We combine the expertise of science, art, technology, and business to develop creative solutions to the greatest challenges facing the planet and humanity, such as the climate crisis, overconsumption, and inequality.
All of our seven key research areas are strongly linked into sustainability. In an university level we are shaping a sustainable future especially in four impact areas:
Quality of Life
We create a better quality of life with the help of design, art and technology. The results of our work can be seen, for example, as sustainable cities, health technologies, or in art creating new perspectives. In societal level we work to ensure that a sustainable lifestyle is desirable and available to everyone.
Sustainable Systems
Decreasing raw materials, global tensions and increasing consumption force societies to increase the circular economy and resource efficiency. We enhance sustainable systemic change with new technologies, intelligent systems and changes in our operating methods.
Energy Transition
Transitioning from fossil fuels to sustainable and renewable energy sources, we can cut 77 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions. Inexpensive, clean energy is also the basis of global just prosperity. We develop clean energy transition solutions in many different disciplines.
Sustainable Materials
In addition to other environmental problems, overconsumption of natural resources leads to running out of raw materials and increasing their cost. We develop materials that can replace materials that are harmful to the environment and people or that are poorly recycled.
The Hydrogen Innovation Centre Doctoral School aims to be an active community of doctoral researchers from different fields such as chemistry, energy technology, electrical engineering as well as energy systems.
To achieve human wellbeing in planetary boundaries, we need new sustainable solutions to wisely use our natural resources. The Bioinnovation Center especially focuses on innovations in sustainable bio-based materials, with special focus on textiles and packaging.
The SUB research group studies innovative business models and transition paths that enhance sustainable development. SUB鈥檚 research streams cover energy transitions, innovation for poverty alleviation, new forms of organizing for a sustainability, and study of corporate responsibility.
NODUS is a research group and open network situated in Department of Design, focusing on new and emerging theories and practices of systemic implementations in design for sustainability.
Water & Development Research Group is a multidisciplinary research group that focuses on interconnectedness of water and development as well as research on integrated water systems.
Aalto WiT (World in Transition) LAB a network of researchers and projects focusing on resilient communities, human settlements, humanitarian architecture, environmental awareness, pre-disaster planning, reconstruction, community engagement and grassroots action.
(SAS) network is a research platform for sharing research and knowledge to build a sustainable bio-based society.
Fashion/Textile FUTURES research group has a strong focus on sustainability and it runs several research projects under this topic.
NPharvest focuses on research of nutrient recovery and its technologies from different kind of liquid waste, including reject water, urine, leachate and septic waste.
The Aalto seed-funded workshop series 鈥淏ridging circular economy technologies and business models鈥 explored the question of: how can researchers from different disciplines collaborate more effectively to tackle the circular economy challenge?
Ecologically and ethically sound production of goods requires also sustainability from colourants and processes. BioColour project develops new methods for bio-based dye and pigment production and applications.
The Finix project produces new scientific research on sustainability aspects of textile systems.
Based on that Finix helps co-creating resource-wise textile business in Finland in ways that promote global sustainable development.
FinnCERES is a global competence centre, jointly formed by Aalto University and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland in the area of materials bioeconomy.
In the Smartland project, researchers and practitioners work together to define smart land use policies that would promote sustainable urbanization.
The ORSI project is looking to address the challenges of transforming from a welfare state into an eco-welfare state. This is done by examining changes in the policy instruments of the welfare state, seeking to identify effective and fair instruments in particular and generating information and tools in order to reach the goal.
Led by Aalto University, the Finland based circular ecosystem of battery metals consortium aims at improving the manufacturing processes of mining industry, metals industry and battery chemicals, and to increase the recycling of lithium-ion batteries.
Valuebiomat is creating solutions to transform from fossil petro-chemistry based polymeric materials to more sustainable, renewable and carbon-binding materials.
Smart Otaniemi is an innovation ecosystem that connects experts, organisations, technologies and pilot projects. It brings the building blocks of smart energy together.
We promote and facilitate Aalto University鈥檚 research and education for global sustainable development.
