Bart Brink, TKI Bouw en Techniek (NL) & buildingSMART International:
Embracing the Twin Transition: Collaborative Innovation for a Sustainable Future
October 9, 9.45-10.30
The keynote focuses on the twin transition, which integrates sustainability and digital transformation. It will address challenges such as climate change, circularity, and the energy transition, emphasizing the need for collaboration among academia, governments, and industry. Practical examples, including national innovation programs in the Netherlands, the use of digital twins and artificial intelligence, will illustrate how systemic change can be achieved through technological advancement and collective effort.
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Bart Brink has also most twenty years of experience in leading transitions and transformations in the built environment. He has held several global and national leadership positions in digital transformation, innovation and sustainability. Currently Bart is leading, as senior program manager at TKI Bouw en Techniek, the national innovation program in the Netherlands around durability of built assets in infrastructure, housing and real estate.
He is also the leader of the buildingSMART Digital Twins Working Group at buildingSMART International. In these activities, he uses amongst others the exponential power of technology, like digital twins and AI, to drive change in the sector towards more sustainable impact.
Prof. Aki Mikkola, LUT University (FI):
The Sport Engineering Research Center Finland
October 9, 10.30-11.15
In this presentation, the Sport Engineering Research Center Finland (SERCF) is introduced as a pioneering initiative that integrates engineering with the sports industry. The focus is on developing advanced sports equipment, data-driven techniques, and welfare technologies through interdisciplinary collaboration. SERCF aims to showcase how engineering can revolutionize sports and shape its future, with a vision to expand its impact across various related industries.
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Professor Aki Mikkola received a Ph.D. degree in the field of machine design in 1997. Since 2002, he has been working as a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at LUT University, Finland. Currently, Mikkola leads the research team of the Laboratory of Computational Dynamics. He has been awarded five patents, has contributed to more than 160 peer-reviewed journal papers and has presented more than 100 conference articles. His major research activities are related to flexible multibody dynamics, biomechanics, and sport engineering. Mikkola is also a highly-rated teacher and pioneer of new teaching methods. The Finnish Union of University Professors appointed Aki Mikkola as Professor of the Year for 2023.
Annamaria Väli-Klemelä, HR and Sustainability Director, Luhta Sportswear Company & Mirka Uunimäki, Circular Economy Coordinator, Luhta Sportswear Company:
Investing in sustainability and circular economy as critical competitive factors. Case Luhta ReUse
Commentary: Annariina Ruokamo, LAB University of Applied Sciences
October 10, 9.30-10.15
We look to the future and develop our operations in line with our sustainability mission "Responsible choices from one generation to another". We believe that investing in sustainability, in circular economy in particular, is a critical competitive factor in the future. One example of our work for circular economy is the Luhta ReUse business model.
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Annamaria Väli-Klemelä, HR and Sustainability Director, Luhta Sportswear Company (FI)
Annamaria Väli-Klemelä has been HR and Sustainability Director of Luhta Sportswear Company since the beginning of 2022. Under her leadership, the company has developed its corporate responsibility work and reporting in a short period of time strongly, taking into account the whole business and taking responsibility for the whole life cycle of products.
Mirka Uunimäki, Circular Economy Coordinator, Luhta Sportswear Company (FI)
Mirka Uunimäki has been with Luhta Sportswear Company since 2022. In her role as Circular Economy Coordinator Mirka advances and coordinates the company’s circular economy efforts, including the planning of product end-of-life stages. She has had an important role in the company's co-operation supporting LAB's Sustainable Design Studio's upcycling project.
Panel discussion: Nature-positive Lahti
October 10, 14.00-15.00
Panelists:
Niko Kyynäräinen, Mayor of Lahti
Anne Vanhala, Managing Director, Häme Chamber of Commerce
Laura Vartiainen, Junior Researcher, LUT University
Biodiversity is the foundation of our wellbeing. However, we are decreasing the biodiversity in our societies. There is a need to turn cities nature-positive. Nature-positivity means that we produce more benefits than harm to the nature, and in total, human impact to nature is net-positive. Cities have a significant role in changing the direction of the curve.
The City of Lahti has started the work towards nature-positivity. The city will aim to define nature target this year and will create a roadmap how to achieve this target, together with stakeholders. This year also the nature footprint of the city will be calculated.
In the panel we explore the concept of nature-positivity in cities. What does it mean and how to enhance it? Who needs to be involved in nature-positivity work? Concrete examples from city level are presented and discussed.
Read more:
Lahti works on global model to address biodiversity loss