China–Finland Challenge: Global Digital Solutions for Sustainable Cities

The Challenges

Application period: 2–22 December 2021

The series contains four challenges in total: two from China and two from Finland. Read the detailed descriptions and criteria for each challenge below. Click here to download a presentation containing more information about the challenges and organisers.

Challenge 1: Digital solutions to redesign an old industrial area into a sustainable landmark and community

An old industrial area in China’s megacity (such as Beijing) needs to be redesigned to visualize low-carbon production and sustainable living style through digital solutions. After renovation, it will set an example and be promoted for other urban renewal projects, under China’s carbon neutral pilot projects (named SNPARK Initiative).

What are your digital solutions that could help transform such a traditional industrial area – with factory buildings and open space – into a new landmark and community for sustainable urban development?

Please provide a Word document within 2000 words to explain how the solution addresses the challenge in the application form attachments.

For questions about the technical details, contact Chan WANG ibh@snpa-gsd.com.

Download the application scenario introduction and FAQ

Challenge 2: Digital solutions to develop an online-merge-offline education platform on sustainable development

Education bases like zoos and science museums in China’s megacities (such as cities in the Greater Bay Area) look for digital solutions to build an online-merge-offline (OMO) education platform to provide young people with knowledge and skills education on sustainable development. The platform will set an example for youth learning platform development in the cities under China’s carbon neutral pilot projects.

What are your digital solutions that could help transform traditional education bases (e.g. zoos or science museums) into an OMO education platform for sustainable development?

Please provide a Word document within 2000 words to explain how the solution addresses the challenge in the application form attachments.

For questions about the technical details, contact Chan WANG ibh@snpa-gsd.com.

Download the application scenario introduction and FAQ

Challenge 3: Digital solutions to ease the everyday lives of senior citizens and help them live at home longer

Aging is a global challenge. Most seniors want to live at their beloved family homes as long as possible, but with a declining ability to function, daily chores become difficult. Digital tools can be the solution to senior citizens, more and more of whom are using smart phones and an internet connection daily. What is your digital solution that could ease the everyday lives of senior citizens and help them live home longer?

For questions about the technical details, contact Janne Tähtikunnas janne.tahtikunnas@ril.fi.

Challenge 4: How to reduce energy consumption on single family houses by using affordable digital solution or services?

There are a lot of different energy consumption-related systems, equipment and data available in single family houses. The challenge is that the equipment and data are not connected to each other. Introduce a digital solution, which could help to reduce energy consumption e.g. by connecting the available data and equipment?

Equipment and data available regarding energy consumption:

• Heating specification
• HVAC specification
• Energy price
• Hourly measured consumption

For questions about the technical details, contact Janne Tähtikunnas janne.tahtikunnas@ril.fi.

Benefits to the challenge winners include

• an opportunity to pitch their solution at a Winner Announcement webinar (January 2022).
• a piloting opportunity in participating China’s carbon neutral pilot projects (SNPARK initiative), to demonstrate solution application in Chinese green market, with visibility to a global audience;
• an invitation to showcase smart solutions to Chinese green markets at networking and promotion events hosted by SNPA and its partners, incl. MIIT-CIETC and CECCO.
• access to follow-up business facilitation services provided by SNPA and Helsinki Partners, for more efficient connection to local green markets.
• a piloting opportunity in Helsinki, Finland and visibility to a global audience.

An optimal digital solution is

• scalable to respond to global use.
• a full or partial solution to the challenge.
• tested for functionality and shows references.

Important dates:

• Application period: 2–22 December 2021
• Informing winners of the decision: 14 January 2022
• Official announcement webinar of the winners: 20 January 2022 at 9.00 EET and 15.00 CST