Lappeenranta has signed the European Circular Cities Declaration along with three other Finnish cities: Helsinki, Turku and Tampere. The declaration was published on 1 October at the 9th European Conference on Sustainable Cities & Towns in Mannheim, Germany.
Anni Sinnemäki, Deputy Mayor for Urban Environment of the City of Helsinki, represented Finland at the event.

Lappeenrannan Energia offers a new green product for district heating.

Green district heat is produced at the combined heat and power (CHP) facility of Kaukaan Voima using renewable sources of energy, such as wood residuals and forest chips. Green district heat is produced carbon neutrally in cogeneration with electricity, making it an ecological form of heating. You can easily switch to carbon neutral district heating by contacting the customer service of Lappeenrannan Energia.

Biogas production is already in full swing at the Etelä-Karjalan Jätehuolto Kukkuroinmäki biogas plant. The construction of the biogas plant was slightly delayed due to travel restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, but despite of that, the European workers were able to start installation in August. In late summer and early autumn, staff has made adjustments to the plant’s process and searched for optimal settings.

Christoffer Ehrnrooth has been appointed as CEO of GreenEnergy Finland (GEF) as of 4 September 2020. Ehrnrooth also acts as CEO of Oy Flinkenberg Ab, the majority owner of GEF, and as chairperson in GEF’s Board.

GEF’s Chief Operating Officer is Business Director Miia Lehtinen. Mikko Pääkkönen leaves his post as the CEO of GEF and remains in the company as owner and board member.

Seven Baltic Sea Region countries are taking part in the EFFECT4buildings project. Lappeenranta participates in the project through the Environmental Office of Lappeenranta Region and the GreenReality services. Other partner countries involved in the project are Sweden (lead partner), Norway, Denmark, Poland, Estonia and Latvia. The project will result in a comprehensive set of calculation and assessment tools, which can be used for justifying energy efficiency measures in buildings and producing understandable visual data to support decision-making.

The city of Lappeenranta presented a 3D model of the city centre to the public during the Greenreality Carnival. The model has also been published online and can be viewed in the Mapgets platform. We recommend using Google Chrome to view the model. The model gives you an idea about what Lappeenranta could look like in 2050. Residents can also take a survey to give feedback on current urban development projects by 30 September.

LCA Consulting carried out a carbon footprint calculation for LOAS, the Student Housing Foundation for the Region of Lappeenranta, in line with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG). The purpose of the carbon footprint calculation was to support and develop the assessment of sustainability in the operations of LOAS.

High levels of indoor carbon dioxide cause fatigue, headaches and difficulty concentrating. Stale air is often a sign of insufficient ventilation.

The smart TopAir ventilation solutions of Entos Oy measure indoor CO2 levels and ventilate the space as needed, ensuring fresh air 24 hours a day.

The city of Kouvola has acquired Biovaaka scale systems for the city’s 14 schools and the Lehtomäki day care centre to help monitor and reduce food waste.

The city of Lappeenranta is competing in the finale of the Green Leaf Awards organised by the European Commission. The next stage of the competition is the final performance, which is carried out by the City of Lappeenranta in cooperation with the cultural venue Nuijamies. Lappeenranta has learned from last year's judge feedback, and the cultural venue Nuijamies was recruited to help with the implementation of this year's presentation concept.