Residents are challenged to take part in climate action through Greenreality Homes activities

Greenreality is a model way of thinking and operating for building a green future, to which Lappeenranta is committed. Lappeenranta wants to be a model city for environmentally friendly activities, Greenreality Lappeenranta. Greenreality is a collective effort between everyone – the city, businesses as well as residents. Residents are involved in climate action and the implementation of measures to support sustainable development through Greenreality Homes activities.

Support for sustainable and economical living available for volunteering homes

Homes are sought to volunteer for the Greenreality Homes activities. Families participating in the activities will identify the carbon footprint of their homes with a calculator and consider actions that they could take to reduce their carbon footprint. Actions to support sustainable living can be selected either with the help of experts by participating in Greenreality Homes workshops or with the support of independently available tips and materials.

Resident events and training sessions on sustainable housing and living are available to support the homes. Practical tips are also available through a newsletter, the Greenreality.fi website and a Facebook group.

By using the carbon footprint calculator again, for example, after a year, the homes can discover the energy savings achieved, changes in water consumption, home material efficiency and recycling, and savings in housing costs.

The trial period will include opportunities to test out, for example, a grocery delivery service and shared-use cars

In the autumn of 2019, there will be a month-long trial period, or a sustainable lifestyle accelerator, that all willing homes can participate in. The homes will choose one or more services and functions suitable for them that promote sustainable living from the available selection. The selection will include, for example, a shared-use car service, an electric bike, a grocery delivery service, saving surplus food and services related to saving energy. The hope is that at least some of the homes would like to showcase their Greenreality actions on the Greenreality.fi website and on social media, thus acting as an inspiring example for other homes. During the trial period, changes in the carbon footprint of the homes are monitored with the support of the expert.

8th graders take lessons of sustainable living into their homes

Greenreality Homes activities are also carried out within the framework of the LUT Junior University activities created as a result of cooperation between the City of Lappeenranta and LUT University. 8th graders involved in Junior University will take the lessons of sustainable living from school into their homes. A multidisciplinary Sustainable Living study module has been built for pupils, incorporating a project related to one’s own housing. The project allows the pupils to explore with their families how everyday emissions are generated and consider how they could be reduced.

In the context of the Sustainable Living study module, the pupils will also visit the Junior University workshops at LUT where the pupils will learn about, for example, energy production of the future, energy saving opportunities, reuse of materials, smart solutions of future houses as well as reflect on their own consumption habits and their impact on the environment.

The aim is to simultaneously familiarise the schoolchildren with the area’s energy and environmental sector businesses and future job opportunities. The Greenreality Network of energy and environmental sector companies that operates in South Karelia is involved in implementing the workshops.

The LUT Junior University activities and integration of resident cooperation into teaching have been piloted during the school year 2018/2019. The activities will be expanded into all schools in Lappeenranta during the next school year. Both the LUT Junior University activities and resident cooperation are to be included as part of the curriculum, so Greenreality Homes activities will thus become permanent and reach about 700 homes of secondary school 8th graders each year.

Greenreality Homes activities are developed within the framework of the Greenreality Homes and Businesses project. The project is implemented by the City of Lappeenranta and LUT University. Funding for the project comes from the European Regional Development Fund, City of Lappeenranta and LUT University.