Green Capital Lahti implements the European Green Deal together with businesses
The group of business partners of the European Green Capital grows with the additions of Peab Asfalt, Vaisala, Kempower and Peikko. Industrial operators take up innovative sustainability measures, cut back on emissions, promote sustainable global growth and create jobs in Lahti and Finland.
One of the central goals of Lahti’s European Green Capital Year 2021 is building partnerships between different operators. In order to address environmental challenges, we need new forms of collaboration between the private and public sectors and civil society. Europe has numerous mid-sized cities for which Lahti is setting an example. Effective partnerships also play a key role in the implementation of the European Green Deal. The programme provides cities with a policy framework for combining environmental and economic objectives with the pursuit of social fairness.
”The environmental impact of industrial operators and businesses is significant. At best, by developing their own operations, responsible companies can discover groundbreaking solutions to our shared environmental challenges. The Päijät-Häme grain cluster is a concrete example of an innovative environmental solution created as a collaboration between the city, universities and private businesses . The cluster brings together food industry operators in the region to collaborate in developing energy efficiency and the more efficient use of materials,” says Programme Director Saara Vauramo.
Sustainability actions in many different industries during the Green Capital Year
During the Green Capital Year, private businesses Peab Asfalt, Kempower and Peikko will carry out various sustainability actions. Some of the actions are established practices for the companies, while others are still in development. Businesses participate in the Green Capital Year through their industry and expertise. Funding received from the partnerships is directed to the implementation of sustainability projects and the development of new environmental innovations as the Green Capital’s project grants.
Peab Asfalt is a pioneer in the use of recycled asphalt. As a partner of the Green Capital, the company promotes the environmentally friendly manufacturing and use of asphalt. The company has switched to green electricity in all its operations in Finland and is launching a new, more environmentally friendly product ECO-Asfalt™ in Lahti.
Vaisala, the world’s leading expert in weather, environmental and industrial measurements, is carrying out a number of tangible projects in Lahti during the Green Capital Year. Vaisala’s state-of-the-art technology will be used to measures air quality in the city centre and to map out the condition of pedestrian and bicycle routes. On 18 February, Vaisala’s sensor technology landed on Mars with the Perseverance rover as part of NASA’s research programme in collaboration with the Finnish Meteorological Institute.
Kempower designs and manufactures charging solutions and services for electric cars and equipment in Lahti. Kempower will implement a charging station system for Lahden Pysäköinti Oy in the Lahti Market Square car park. The company manufactures its products in Lahti and is growing at a good pace. Kempower develops charging solutions that can withstand all temperature conditions to enable future growth in the popularity of electric vehicles.
The cooperation between Peikko and the Green Capital project is based on the Construction Goes Circular conference, which will be held in Lahti in October 2021. The event offers its Finnish and international participants with cutting-edge information on circular economy solutions related to construction, as well as a place to network between companies, scientists and decision-makers. Peikko’s goal is to make the event the industry’s top annual event.
The Green Capital has previously signed partnerships agreements with Fujitsu Finland, Lassila & Tikanoja, Päijät-Hämeen Osuuspankki, Sitowise, LocalTapiola Vellamo, Osuuskauppa Hämeenmaa, Niemi Palvelut, Wipak and CGI.
More information and images of all of the Green Capital’s partners can be found here (in Finnish).
Further information
Saara Vauramo
Programme Director
Lahti – European Green Capital 2021
tel. +358 44 716 1585
saara.vauramo@lahti.fi