UrbanFarmLab is Metropolia University of Applied Sciences' research, innovation and pilot environment for plant production. Located at the Myyrmäki Campus, UrbanFarmLab is one of the collaboration platforms of the Clean and Sustainable Solutions Innovation Hub, bringing together researchers, companies and public organisations to develop the next generation of sustainable food production technologies.
The Clean and Sustainable Solutions Innovation Hub brings together Metropolia's expertise in sustainable development. Research and innovation activities are carried out through specialised collaboration platforms that provide dedicated research infrastructures and pilot environments. UrbanFarmLab is the collaboration platform focusing on sustainable food production and controlled-environment agriculture.
Research Infrastructure
UrbanFarmLab provides a modular research infrastructure for controlled-environment agriculture, designed to support multidisciplinary research, technology development and industrial pilot projects. The platform combines configurable cultivation facilities with environmental monitoring and digital technologies, while new capabilities in advanced plant imaging and data analytics are currently being developed to further expand its research and innovation potential.
Controlled Environment Agriculture
UrbanFarmLab currently comprises two operational growth rooms, with a third room under construction, enabling multiple experiments to be conducted simultaneously. Each growth room provides independent control of environmental parameters—including lighting, temperature, humidity, CO₂ concentration, irrigation and nutrient delivery—allowing cultivation conditions to be tailored to diverse experimental objectives, allowing researchers and industrial partners to evaluate plant responses, cultivation strategies and emerging technologies under precisely controlled and reproducible conditions.
Advanced Plant Imaging
Advanced plant imaging capabilities are currently being established as part of the DiAGRI research infrastructure. Once completed, the facility will integrate RGB imaging, thermal imaging, chlorophyll fluorescence imaging and a short-wave infrared (SWIR) sensor to enable comprehensive, non-destructive monitoring of plant growth, physiology and biochemical properties. The imaging workflows, data analysis pipelines and automated acquisition systems are currently under development and validation. These capabilities are being designed to support both fundamental plant research and industrial technology validation, while remaining adaptable to new sensing technologies and future research needs.
The platform is designed to evolve continuously, allowing new sensors, imaging technologies and analysis methods to be integrated as research needs and industrial applications emerge.
Open Pilot Environment
UrbanFarmLab serves as an open innovation platform that brings together researchers, companies and public organisations to accelerate the development of sustainable cultivation technologies. We support collaborative research, technology validation, pilot experiments and externally funded RDI projects, providing a flexible environment where new ideas can be rapidly tested and refined under controlled conditions.
Collaboration
UrbanFarmLab welcomes collaboration with organisations of all sizes that share an interest in advancing sustainable plant production. Our partners include companies, universities, research institutes, public organisations and innovation networks, but we are equally open to new collaborations across disciplines and sectors. Whether the goal is technology validation, joint research, pilot studies or larger collaborative RDI projects, UrbanFarmLab provides an environment where new ideas can be developed, tested and translated into practical solutions.
Ongoing and past activities
DiAGRI is a smart agriculture R&D infrastructure for AI-driven controlled environment agriculture, smart sensing, automation, and sustainable plant production innovation. Read more about DiAGRI.
Status: in progress until 2028.
Food SystemiCity project is a user-centred pilot process for developing and commercialising systemically sustainable food solutions for urban environments. Read more about Food SystemiCity.
Status: finished.
KYLKI project supports cities in the Helsinki metropolitan area, as well as the business sector, in transitioning towards nature-positive urban development and business practices. Read more about KYLKI project.
Status: finished.
Project supports the innovative and sustainable solutions for the urban restaurants- and local food services' production, market and distribution. Read more about Urban & Local.
Status: finished.
PILOTGREEN project develops innovative green infrastructure solutions by testing them in collaboration with businesses, cities and local residents. Read more about PILOTGREEN.
Status: finished.
Contacts
Andrea Patané
Project Manager
Andrea.Patane [at] metropolia.fi
Learn more about our services
UrbanFarmLab is located on Metropolia’s Myyrmäki campus.
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