Aalto University: Open online training material promotes low-carbon construction in Finnish

Aalto University has published an open, free-of-charge course material that promotes low-carbon construction. The material is in Finnish and it is aimed at anyone working in constructed environments. The course was developed in collaboration with Tallinn University of Technology and Granlund Ltd, and its publication is part of the international Green Building Week.

Buildings and construction are responsible for one third of Finland’s greenhouse gas emissions. Since climate change is advancing faster than anticipated, big emission reductions are necessary in the construction sector. Low-carbon regulations are to be in place in Finland by the mid-2020’s, and thus there is a growing need for knowhow of low-carbon practices.

The new course material is an introduction to low-carbon construction. It provides the basics of the lifecycle approach as well as information on the carbon footprint of construction materials, energy efficiency, circular economy and how to apply these in practice. The material is aimed at anyone working in constructed environments: designers, architects, and engineers as well as material manufacturers, construction companies, and policy makers responsible for project planning and construction-related decisions.

The course lecturers are Aalto University professor Matti Kuittinen, Granlund Ltd Head of Carbon Neutrality Tytti Bruce-Hyrkäs and Tallinn University of Technology professor Kimmo Lylykangas.