Water and Environmental Engineering research group

 

“Our mission is to develop scientifically based practical solutions to challenges in water protection, climate adaptation and conservation of biodiversity, and to train environmental engineers that are ready to face the challenges of the future.”

How do we work?

We carry out applied RDI projects and assignments in collaboration with authorities, companies and research institutes mainly from European countries. Typically, to reach our project goals we work at multiple levels from practical fieldwork to policy level development.

 

Our core expertise includes:

• • • • • • • • continuous online monitoring of water environment
              • remote sensing, GIS and modeling
              • underwater acoustics
              • laboratory or field testing of solutions for water protection
              • biological observations
              • planning and designing of water restoration solutions
              • green public procurement
              • training

 

Our work is organized under three subthemes:  

      

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Urban water management 

 

How can stormwater management help to mitigate impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss?

What are the most effective ways to minimize pollution in the urban water cycle?

 

Our aim is to respond to these questions through developing and testing technical methods for addressing these issues as well as procedures and training that advance the large-scale uptake of sustainable solutions in the management of stormwater and hazardous substances.

 

Our work on stormwater management includes:

• Long-term monitoring of discharge in engineered and natural water systems
• Monitoring of biodiversity and water quality in urban aquatic systems
• Development of procedures, technical solutions, guidance and training for construction site water management
• Spatial analyses, modelling and digital twins of urban hydrological systems
• Testing and development of filtering solutions
• Adaptation of nature-based stormwater solutions to regional environmental, economical, social and institutional conditions
• Education and dialogue on sustainable stormwater management

Our work on hazardous substances includes:

• Development of sustainable procurement processes to minimize use and emission of hazardous substances
• Support for chemical smart public procurers
• Identification of pollutant sources and pathways in urban water cycle
• Organising training on hazardous substances management for different target groups

The multidisciplinary team closely collaborates with different city departments and other authorities as well as industry, business and civil society to identify and overcome the barriers to the large-scale uptake of sustainable solutions.

Examples of our work:

             

B

Water protection and restoration

 

Competence area of the Water protection and restoration sub-team includes research, development and planning of surface water and coastal water management measures. The team has long-term experience in water quality monitoring as well as planning and development of water protection and restoration measures.

The team targets the better status of Finnish surface waters and Archipelago Sea via developing and promoting the implementation of efficient water protection measures. Team has active co-operation within the Baltic Sea states and its main area of operation is rural areas of the Southwest Finland. Multidisciplinary experts form the team that exploits technical, ecological, economic as well as social approach in daily operation.

The sphere of action includes:

• Water quality monitoring
• Research and development of agricultural and forestry load reduction measures
• Water protection planning
• Multipurpose use of the common reed
• Other water quality and quantity management related research and development assignments

Examples of our work:

                     

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