About Us
Tampere is the third largest city in Finland and the largest inland centre in the Nordic countries. Currently, there are 225,150 inhabitants in Tampere and close to half a million inhabitants in the Tampere region, which comprises Tampere and its neighboring municipalities. Tampere is one of the three most rapidly developing regions in Finland. It is a centre of leading edge technology, research, education, culture, sports and business. Tampere is a self-governing unit where the highest decision-making authority is vested in the local council, which is elected by the citizens. Local authorities provide basic public services for the residents, of which the most important relate to social welfare and health care, education and culture, the environment, and technical infrastructure.
Tampere has a Storm Water Programme which was developed in 2012. It contains common principles for managing storm water in urban areas throughout the city organisation; clarifies responsibilities; identifies development needs; and highlights the managing of storm water close to the source. Storm water management is regulated by the town planning and the methods are specified with the aid of construction guidelines.
UNaLab Team Members
Meet the UNaLab Team Members from the City of Tampere
Maarit Särkilahti
Work Package 5 - Climate & Water Resilient Urban Living Labs
Salla Leppänen
Work Package 5 - Climate & Water Resilient Urban Living LabsLatest Updates
Related Information
Tampere Has Initiated the Implementation of Co-created NBS
The City of Tampere in Finland is one of the three front-runner cities in the UNaLab project. In the Nordic conditions in Tampere, climate change is expected to result in higher temperatures and increased rainfall, especially during winter time. Subsequently, the city’s focus in the UNaLab project is on stormwater management.
NBS Innovation Vouchers in Tampere
The City of Tampere has awarded three innovation vouchers for citizens to undertake small-scale NBS projects. Two of the vouchers will be used to develop garden areas near residential housing whilst the third voucher will fund the creation of a horse park.
Co-creating Nature-based Solutions in Front-runner City Tampere
Tampere has two UNaLab demonstration areas, or Urban Living Labs: Vuores and Hiedanranta. Spring 2018 was an intense co-creation period in the Living Labs: a series of three (Visioning – Ideating – Testing) Design Thinking workshops were organised in each area, resulting in a total of six workshops, which attracted altogether 258 participants.
Biofiltration Improves Quality of Storm Water Runoff in Tampere
Storm water runoff has been found to be a major source of pollution in natural water systems. Many urban streams and lakes are burdened by the nutrients and solids contained in low-quality storm water runoff. Although front-runner city Tampere has previous experience of biofiltration, the city has within the UNaLab project tested new types of filtering materials for biofiltration.
Children’s Urban Nature Lab in Vuores
In April, a children’s urban nature lab was organised in Vuores, inviting children from day care centres, preschools and primary schools to participate in the development of nature-based systems in Vuores. The children learned about the role of basins and wetlands in water purification, the plants and animals found in the area and environmental research.
First Results of Co-creating Nature-based Solutions in Tampere
The UNaLab project develops the nature-based solutions of Vuores and Hiedanranta in the spirit of “living labs”. During the project, residents will act as researchers alongside professionals, testing the new innovations in their everyday lives. A series of three workshops is organised in Vuores and Hiedanranta during spring 2018. The workshops involve visioning, ideating and implementing/testing nature-based solutions for the case areas.
Performance Monitoring of Nature-based Solutions
Presented by Salla Leppänen, City of Tampere, at the Baltic Sea Cooperation for Climate Resilience and Urban Floods Seminar on 16 October 2019.
Nature-based Solutions - Resolving Climate Induced Urban Challenges
Authored by Zarrin Fatima, Laura Wendling, Ville Rinta-Hiiro, Johannes Jermakka & Maarit Särkilahti. Published in Maankäyttö in May 2019.
Co-creating Nature-based Solutions in EU Project Demonstration City Tampere
Authored by Maarit Särkilahti. Published in Rakennustekniikka in April 2019.
School Children as Water Scientists in Vuores
The primary school children in Vuores, in UNaLab front-runner city Tampere, are actively participating in monitoring the water quality of nearby ditches and lakes. They conduct the examinations with their teachers during spring and autumn. In addition to water quality, the children also examine water insects. The UNaLab project has provided the school with water examination backpacks, in which you can find equipment to conduct many different measurements.
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Living Labbers Webinar #8: UNaLab NBS in the City of Tampere
The eighth Living Labbers Webinar will take place on 26th March between 11-12 CET. This time, UNaLab front-runner city Tampere will present the nature-based solutions for stormwater management in the city.
Biosuodattimia, hevoshakoja ja viherkattoja – yhdessä oppiminen luontopohjaisten ratkaisujen luomisessa
Authored by Maarit Särkilahti, Kaisa Mustajärvi & Salla Leppänen. Published in Alue ja ympäristö on 19 December 2019.
Natural areas increase the attractiveness of Vuores
According to the results of a survey sent to the residents of Vuores, the stormwater parks, the Koukkujärvi nature trail and the community horse park have increased the quality of living in the Vuores area. On average, the natural areas were considered visually pleasing and easily accessible, making Vuores a unique and attractive residential area.
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Finnish Municipalities Contributing to Super Year of Nature
The UNaLab project will be presented as part of this event organised as an official partner event of the EU Green Week 2020. The online seminar will take place on 22 October at 14:00-16:00 CET.
Pollinator-friendly nature-based solutions in Tampere
The progressive extinction of pollinator insect is one of the most dangerous environmental threats. Learn how UNaLab front-runner city Tampere through their implemented nature-based solutions is supporting pollinators and their imperative role in our ecosystem.
Buzzing results of the pollinator monitoring in Tampere
Citizens in Tampere have been able to participate in the city’s pollinator monitoring, which has taken place in the three UNaLab demonstration areas for nature-based solutions, through the iNaturalist mobile application. In the summers of 2020 and 2021, a total of 145 observations were registered on the application, representing 74 different species.
Tampere’s green wall: the northernmost of its kind
The City of Tampere has recently finished the first construction phase of the novel green wall that is located on an old wastewater treatment plant in the Viinikanlahti district. The green wall is the first of its kind to be constructed this far up north, and the city will study its performance in the harsh Finnish climate to enable the replication of this nature-based solution on other public and private buildings in the city.
Tampereella parannetaan hulevesien laatua biosuodatuksen avulla
Authored by Salla Leppänen and Maarit Särkilahti. Published in Viherympäristö in 2019.