Carbon Garage industrial ecosystem (open learning and project environment)
Carbon Garage is an industrial ecosystem, functioning as an open learning and co-development environment, where solutions for sustainability challenges and mitigating climate change will be concretely promoted in the short and long term through inclusive projects.
National
Finland
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It addresses urban-rural linkages
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)
Yes
ERDF : European Regional Development Fund
Carbon Busters (finnish national ERDF - Innovative Finland: 1.1 - Improving research and innovation capabilities and adoption of advanced technologies and working methods in business and industry)
No
Yes
As a representative of an organisation
Name of the organisation(s): Metropolia University of Applied Sciences Type of organisation: University or another research institution First name of representative: Jenni Last name of representative: Kurki-Suonio Gender: Female Nationality: Finland Function: Project manager Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Leiritie 1 Town: Vantaa Postal code: 01600 Country: Finland Direct Tel:+358 50 4663950 E-mail:jenni.kurki-suonio@metropolia.fi Website:https://www.metropolia.fi/
Social media handle and associated hashtag(s): https://www.facebook.com/MetropoliaAMK
Social media handle and associated hashtag(s): https://www.instagram.com/metropolia_uas
Social media handle and associated hashtag(s): https://twitter.com/metropolia
Social media handle and associated hashtag(s): https://fi.linkedin.com/school/metropolia-university-of-applied-sciences
Reducing greenhouse gases and becoming carbon neutral is a complex systemic change that requires new innovations, a comprehensive change at the system level, and the introduction of new practices and technologies. Renewing and making change is challenging by only leveraging old practices and technologies. New innovations and operating models emerging from collaboration through compaction, knowledge-raising and concrete project level activities are needed.
Carbon Garage (CG) is an industrial ecosystem, functioning as an open learning and project space, where companies and network of experts work together on various research, development and learning projects related to sustainability challenges and climate change mitigation. The ecosystem will engage students and bring cutting-edge research and expertise to develop sustainable solutions and solve climate challenges faced by SMEs.
Concrete project activities and close co-operation with the Metropolia University of Applied Sciences and research institutes will elevate the level of competence and knowledge within the companies and benefit their employees. At the same time, these collaborative projects will teach and prepare students to incorporate sustainable solutions and climate change mitigation and adaptation in their coming professions. This is in line with the EU’s ambitious goal for green transition set out by the Green Deal as well as the organisational goals and values of Metropolia.
The objective of the Carbon Garage is to provide possibilities to shape the mindset of young professionals, capable of implementing the principles of sustainable carbon neutral or carbon negative solutions in real-life industrial environments, through entrepreneurship and organizations alike. The graduates to-be will combine and apply experiences from various disciplines to actual problems and solutions, thereby laying the foundation for professionals prepared for the sustainability and climate challenges of the 21st century.
Sustainable system transition
Life-long learning
Empowering collaboration
Climate change mitigation
Carbon Sequestration
At Metropolia, with over 1000 professional staff and more than 16 000 students, sustainable development guides our actions and way of thinking. We aim to be a carbon neutral university by 2030, build sustainability solutions for climate change and educate experts for a sustainable future.
Metropolia is committed to integrating sustainability aspects into all our education. This means that all students get basic knowledge and skills on sustainability and environmental issues. Carbon Garage is having an essential role in achieving these goals. CG space is both a virtual space and an actual space for innovation and cooperation, where the aim is to find new and practical solutions for sustainability challenges and to mitigate climate change through innovation and cooperation, and build knowledge, skills and methods needed for capturing CO2 emissions from the atmosphere.
The concrete project activity taking place in the industrial ecosystem increases the know-how related to sustainable development and climate change mitigation and raises the general level of knowledge about the root causes of sustainability and environmental problems. The knowledge is accumulated by applying research to practice through participatory projects and pilot actions, and by intensifying cooperation between different actors. As the level of environmental and sustainable knowledge increases, paradigms, beliefs and value systems change, which have the broadest and most fundamental effects on sustainable development and systemic change, and ultimately on achieving carbon neutrality.
The Carbon Garage aims to foster a change of mindsets for sustainability by collaboration, sharing knowledge and research data, utilising life cycle thinking and circular economy model methods in project work, and most importantly through concrete climate actions. It is important to have innovative learning and project environments, new learning and project working processes and methods, so climate and sustainability actions can be studied and executed.
