Results: HNRY, Carbon Neutral and Resource Wise Industrial Areas

The Carbon Neutral and Resource Wise Industrial Areas project, or HNRY, promoted the development of industrial areas towards carbon neutrality. The project sought measures to reduce emissions from machinery and streamlining the use of materials. It also coached companies on carbon neutrality.

The HNRY project was implemented in Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa and Turku.

Results of the HNRY project

• The HNRY project produced 19 practical solutions together with interest groups. All of the solutions have been described on the hnry.fi website, where you can also find further material. Below you will find some examples of the solutions:
  • The emission-free construction sites entity:
    • The emission-free construction sites – green deal agreement for sustainable procurement with the Ministry of the Environment and the supporting emission-free construction sites operating model
    • The infrastructure construction site pilots in Helsinki and Espoo testing procurement criteria and practices promoting low emissions
    • Construction site carbon footprint calculations
    • Process description of city measures to promote emission-free worksites.
  • The plastic pilot that tested the shared collection of plastic waste in the City of Helsinki industrial area in Vuosaari Harbour and the potential of the plastic value chain.
  • A report on machinery in cargo port operations and a roadmap for 2021–2035 to reduce emissions in Vuosaari Harbour as well as an emissions calculation model that can be adapted to other machinery in addition to cargo port operation machinery along with an instructional video.
  • A guidebook for the carbon-neutral Blue Industry Park also serving as a model for other industrial areas being planned, which aim for carbon-neutral and resource wise planning, construction and operation solutions.
  • Report on utilising surplus clay from construction sites.
  • Solution forums where project operators and interest groups worked together to build concepts in the fields of traffic and logistics, smart data networks and green corporate finance.
  • Guide to putting the finishing touches to a carbon-neutral industrial area including the carbon-neutral industrial area lighting pilot.
  • The ”Carbon-neutral and resource wise businesses” intensive training pilot.
• The solutions generated during the project will be further developed based on the interests of each organisation, e.g. as part of cities’ carbon neutrality programmes and measures.

The HNRY project brought together cities and research institutions that have a shared interest in creating carbon-neutral industrial areas. The project sought means to reduce machinery emissions, streamline material utilisation and encourage those already making progress in low carbon measures towards carbon neutrality and coach other companies in initiating their measures. This was all partly based on the cities’ carbon neutrality goals for 2029–2035. The City of Helsinki coordinated the HNRY project with the cities of Espoo, Vantaa and Turku, the University of Turku Finland Futures Research Centre, Turku Science Park and VTT as partners. The project period was 1 May 2019–31 May 2021 with a budget of 1,170,776 euros.

Further information

Susanna Suomalainen
City of Helsinki
susanna.suomalainen(at)hel.fi

Iina Kallio
City of Espoo
iina.kallio(at)espoo.fi

Niina Ruuska
City of Turku
niina.ruuska(at)turku.fi

Ari-Santeri Talja
City of Vantaa
ari-santeri.talja(at)vantaa.fi

Vesa Erkkilä
Turku Science Park
vesa.erkkila(at)turkubusinessregion.com

Essi Silvonen
University of Turku, Finland Futures Research Centre
essi.silvonen(at)utu.fi

Satu Pasanen
VTT
satu.pasanen(at)vtt.fi