Our two-year CircBuild project started in January 2025 and has already verified cooperation with six Finnish real estate and construction companies. In the project’s pilots, we tailor solutions for companies to utilize circular economy in their business operations. In addition, we organize workshops and events related to circular economy.
The project is funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), with funding granted by the South Savo Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment. Additionally, the project is funded by our company partners. The entire project and Tampere University’s sub-project are led by Jaakko Kinnunen, Project Manager at innovation platform CoreLab, while HAMK’s sub-project is led by Research Manager Olli Koskela.
“We have an excellent team from two universities and a group of development-oriented business partners. I am particularly excited about the international cooperation in our project. These networks support both the development of companies’ circular economy business and academic research,” says Kinnunen.
“Collaboration with Tampere University and CoreLab has been extremely fruitful, and it is great to continue it in this new project. The strong expertise in the circular economy from Tampere University complements HAMK’s practical research work perfectly. I look forward to rolling up our sleeves with our business partners and combining research knowledge with concrete business needs in a way that produces both sustainable development and new value for companies,” says Koskela.
The research of the project is lead by doctoral researcher Juha Franssila, university researcher Raul Castano De la Rosa from Tampere University, as well as project engineer Antti Äikäs and HAMK Design Factory’s senior lecturer and doctoral researcher Sanna-Maaria Siintoharju, who is doing her doctoral research at Tampere University. The doctoral researchers aim to go abroad for a study trip during the project. This promotes the development of international cooperation, which is also enhanced by strong collaboration with European Consortium of Innovative Universities (ECIU).
“It is great to get started with CircBuild. We received significant support during the preparation phase from Olga Wessels, head of the ECIU Brussels office. During our networking trip to Brussels in February, we met circular economy professionals and other partners,” says Kinnunen.
The project’s communication is handled by researcher Alisa Hakola from Tampere University and project coordinator Satu Koivisto from HAMK.
Read more about the CircBuild project on our website!
For more information:
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
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, Foundation for student housing in the Helsinki region (Hoas), Kiinko Real Estate Education, Saint-Gobain Finland Oy, and Y-Säätiö.