The primary responsibility of the built environment solutions unit is to support urban regions on their way to pioneers of sustainability.
The following groups are under Built environment solutions unit:
Development manager of the built environment solutions unit
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The duties of the groups under the Build environment solutions unit:
Urban development group
- cooperates with European and domestic partners and actors to produce new researched information and solutions for attaining a sustainable regional and community structure, and uses research data and development work to enhance urban regions' possibilities for producing more sustainable decisions and solutions on community structures,
- creates solutions for coordinating different interests and community functions in planning of land use, reforms planning practices, produces tools for strategic and practical planning for pressures of changes caused by the sustainability transformation at different scale levels and in different areas,
- evaluates and develops the efficiency of steering methods of the built environment and supports the development of legislation,
- develops the knowledge base for use of the built environment and areas; produces and develops materials, information systems and services for the needs of monitoring, research, planning and regional decision-making in cooperation with producers and users of information.
Housing and mobility group
- promotes the sustainability of construction and the building stock by studying, producing and maintaining information and by acting together with influencers in the public and private sectors,
- manages the development of infrastructure and national emissions databases on housebuilding and the maintenance of the service,
- studies and produces information on the development of the immediate living environment, such as housing and multilocation,
- studies sustainable traffic systems and mobility, and develops methods and tools in support of planning and steering.
Urban nature group
- studies the diversity of nature, nature-based solutions and ecosystem services of green and water areas in the built environment,
- reviews links between man and nature and their effects on experiences, the relationship with nature, well-being and health,
- develops indicators, methods and tools in support of planning and decision-making of sustainable land use for recognising diversity and coordinating green and water areas in the built environment,
- takes part in the development and production of knowledge base and materials in monitoring of land use and land cover, especially regarding nature areas in the built environment,
- cooperates with municipalities and residents for securing and improving the diversity of nature in the built environment and for finding best practices in bringing more greenery to municipalities, landscapes included.
Water risks group
- manages for its part Syke's tasks related to the enforcement of the Flood Risk Management Act, and develops ways and methods for approaching management of flood and drought risks,
- develops and applies methods in quantitative modelling of water to support management of flood risks and run-off waters, and to promote nature-based solutions with multiple goals,
- produces expert services related to water system regulation and manages the regulation register,
- participates as an expert on flood and drought risks in the operation of the Flood Centre, which is coordinated by the built environment solutions unit,
- manages the development and maintenance of the flood information system, and handles reporting according to the EU Floods Directive.
Sustainable water services group
- studies and develops a water service chain extending from water supply to discharge of wastewater,
- studies and produces information for the needs of sustainable water services on, e.g., preparation for crises and adaptation to climate change,
- studies and develops the use of groundwaters and promotes good practices in the protection of groundwaters,
- produces and maintains information for sustainable use of soil,
- produces information from its own research sectors for use by its stakeholders.