Concrete actions and project work, and know-how knowledge will reduce climate anxiety, but also confer hope that climate change can be curbed and sustainable solutions executed in practice. Examples of the change and climate actions promote and encourage making changes, eventually making the sustainable system transition in society. Carbon Garage brings together various actors offering a co-operation environment, where solutions for crises can be discussed, studied and concretely promoted through diverse groups of participants. Carbon Garage connects different places and people, fostering sense of belonging through meaningful collective experiences and concrete actions.
The participants take the knowledge and skills they have gathered back into working life and society, thus fostering sustainable systemic change and equality. The innovation projects are carried out in a multidisciplinary way so that students from different fields have the opportunity to learn from each other. At Metropolia, versatile project and teaching activities enable interactive and diverse learning in the Carbon Garage.
Metropolia university of applied science is educating professionals in fields of culture, business, social and health, and technology. Engagement of design students to create concepts for the planned learning space (to be implemented over summer 2023) was executed Autumn 22, and the work continues with environmental and energy engineering students on spring 2023.
Carbon Garage industrial ecosystem and operating model enable the utilisation of the best expertise of research organisations in the planning and implementation of solutions related to climate change mitigation and sustainability challenges in companies and urban areas.
Within the next two years, new learning and project working practices and operating models will be piloted in Carbon Garage thought 30-50 collaboration SME projects related to climate challenges that study, develop and implement actions for climate change mitigation in the operations of companies and society. Participation in projects (life cycle analysis embedded) aims to raise companies' awareness of their operational impact on the natural environment and climate, as well as the possibilities of impact now and in the future, is increased. Students have an equal opportunities to participate these innovation projects, as concrete project working is a key part of the Metropolia’s learning methodology; aim is to raise the competence and knowledge of the students through concrete project working and co-operation with different actors. At least 300 students will participate to the project work and ecosystem during the next two years. Aim is to implement weekend and summer schools for elementary and vocational students in future, so also younger citizens will have the opportunity to participate in the ecosystem and increase the environmental knowledge.
Through concrete actions and transdisciplinary innovation projects, continuous learning and the development of companies' competencies around application targets related to sustainable development and climate change mitigation are strengthened. This will help 1) boost the level of knowledge in the transition to sustainability; 2) enable the conditions for new jobs and working methods; 3) improve the basic RDI conditions for the utilisation of new technologies, also 4) create new business opportunities and promote green growth.
Within CG, we work with companies, research organisations, and target groups already influencing working life and those moving into working life. In the green transition and the pursuit of carbon neutrality or negativity, it is important to bring together research organisations, that are already familiar with sustainability science and technological solutions with experts and representatives from the business world for climate change mitigation. This will enable the CG and operational institutes to get the new research information and solutions for climate change mitigation. Thereby this may be made available and used by all within the industrial ecosystem, and through this, concrete climate solutions can be implemented in society.
This kind of networking of know-how, education, research and companies improves the overall conditions for entrepreneurs to utilize the training and research services. This will also shine the light on the possibility to develop the new skills, needed for the green transition and sustainable change. The network-like operating method in the innovative industrial ecosystem enables companies to influence the operation of development platforms, which in turn increases companies' awareness of the accessibility of research, development, and innovation activities. The concepts, collaboration and operating models and processes created in the industrial ecosystem can also be applied to other industries and universities. This applies for the whole of Finland as well as for the EU.
To achieve permanent change and fit-for-purpose solutions CG will in all its activities pay special attention also to citizen and community engagement. This will be done through co-creation, innovation projects and when concepts are further developed and implemented in pilot and trial platforms. Helsinki and Espoo cities are used as pilot environments, which offers the opportunity to engage not only the entrepreneurs, but also citizens and the community.
Carbon Garage engages and involves multiple partners (universities, associations, foundations, research institutes, development companies, municipalities and secondary education institutions, and expert networks) through collaboration projects. Climate actions are carried out in pilot areas of the capital region to benefit residents and business operators, and the overall improvements in the society.
The knowledge base and environmental expertise of HEI students and continuous learners will grow and expand during the project with the help of innovation and business projects. Within the industrial ecosystem, new content is produced for the framework of learning, pedagogy and content development.
