Resurssiviisaaksi ihmislähtöisin keinoin

The transition to the circular economy requires new kinds of operating models to be developed in all areas of society. Especially micro businesses and SMBs need new operating models to develop products and services compatible with the circular economy. More than before, construction also requires solutions that are low-carbon and circular economy friendly. At the same time, it is necessary to consider the social aspects in construction to tackle issues like social isolation and loneliness.

To meet these requirements, the “Resource-smart with a human touch” project is geared towards developing human-oriented operating models that can be utilised for the development of resources-smart products and services to build ecologically and socially sustainable residential areas.

The project creates collaborative development methods using new resource-smart, low-carbon products and services for micro businesses and SMBs that will also be piloted in the project. Specifically, the aim is to find solutions to utilise the side streams of businesses as well as new products or services in accordance with the business model and innovations that take into account social considerations. The development work is used as a platform for creating an operating model for businesses on how human-oriented methods can be utilised to come up with resource-smart products and services.

To promote ecologically and socially sustainable construction, the project uses collaborative development methods to create a resource-smart collaborative construction operating model, which also takes into account communal and other social viewpoints. The Husulanmäki residential area in Lapinjärvi, Finland, is used as a pilot site for the project. Shared economy, community spirit and the circular economy have been at the core of the design and planning of the area. The goal is to build the Husulanmäki area based on the operating model developed in the project.

The project is used to provide consumers and public sector procurements with alternative climate-friendly, ecologically sustainable options and to promote the development of a human-oriented, resource-smart community. At the same time, the project supports a switch to the circular economy in business and construction. For businesses, the project creates new resource-smart products and services to improve the competitiveness of companies and make the area more dynamic.

The project promotes the resource-smart and socially sustainable communal development of Lapinjärvi. In the future, the resource-smart collaborative construction operating model developed in the project could be utilised by municipalities interested in resource-smart communal construction as well as construction companies that want to take the circular economy and social aspects into account in building.

The project takes into account the equal rights and opportunities of different groups of people (e.g. people of different gender identities, age groups, social categories and people from different regions) to participate in the project. The project promotes gender equality and coherence according to the equality plan of Lapinjärvi municipality. The operating models produced by the project, as well as the resource efficient products and services that are to be developed for companies, contribute to sustainable development for example by reducing the consumption of natural resources, reducing material wastage and waste generation as well as promoting the economic development of the region towards a circular economy. Horizontal principles are taken into account in project implementation throughout it’s life cycle.

The project will be implemented as a joint project of the Lapinjärvi municipality, Aalto University and the Laurea
University of Applied Sciences.

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