A test period of sustainable everyday living underway in Lappeenranta - 45 homes and 10 partners participating

A Greenreality Homes operated test period of sustainable everyday living has begun in Lappeenranta on September 21. For a month, the households participating have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with everyday living that produces a smaller carbon footprint. 45 homes are participating, most of which are located in Lappeenranta, as well as a few in neighboring municipalities. All-sized households are represented from apartment buildings and detached houses to terraced houses. The homes are located in the city center, urban areas and the countryside. An expert company on sustainable development D-mat Oy has calculated carbon and material footprints for the homes, and all households have during the beginning workshop created a roadmap for decreasing their carbon footprint. From the roadmap, the homes have selected things they want to try during the test period.

Goods and services provided by partners support the execution of everyday actions

10 partners (companies/communities) are participating in the test period. They provide different goods, services and events that support sustainable everyday living.

Concerning energy efficiency, Elektroway provides site surveys for checking solar power systems, air-source heat pumps and air to water heat pumps. Lappeenrannan Energia guides the participants in keeping track of their water and energy consumption through the MinunEnergia-service and they lend out energy consumption calculators. Also the energy advisory of the city of Lappeenranta provides tips on energy efficient living and lends thermal cameras.

Autotalo Ripatti enables the testing of electric cars and thus introduces sustainable mobility to the participants. From Auto-Suni, the participants can get an electric, hybrid or gas cars to test drive. Shared cars can be explored through Hertz Car Sharing services. Intersport and KaaKau encourage cycling for the participants: Intersports provides electric bicycles, and KaaKau city bicycles for the participants to try.

Etelä-Karjalan Martat supports sustainable eating through a nutrition course on a plant-based diet. In addition, Etelä-Karjalan Osuuskauppa provides a newly launched shopping bag delivery service in S-Market Myllykeskus.

Etelä-Karjalan Jätehuolto provides the participants with instructions on waste sorting as well as waste containers for plastics and multi-compartment waste containers.

Saimaarium Nature and Science Center provides instructions on the climatic effects of our everyday choices and information on the effects of climate change on the nature of Saimaa and the surrounding environment.

You can follow the participants' experiences and take part in conversation on sustainable living on the Greenreality Homes Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/454356498439076/

Additional information:

The city of Lappeenranta, Greenreality services
Experts Sanna Laukkanen
+358 50 5326 187, sanna.laukkanen@lappeenranta.fi

D-mat Oy
CEO and expert on sustainable development Michael Lettenmeier
+358 40 5412 876, michael@d-mat.fi

Greenreality Homes–activity and the participation of citizens in a sustainable way of living is developed in the Greenreality Homes and Companies project. The project is pioneered by the city of Lappeenranta and Lappeenranta University of Technology. It is funded by the European Regional Development Fund, the city of Lappeenranta and Lappeenranta University of Technology. The Greenreality Homes test period is also part of the international Sustainable lifestyles accelerator.