By intensifying cooperation between business, research and educational organisations, the green transition is accelerated, and climate change is curbed because the sharing of knowledge and know-how plays an important role in the creation and implementation of innovations and methods of operation. As an indirect benefit, the cooperation network between universities, research institutes and companies improves the level of competence of the network and speeds up developing and utilising new green solutions. The level of competence of the students also increases, thus the competence needs of companies can be met now and in the future. This develops the competitiveness of companies and regions, enabling the sustainable systemic change in the society. Some of the innovation projects focus on urban construction and development, which affects urban structures and the existing building stock, and also utilisation of the green energy solutions.
Actors outside the industrial ecosystem, such as public institutions, associations, research institutes, foundations and companies benefit from the ecosystem, technologies and the results of innovation projects when research information is applied in practice and new operating models and technologies are utilised in society.
The expert network, industrial ecosystem, and innovation and business projects enable SMEs and expert networks to work together in various research, development and learning projects related to climate change mitigation.
The industrial ecosystem brings cutting-edge research and expertise to solve the climate challenges of SMEs, enabling the development of operational resource efficiency, the implementation and utilisation of new energy solutions, but also the development of solutions and technologies related to carbon sequestration.
Finnish Meteorological Institute and VTT Technical Research Center of Finland Ltd, the largest research and technology company and research centre conducting applied research in Finland, are committed to innovation projects and the operation of the ecosystem.
Closer cooperation between research organisations, universities and cities, and the business sector and the development of new forms of cooperation will promote the realisation of a sustainable and carbon-neutral society in the short and long term. Co-development and concrete innovation and business projects contribute to the participants' learning about sustainability themes and solutions for climate change mitigation. The implementation of environmental measures in companies encourages the recruitment of new talent. With new technologies, services and operating models, new professions and roles in working life also arise.
The activities that take place in the ecosystem and the close cooperation of the participants affect the training contents, and thereby the skills of future employees. The ecosystem promotes concrete solutions for climate change mitigation in the short and long term, increases the know-how and knowledge level related to the carbon neutrality theme, as well as produces new experts to find carbon sequestration and emission reduction solutions. This contributes to sustainable systemic change in society.
The specific goal is to promote carbon neutrality by reducing emissions, but also by removing carbon from the atmosphere. The long-term goal of the industrial ecosystem is to research, develop and implement biological carbon sequestration, recovery and storage solutions, as well as technological and chemical, human-developed carbon sinks, which can be products, materials, services and various new technologies.
In addition to solutions related to carbon sequestration, various emission reduction measures are studied and implemented by improving resource efficiency and developing green energy solutions, striving towards circular economy operating models.
In sustainability change and in seeking solutions for climate crises, it is important to understand how different actions and activities are connected, what and how we design, produce, sell, consume, and how materials and products are recycled, disposed and utilised currently.
Life cycle thinking is an essential part of the circular economy solutions and making the sustainable systemic change. Carbon Garage follows the principles of the circular economy and life cycle thinking, and the innovation projects aim to promote circular- and bio-economy models. By integrating life cycle thinking as part of the project working, learners can challenge and question current ways and habits to act in society and start developing new sustainable operation and behaviour models.
To curb climate change and tackle sustainability challenges, there is a need for concrete actions and close collaboration between different actors, as companies have a high threshold to try and adapt new behaviour models, utilise new technological solutions and increase the overall efficiency of their own operations, even though new technologies and sustainable operating models open up opportunities for companies to develop and expand. SME’s do have challenges and resource shortage in the implementation and introduction of new functions and technologies; there is a desire for experiment and renewal, but companies do not have the facilities, time or know-how.
Through Carbon Garage, the best expertise of research organizations, the latest research data and technological innovations on the threshold of commercialization reach SMEs. The accessibility of RDI infrastructures and services to the SME sector will also improve. Main workforce for the SME projects are students in the graduation phase, whose work is guided by the industrial ecosystem.
Higher educational institutes (HEI) has to participate in this process by providing educational tools, as well as knowledge and skills, to allow students to gain fundamental understanding on this interdisciplinary topic. Innovative integration of teaching and learning methods serve as key tools to supply organizations and public sectors with professionals who are capable of recognizing, analyzing and solving complex issues and systems related to this topic. Thus, CG provides an innovative environment on sustainable solutions that would lay the foundation for students from various fields and institutions, creating an added value through national and international collaboration.
