Academia is at its best when paired with practicality. For this reason, we gathered a group of our collaboration partners, researchers and a few other interested parties for our study trip to Trentino and shortly Milan.
We had the honor to be hosted in Trento by Associate Professor Gianluca Maracchini, Associate Professor Mario Claudio Dejaco and Doctoral Researcher Giacomo Sarti from the University of Trento. Guided by their expertise on circularity around the Trentino area, we got a glimpse into the varied landscape of projects, companies and actors gearing towards a more sustainable future.
“I was truly pleased to welcome the CircBuild delegation to Trento. The visit offered a valuable opportunity to exchange perspectives on how circularity and climate-resilient design can accelerate the transition of the built environment. The dialogue with practitioners and researchers from Finland enriched our understanding of shared challenges and opened new avenues for collaboration”, tells associate Professor Maracchini.
Another academic point of view came from Opera Universitaria, who we met with at the University of Trento’s Mesiano campus. Together, we compared how student housing in Trento and Helsinki and how it ties into circularity. As a balance for presentations and discussions, we also visited a building site of the ARV-project.
“The ARV-project is the core of testing and evaluating new product innovations in the construction industry. Practical solutions are one of the most effective way to reduce negative climate effects of buildings and promote the diffusion of new solutions within the industry. “, says Tampere University Doctoral Reseacher Juha Franssila, who is on a research exchange in Trento until Christmas.
Another site we visited was Progetto Manifattura, which had transformed an old tobacco factory into a green construction, renewable energy and environmental technologies hub. There we met with two parties: Habitech, which is a connecting organization with support from the government, and Trentino Sviluppo, who provide services, such as workspaces, networking and information, for companies.
“I was especially impressed to see how the old property of Progetto Manifattura was developed to have a new purpose, and how the new complementary part is built to be ecological and sustainable”, tells Kiinko Real Estate Business Director Anu Karvonen.
On this study trip, we saw and discussed many aspects of circular economy in Finland and abroad. It was also important to see the culture and context where these solutions are made. Even an attraction like a market or a museum can evoke deeper insights into these issues. Trento’s Christmas Market not only brough a festive air to the last day of the trip but also showed the clear focus on local produce it had. This reminded us of the principles of regenerative thinking, where everything loops back and locality is an important factor in regenerating the nature all around us.
Find out about our next steps and the CircBuild project on our website.
For more information, please contact:
Jaakko Kinnunen
Project Manager, CoreLab
Faculty of Built Environment, Tampere University
jaakko.kinnunen@tuni.fi
Olli Koskela
Research Manager, HAMK Tech
Häme University of Applied Sciences, HAMK
olli.koskela@hamk.fi
Text:
Alisa Hakola
Communications and Research at CoreLab
Faculty of Built Environment, Tampere University
alisa.hakola@tuni.fi
The project is co-funded by the European Union and the South Savo ELY Centre. Additionally, the project is funded and partnered by A-Kruunu Oy, Hartela-Yhtiöt Oy, Helsinki Region Student Housing Foundation (Hoas), Real Estate Education Foundation (Kiinko), Saint-Gobain Finland Oy, and Y-Foundation.