KYLKI – Capital region and businesses as promoters of nature-positivity

In the KYLKI project, the City of Vantaa, Laurea University of Applied Sciences, Metropolia University of Applied Sciences and the Finnish Environment Institute promote the transition of the cities and the business and economic sector in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area towards nature-positive urban development and business. The project develops the nature-positive work of cities and companies located in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area through diverse cooperation between cities, companies, research and educational institutions and other actors.

Metropolia's activities focus on practical piloting and co-development with city experts and companies. The aim is to develop new ways to produce comparable data on the state of urban nature and green infrastructure and its benefits.

You will get an idea of the content of the project from the work packages, of which Metropolia is responsible for work package 4, which is described in more detail below.

Please get in touch if you are interested!

Work packages

TP1: Project coordination and evaluation (main responsibility: Vantaa)

• TP1.1: Project coordination
• TP1.2: Project evaluation and evaluation

TP2: Development of business and city cooperation and launching cluster activities (Vantaa)

• TP2.1: Cluster activities and cooperation model
• * TP2.2: Business cooperation to accelerate the no net loss of land use and compensation markets

TP3 RDI operating model promoting the understanding of the environmental footprint of cities and SMEs (Laurea)

• TP3.1 Development of models for calculating the environmental footprint of cities and SMEs
• TP3.2 Implementation of the RDI operating model's SME co-development process

TP4 Higher quality blue-green infrastructure and more diverse urban nature through co-development and measurement data (Metropolia)

• TP4.1 IOT technologies, environmental data and participatory tools in monitoring and maintenance of urban greenery
• TP4.2: Co-development of design and procurement criteria for blue-green infrastructure and business that utilizes environmental data

TP5: Development of technology and business for green construction with Finnish natural plants (SYKE)

TP4 Higher quality blue-green infrastructure and more diverse urban nature through co-development and measurement data

New IOT technologies (internet of things) enable continuous measurement, storage and analysis of environmental data as well as a more comprehensive, accurate and real-time understanding of the state of the natural environment of cities, and help in the design, management and development of new solutions for blue-green infrastructure. High-quality measurement data helps in understanding the significance of urban nature and increasing its value.

Work package 4.1 will pilot innovative environmental measurements in green areas, at particularly valuable natural sites and at sites where new types of blue-green infrastructure are in use, under construction or planned.

Examples of measurement methods:

• Object detection of urban animals and invasive species from images produced by trail and surveillance cameras and work machine cameras.
• Remote sensing and imaging of vegetation: satellites, drones, work machine and mobile phone cameras.
• Sensors connected to mobile or IOT networks that measure soil properties and air and water quality
• eDNA measurements

In Work Package 4.2, design and procurement criteria, urban nature monitoring methods, and new products and services that produce and utilize environmental data will be jointly developed between experts, companies and city residents, utilizing the results of TP4.1.

TP4.1 IoT technologies, environmental data and participatory tools in monitoring and maintaining green infrastructure and valuable natural sites (1.1.2026-30.11.2027)

1. Assessment of the ecological connectivity of urban nature

The aim is to develop methods for qualitative and quantitative verification of ecological connections. The quality and significance of urban nature for organisms and diversity is strongly dependent on the connectivity of urban nature, i.e. how organisms are able to move and spread between areas. The pilot will produce data, which can be analyzed to verify, for example, the movement and occurrence of essential indicator species and determine potential connections where connectivity can be strengthened.

2. Verification of urban greenery

The plot-specific green factor has been widely adopted in urban planning in recent years. Indicators that examine nature values more comprehensively, such as “habitats of the built environment”, are also being included. The EU Restoration Regulation sets criteria for Finnish urban nature in terms of canopy cover and other urban greenery, as well as the no net loss of habitats. Cost-effective methods are needed to assess and monitor these at both the plot and urban area scale. Targets can include forests in their natural state, as well as, for example, the yards of residential blocks or daycare centers and schools.

3. Measurement data for green environment planning support for planning and maintenance

The green environment sector has identified the potential of measurement data to improve the cost-effectiveness, accuracy and needs-based nature of green area maintenance. On the other hand, increasingly challenging projects are being planned for streets, roofs and decks in dense urban environments. There is relatively little information on the functionality of solutions, for example in the comprehensive management of stormwater, which is often reflected in the lack of a common vision between the planning and implementing parties.

TP4.2: Co-development of design and procurement criteria for blue-green infrastructure and business operations that utilize environmental data (1.1.2026-30.11.2027)

The work package will implement co-development processes linked to each TP 4.1 measurement pilot, in which city officials, companies, experts and city residents meet. Co-development utilizes the latest information on life cycle impacts and urban ecology, and takes into account the profitability, feasibility, maintenance, circular economy aspects of the solutions, and the needs of different user groups. In the initial phase, sites related to pilot themes are mapped and specified, where data collection and utilization is particularly effective and where timely planning processes, conservation programs, procurements, etc. are underway. The co-development process begins with meetings where the goals of the pilots and co-development are determined. Co-development utilizes, for example, design sprint and lean startup methods.

Companies invited to co-development include:

• Consulting companies that conduct environmental surveys and assessments and urban planning
• Companies that analyze environmental measurements and satellite data
• Construction companies
• Urban planning and environmental activities
• Research organizations in urban planning, ecology and forestry
• Landscape design and architecture companies
• Companies that do landscape building or offer landscape building products
• Companies that maintain green areas and city units.
• City residents, especially those living near target areas.

As De minimis measures, Metropolia offers RDI ecosystem companies expert, equipment and RDI infrastructure resources for product and service development. The measures focus on technical product development but may also include testing new green building solutions or studies related to business, compensation of natural values, etc.

Metropolia's desired results and outputs:

• 3-6 measurement pilots including analyses of which will produce general and visually interesting reports.
• 3-6 tools and practices adopted by Vantaa, which will benefit all cities' LUMO work and the development of blue-green infrastructure, for the systematic and cost-effective collection, storage, analysis and communication of environmental data, and for crowding out city residents for nature work.
• Renewed design and procurement criteria based on environmental data, taking into account Lumo benefits, stakeholder needs and wishes, feasibility and life cycle for 2–3 different design environments in Vantaa and for use in all cities.
• 6 jointly developed new or renewed services or products that utilize IoT technology and support urban green environments and biodiversity.
• 2 publications in a professional journal.
• Active communication during the project, e.g. On LinkedIn, Instagram and blog posts.

Contact information

Jaakko Lehtonen
Project Manager
Clean and Sustainable Solutions Innovation Hub
Email: jaakko.lehtonen2 [at] metropolia.fi (jaakko[dot]lehtonen2[at]metropolia[dot]fi)
Telephone: 0400 60 6313