There are identified and researched solutions for curbing climate change, but concrete actions are insufficient. Also SME’s do have challenges and resource shortage in the implementation and introduction of new functions and technologies; there is a desire for experiment and renewal, but companies do not have the facilities, time or know-how how.
In Carbon Garage solutions for climate change mitigation are learned, researched and implemented through innovation projects. Carbon Garage involves companies, students and research institutes, as close collaboration between different parties enforces the sustainable systemic change; environmental and sustainable knowledge will strengthen, and the competitiveness and resilience of target companies and the region improved.
SMEs, research institutes and students and other experts are committed to Carbon Garage and its operations through goal-oriented and innovative innovation projects. Aim is to bring together currently separated climate actors, as collaboration enables effective research and development work, information sharing, application of research information and concrete actions in the green transition. The aim of Carbon Garage is act both as a cooperative innovation platform for sharing information and solutions, doing development work throughout varying projects.
During the next two years 30-50 innovation projects will be implemented and carried out by the guidance of Carbon Garage. The main workforce of innovation projects are Metropolia’s students, guided by research institutions, lectures and other experts.
Collaboration and inclusive project working promotes companies operation models renewal and the efficiency of operations. Concrete project work and collaboration also increases the awareness and competence related to the sustainability and carbon neutrality, educating new experts for green transitions to find carbon sequestration and emission reduction solutions.
Climate change is an existential threat to Europe and the whole world. With our actions in the Carbon Garage we want to create solutions to act on the climate change and enhance achieving especially SDG's quality education, industry, innovation and infrastructure, responsible consumption and production, climate actions and partnerships for the goals, as well as EU’s 2050 climate neutrality target.
To overcome and find solutions to these enormous climate and sustainability challenges it is important to understand how different actions and activities are connected. We truly need to put our focus on understanding what and how we design our products, how we produce, sell and consume in addition to how materials and products are recycled, disposed and utilised.
By understanding the impact of our activities on the natural environment and climate, will the cultural ways of working and thinking become more sustainable and resource wise. By understanding the life cycle of products and services creates opportunities to improve financial and natural resource use efficiency, but also increases opportunities to find development areas for products and operations.
A life-cycle-aware and planetary-thinking person recognizes the ecological boundaries and changes the behaviour models into more sustainable, which will eventually guarantee opportunities for both humans and other species to live well in the future as well. The operation models of the project work follows the principles of the circular economy and takes into account life-cycle thinking, so sustainable systems thinking can be widely spread to working life and education.
Achieving carbon neutrality is a complex systemic change, that requires not only emission reduction actions but also carbon sequestration solutions. Target is in co-operation with VTT and FMI to research, develop and implement biological, chemical and technical carbon sequestration, recovery and storage solutions.
Carbon Garage operation started in January 2023, and the first innovation projects are launched and demonstrated, and the collaboration and project working models will be elaborated. Also, the ecosystem will evolve as more SMEs will be committed to the Carbon Garage and we are preparing new innovation projects for Autumn 23.
The industrial design and culture students have sketched the first sketches of the Carbon Garage during Autumn 2022, and the concept designs form a basis for further developed and planned during the spring of 2023. Decisions are in place to build Carbon Garage in summer, and it will open for operation's fall 2023.
A virtual industrial ecosystem is also being developed from the coal plant, which enables different stakeholders to participate in the activities regardless of location. This gives birth to a new urban culture and encounters the activity; of a virtual parallel city.
Aim is to actively communicate and market Carbon Garage, collaboration opportunities and benefits and the project outcomes. Active marketing and communication attract SMEs and varied target groups to participate in the Carbon Garage and to utilise its services and collaboration opportunities. Publications and marketing materials created will reach a large number of target group representatives. Learning outcomes from the ecosystem and projects will also be utilised when creating and updating learning material in Metropolia. All the publications and materials created in CG are open and available for wider audience.
Over time expert network and industrial ecosystem (CG) will continue to expand and develop. This will contribute to further development, implementation and practical utilisation of sustainable and carbon-neutral activities, new services and technologies, and also new sustainable behaviour models in the society.
