Projects

Monen ihmisen kädet yhdessä ilmassa kesäisenä päivänä.

Plans and solutions for Savilahti have been advanced in several EU-funded development projects. The aim of the projects has been to stretch the usual limits of urban planning in order to integrate innovation, sustainability, low-emission and circular economy perspectives more deeply in the construction.

Datajalostamo

1 January 2020–30 June 2022
The aim of the Datajalostamo project was to make more efficient use of the opportunities provided by digitalisation and data obtained from various sources in order to support decision-making and everyday choices made by city residents, such as promoting low-emission and circular economy and enabling new business and RDI activities.

The result of the project was a new kind of multidisciplinary smart city platform (Datajalostamo) that promotes lowering emissions, the wise use of resources, and circular economy. The platform can be used to collect, process, analyse, visualise and share data as efficiently as possible. It can also be used for testing and introducing new smart solutions, creating opportunities for new business, research and studying.

The project examined the deployment possibilities of the first smart solutions to be implemented on the platform in connection with the development of Savilahti area in the following topics:

  • Energy grid and renewable energy
  • Water services and sewerage
  • Recycling
  • Parking management
  • Traffic control

In addition, the storage and analysis on the platform of data collected in connection with other projects were enabled, current development trends were considered and the agile further development of the Datajalostamo platform and the introduction of new smart solutions were enabled.

Datajalostamo

KÄLLI – Kuopio Intelligent Transport Infrastructure

1 January 2020–31 March 2022
The aim of the Kuopio Intelligent Transport Infrastructure project was to promote the smooth operation of transport and parking as well as to increase the utilisation rate of public transport, thus reducing emissions and energy consumption in the Kuopio region. The project was divided into two main sections: an investment venture and a research project. These sections included the following sub-topics:

  • Infrastructure to support public transport
  • Adaptive traffic light system
  • Intelligent parking control system
  • Development of the city bike system
  • A report on autonomous buses
  • Traffic measurement, control and situational awareness system
  • Measuring passenger numbers on buses

The Kuopio Intelligent Transport Infrastructure project was carried out by the City of Kuopio.

Improving logistic connections in Savilahti

1 January 2020–31 December 2022
The aim of the project was to resolve the logistical bottlenecks in the Savilahti area and improve the competitiveness and reachability of local businesses and the area in general.

According to reports, the two current motorway junctions in the northern and southern directions are inadequate. The investment enabled the construction of a new transport connection from Main Road 5 to the Savilahti area. The aim of the transport connection is to improve the overall functionality, logistics and efficiency of the growing and developing area and to increase the competitiveness and reachability of local businesses. The new transport connection is also meant to support the creation and further development of new commercial areas and the availability of skilled personnel.

Savilahti’s smartest solutions – SmaRa

1 December 2016–30 November 2019
The SmaRa – Savilahti’s smartest solutions project aimed to cross the traditional boundaries of urban planning in designing and building the Savilahti area. The project sought for innovative and intelligent low-carbon solutions that could be realised in Savilahti as the area is being built.

The project was carried out in extensive collaboration between various actors, seeking the best and most feasible solutions. The project was divided into eight topics, or ‘Smart lanes’:

  1. Civil defence and rock facility solutions
  2. Life cycle-smart infrastructure solutions
  3. Transport and parking solutions
  4. Low-carbon energy solutions
  5. Information platform solutions
  6. Waste collection solutions
  7. Design and other solutions to promote the well-being of people and the attractiveness of the area
  8. Solutions for new forms of housing and activities

Savilahti low-carbon energy model – SaVE

1 January-31 December 2016
The project objective was to build Savilahti into a low-carbon and energy-efficient operating area. The actors in the Savilahti area carried out the one-year Savilahti low-carbon energy model – SaVE project collaboratively in 2016.

The aim of the project was to examine the possibilities of using low-emission options for energy generation, such as solar and geoenergy, and the utilisation of smart building automation in the area.

Open events related to energy efficiency and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions were organised during the year.

Circular economy and wise use of resources in North Savo – KierRe

1 October 2016–30 September 2019
The aim of the KierRe project was to integrate the wise use of resources in municipal decision-making processes and activities, experiment with new operating models and promote circular economy and wise use of resources in municipalities.

Wise use of resources and circular economy are factors that all industries have a role in promoting. The project brought together cross-administrative actors and stakeholders, and through the project, several of them began to examine how circular economy and wise use of resources could be integrated into their own operations and services. The project helped municipalities to better identify what the circular economy, wise use of resources, or climate work can entail and what benefits they could have.

Several campaigns and events were organised in collaboration with other projects and stakeholders in the course of the project. The project was carried out jointly by the City of Kuopio, Navitas Kehitys Oy from Varkaus, the City of Iisalmi and the North Savo ProAgria, and between 2018 and 2019, also by the municipalities of Siilinjärvi and Joroinen.

Smart Mobility in Kuopio Region project – ViLi

3 October 2016–30 September 2019
In order to develop smart mobility services in the Kuopio region, the City of Kuopio, the Municipality of Siilinjärvi and the ELY Centre for North Savo prepared an implementation plan in cooperation with local residents and businesses. The project on smart mobility in the Kuopio region implemented the plan’s targets in 2016–2019.

The project was divided into five sub-projects:

  1. Customer-oriented information on public transport, cycling and parking
  2. Smart city bike system
  3. Mobility as a Service (MaaS), new payment methods, apps
  4. Development of a smart mobility operating model for students, businesses and company employees
  5. Development of a graphic look for smart mobility

The objective was to promote the use of smart means of transport in the Kuopio region through easily accessible information and new easy-to-use services, and in doing so, reduce emissions and energy consumption generated by transport and mobility.