Established by Sitra, the Helsinki Metropolitan Smart & Clean Foundation is turning the Helsinki capital region and Lahti into a world-class test platform for clean and smart solutions that our urbanising world needs in order to reduce its dependence on fossil energy. The objective is for the Helsinki capital region and Lahti to offer the best solutions for the challenges facing the world’s cities and serve as a window on Finnish and international companies.

See below what some of the key decision makers think about the role of the foundation.

What opportunities does the foundation create in the region? What kind of milestone is this in terms of city co-operation in the region? How can companies benefit from the test platform offered by the cities?

According to international research, Espoo is the most sustainable city in Europe at this time. That’s a good start.”

– Jukka Mäkelä, Mayor, Espoo

For Vantaa, the most important entity is the Smart & Clean collaboration associated with development of the Aviapolis and airport area. Aviapolis is an outstanding experimental and reference area for smart and clean trials.”

– Kari Nenonen, Mayor, Vantaa

Lahti’s biggest contribution to the foundation is the environmental expertise of companies and the city. As an environmental expert, Lahti is a natural partner for the capital region with regard to urban development. In particular, we activate SMEs.”

– Jyrki Myllyvirta, Mayor, Lahti

The foundation is not just a capital region project, and it will have widespread benefits. For example, the Kilpilahti industrial area in Porvoo and many companies around Uusimaa are already closely involved in the activities.”

– Ossi Savolainen, Regional Mayor, Helsinki–Uusimaa Regional Council

The foundation brings together different actors and allows them to meet in a new way. Working together with new approaches make it possible to achieve major change.”

– Pekka Manninen, Managing Director, Helen Ltd.

The foundation provides an excellent framework for testing our innovations. We can create solutions for the future needs of cities, such as reasonably priced and smart housing, safe and efficient transport, and support for well-being.”

– Hanna Uusitalo, Environmental Director, Kone

Our company’s solutions reduce the greenhouse gas emissions produced by transport by more than six million tonnes globally. Smart & Clean collaboration allows us to also support cities in our domestic market in their climate projects.”

– Matti Lievonen, President and CEO, Neste

The co-operation in this pilot region allows us to set an example of how the world described in the Paris climate agreement can be built.”

– Juha-Matti Saksa, Rector, Lappeenranta University of Technology, LUT

The foundation gives us new ways to pilot and commercialise cleaner and more energy-efficient solutions.”

– Antti Vasara, President & CEO, VTT
The quotes were originally published in Sitra’s press release about the new foundation.