savings in buildings are now available.

The collaboration and technology behind a hyperlocal weather forecast for improved energy efficiency

Accurate hyperlocal weather forecasts could be of significant help in reducing the amount of energy that buildings consume. Since autumn 2023, Vaisala's IoT weather sensor has been training itself and making local forecasts in the Testbed Helsinki platform. But how exactly does this promising technology work, and can it be used widely to save energy?

Industrial metaverse was experimented with in Suomenlinna

New winds are blowing at the historic Suomenlinna: a robot dog successfully created a 3D model in a challenging environment, in a tunnel connecting the island and the mainland. Testbed Helsinki provided an opportunity to learn about the automatic modeling done by the robot dog.

Hyperlocal weather forecast as a tool for saving energy in buildings

Buildings account for roughly one third of all energy consumption. Testing will show whether Vaisala’s hyperlocal weather forecasts could develop modern building maintenance engineering in Helsinki and achieve significant savings.

A journey into the world of innovative solutions – Helsinki at the international Smart City Expo

Business Helsinki traveled with six enthusiastic Finnish companies to the world’s largest and most influential innovation event. Together with two other Nordic capitals, we showcased our activities to those interested in sustainable urban solutions. What lessons did we bring back as souvenirs?

Green walls to protect against traffic noise tested in the centre of Helsinki

Temporary noise walls that improve the acoustic environment are being tested this summer in Helsinki. The green walls are on Korkeavuorenkatu in front of the Design Museum and in Erottajanaukio square on Mannerheimintie. The test is being realised to determine the impact of modular green structures on the local acoustic environment and the comfort of the areas.

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Want to hear more?

  • Mikko Martikka

  • Senior Advisor
    Smart & Clean Solutions
    City of Helsinki
    Business Helsinki, Innovation services

  • Petteri Huuska

  • Innovation Agent
    Smart & Clean Solutions
    City of Helsinki
    Business Helsinki, Innovation services

  • Osmo Mattila

  • Project Manager
    Business cooperation, new services
    City of Helsinki
    Business Helsinki, Innovation services