Non-Tox building practices are needed and we are looking for good examples

The NonHazCity Building Award is the first award given to the best practices and policies of construction in the Baltic Sea region at the national, regional or local level. Turku AMK researches and develops solutions for municipalities to manage harmful chemicals, and we are involved in collecting Finnish examples from the construction sector and encouraging them to participate in the competition.

Harmful chemicals can be found everywhere in our environment, as they are used in materials used to make everyday products. Harmful chemicals are also used in some building materials. Turku University of Applied Sciences’ water and environmental engineering research group together with the city of Helsinki has studied harmful substances related to building materials, e.g. from stormwater and according to preliminary results, they are indeed found. The best way to reduce the health and environmental risks of harmful substances is to choose materials and implementation methods that do not contain harmful chemicals.

Now we are looking for good examples and the best practices in the construction industry, from which we can learn new ways to design and build. Propose the best practice in the construction industry and participate in an international competition.

The goal of the award is to highlight an operating model that protects people and the environment from dangerous chemicals in buildings by integrating the circular economy, non-toxicity and climate neutrality. The aim of the award is to inspire citizens, decision-makers and companies and to present innovative solutions. The winner of the competition gets international visibility, and the winner is announced at a high-level gala.

The last day to register for the competition is June 15, 2024
More information and competition registration: https://thinkbefore.eu/en/nonhazcitybuildingaward/

Expert:

Hannamaria Yliruusi
Project Manager, Lecturer
etunimi.sukunimi@turkuamk.fi
+358 50 598 5599