Five Nordic cities launch an open call to support the development of healthy, inclusive and green neighbourhoods. The aim is to find pilots related to planning and establishing new green infrastructure solutions and new local food related business models that help facilitate better urban planning and scalable solutions. The call for pilots is open 3.3.–28.3.2021.
The agile pilots are part of the Nordic Healthy Cities project run by the Nordic Network of Smart cities. The Healthy Liveable Neighbourhoods project is seeking for agile pilots focusing on three different topics: new digital participatory solutions that support the planning of green infrastructure, block level solutions of green infrastructure and foodscapes, and new local food related business models that engage and involve local citizens and producers. The Piloting programme is a collaboration project run by Forum Virium Helsinki and the cities of Vantaa, Stavanger, Copenhagen and Kristiansand.
The agile pilots will take place in the local urban labs in Helsinki, Vantaa and Stavanger. The cities will select 1-2 pilots to be experimented in each urban lab. The total budget for the call is approximately 45 000 EUR (450 000 NOK, VAT% 0).
The Healthy Liveable Neighbourhood partner cities choose the best solutions that fulfill the criteria to be piloted together with the partner cities and their network. The companies have the possibility to network with all the partner cities during the facilitated process and naturally the best solutions may be scaled up in other districts.
An info webinar on the open call will be organized on 8th of March 14-15:30 (EET). Register here.
Nordic Residential Areas as Urban Living Labs
The local residential areas of Helsinki, Vantaa and Stavanger act as a platform for experimentation and provide a concrete environment for testing new innovation solutions and business models. The pilots carried out in the Nordic urban labs provide feedback, lessons and real-life experiences regarding the piloted solutions and services. The responsible pilot city facilitates the experimentation, providing its contacts with relevant cooperation partners.
Each city has its own focus of development. The target of Helsinki’s pilot is new digital participatory solutions that can support the planning of green infrastructure. The piloting will take place e.g. in Smart Kalasatama a model district for smart urban development that is a pioneer in the climate goals of the City of Helsinki. Kalasatama has been widely utilized as an urban living lab for agile pilots before. The area is still partly under development, which makes it a great living lab for experimenting new GI related solutions.
The target of Vantaa’s pilots (1-2) is innovative block level solutions to support urban farming in Vantaa, Finland. The pilot focuses on urban farming solutions for residential households. Vantaa can provide connections to the City’s Urban Food – community, which is a large business network including different companies and stakeholders in the (urban) food sector.
The target of Stavanger’s pilots (1-2) is solutions that support new business models that will utilize local healthy food and make it more accessible and inclusive for the local neighbourhoods. The pilot can take place in Storhaug, an area under transformation and renewal, still true to its roots. With its diverse demography and a fast growing food district, Storhaug is a unique opportunity for social experimentation in the Nordic context.
The piloting programme is an opportunity to co-create and experiment with the participating cities. The selected companies are invited in a common kickoff event organized for the partner cities and solution providers. The piloting process lasts approximately six months.The results of the pilots are also communicated for the Nordic Network of Smart Cities.
Info webinar on March 8th
An info event will be organised regarding the open call virtually on 8th of March 2021 at 14-15:30 EET / 13-14:30 CET
The Healthy Liveable Neighbourhoods Open Call has closed – the selected pilots will be announced latest on 15th April
The call for pilots closed on 28th of March 2021. We received altogether 17 offers. Next, we will go through the offered pilots and evaluate them with the partner cities. The selected pilots will be announced latest on 15th April.
Information about agile piloting
Agile piloting is an agile, challenge-based model for experimenting with new services and technologies in a real-world urban environment with real end users – be they residents, units of different city divisions or companies. Agile pilots respond to real, identified challenges.
Aim of agile piloting
Co-creation is an essential part of agile piloting. The solutions are developed together with the cities, companies, residents, research partners and other stakeholders. The objective is to learn and share the results widely with different actors and networks. The key partners and channels will be identified case-specifically.
For the cities and other municipal actors, it is crucial to gather lessons learnt and results about the feasibility of new technologies and services in relation to the challenges identified and to the development of activities in general. Agile piloting primarily aims to create and share new knowledge and understanding, not to result in subsequent procurements or customership with the cities.
For companies, agile pilots provide an opportunity to trial new solutions in a real-world urban environment with real residents – thus offering a reference of the service or product being piloted.
Further information
Questions regarding the call can be sent to annamaria.rossi@forumvirium.fi by 22.3.2021 with the title Healthy Liveable Neighbourhoods, Open Call”
The nordic collaboration project Healthy Liveable Neighbourhoods focuses on more “edible”, green and inclusive neighbourhoods. The project explores the elements of liveable healthy neighbourhoods from the perspectives green infra and foodscapes to support the wellbeing, activity and inclusivity of residents. The project is part of Nordic Healthy Cities funded by Nordic Innovation.
Photo: Helsinki Marketing.
Further information
Kaisa Spilling
#smartkalasatama #agilepiloting
#livinglab #co-creation
Mobile: +358 40 744 8831
kaisa.spilling(at)forumvirium.fi