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88 results for News, Materials and natural resources, Research, sustainability

Researchers Unlock a Stronger, Greener Way to Bond Wood: Finnish pulp fiber could be used to bond wood for the construction industry

Researchers at Aalto University have developed a groundbreaking wood bonding method using primarily pulp fibers from Finnish forestry. The resulting bonding interface is twice as strong as natural wood while highly resistant to water. This breakthrough could transform sustainable construction by reducing reliance on petroleum-based adhesives.
Press releases, Research & Art
Published:
A close-up of a hand holding a small wooden block with diagonal stripes and a notch in the centre, against a light background.

TexirC project meeting held at Valmet’s Fiber Technology Center

August 18, 2025 – The results meeting of the TexirC project took place at Valmet’s Fiber Technology Center.
Press releases
Published:
A group of people wearing yellow and orange high-visibility vests stand outside an office building with Valmet signage.

Annual meeting of textile chemistry group held

August 8, 2025 – The Textile Chemistry Group convened its Annual Meeting on Friday, August 8, bringing together researchers, doctoral candidates, master’s students, and interns to share their latest work in advancing sustainable textile technologies. The meeting was inaugurated and chaired by Professor Ali Tehrani, Head of the Textile Chemistry Group, who welcomed all members and emphasized the importance of collaborative research in shaping the future of the textile industry.
Press releases
Published:
A classroom at Aalto University with a lecturer in a green shirt and students seated in front of a presentation screen.

How can we ensure sustainable and equitable water use in times of crisis?

The multidisciplinary GloWater project develops solutions that help nations and companies manage their water risks and reinforce their water responsibility, taking into account the perspectives of civil society. The project also provides new insights into the sustainability of water resources by considering the role of water in regulating the overall state of the planet.
Research & Art
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GloWater

“Significant proportion” of world’s rural population missing from global estimates, says study

Global population datasets, crucial for decision-making by governments and institutions, may underestimate rural populations by as much as 53% to 84%, reveals an Aalto University study.
Press releases, Research & Art
Published:
World map with various sized dots indicating population counts and reference years, highlighting regions of China and India.

‘Running a business isn’t so bad after all’

Juho Uzkurt Kaljunen founded NPHarvest Oy based on his doctoral thesis with the aim of improving the nutrient cycle by recovering minerals from wastewater. The company’s first round of funding was a success.
Aalto Magazine, Research & Art
Published:
Valkoiseen laboratoriotakkiin pukeutunut Juho Uzkurt Kaljunen seisoo harmaan seinän edessä ja on levittänyt kätensä.

Assistant Professor Bianca Beyer receives the prestigious 2024 American Accounting Association Award

Bianca Beyer and co-authors are the recipients of the 2024 AAA-AACSB-RRBM Award for Research Impacting Societal Challenges for their paper “How Does Carbon Footprint Information Affect Consumer Choice? A Field Experiment”.
Awards and Recognition
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Assistant Professor Bianca Beyer

Economist: A natural resource tax on hydropower would generate revenue and improve the state of the environment

A natural resource tax would be a way to distribute the costs of environmental protection so that they would not fall solely on electricity consumers
Press releases, Research & Art
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The picture shows the School of Business Professor of Practice Iivo Vehviläinen in a forest.

Brighter together: designing sustainable technologies to create electronic devices

An article about an Aalto research project focusing on light-emitting electrochemical cells has been published in Chemical Science.
Research & Art
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Photoactive Organic Materials research group

Humans have driven the Earth’s freshwater cycle out of its stable state

New analysis shows that the global freshwater cycle has shifted far beyond pre-industrial conditions
Press releases
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Jokimaisema, jossa taustalla aavikkoa. Välissä kulkee tie, jossa ajaa rekka-auto.

New research: Labeling carbon footprint affects the choices of mass catering customers – and the labeling method matters, too!

A recent study conducted in Germany shows that customers in a student canteen choose low-emission meals when presented with the carbon footprint of meals. This effect was strongest when the information was color-coded in a traffic-light scheme and translated into environmental costs in euros. According to one of the researchers, these findings could also be relevant for Finland, where mass catering is particularly popular.
Press releases, Research & Art
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The picture shows the menu, in which the CO2 emissions are marker with color codes and the price in euros.

School of Business became a Champion member of the global PRME network for sustainability education

Champion-level membership demonstrates that the School of Business is a leader in promoting responsibility, not just nationally but also internationally, while also committing it to work more diligently to advance sustainable development and responsibility.
Awards and Recognition
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The picture shows the logo for the members of the PRME Champions group for the years 2024-2025

Economists' report: Emission restrictions would accelerate the electrification of Helsinki's car fleet

Achieving Helsinki's carbon neutrality goal requires new impactful measures. According to the recent study by Aalto University's economics working group, areas with CO2 emission-free transportation would be an efficient way to reduce emissions in Helsinki's transportation sector. A sufficient transition period would be a prerequisite for success.
Cooperation, Research & Art
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Cars driving on the highway at night

Raine Viitala: 'Spotify for electric motors' opens up platforms for device designers

A research team aims to make electricity and machines work better together
Cooperation
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Mies seisoo ja katsoo hymyillen kameraan.

Coming never to a road near you: Five myths about autonomous vehicles

Whether you call them autonomous, self-driving or robot cars, there is a lot of discussion about when, where and how these vehicles will take to the roads.
Research & Art
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Sohjoa-robottibussi

Kari Tammi: When we are lean enough, we have time to think without rushing

'Aalto is a pretty calm and safe environment to work in. The management and evaluation system is relatively kind, and the rules are just right for an odd and absent-minded person like me.'
University
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Kari Tammi, photo by Kalle Kataila.

Albert Devasagayam Francis: We are bringing community gardening and beekeeping together

'My main aim is to have clean energy, which can happen far into the future. In beekeeping, I can see the impact at the end of each season.'
Campus
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Albert Devasagayam Francis, photo by Susanna Oksanen

Professor Minna Halme received two awards in the Boston Academy of Management 2023 conference

She was granted the Best Paper of the Social Issues in Management (SIM) Division and a RRBM Responsible Research in Business and Management awards
Awards and Recognition
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A woman in red cardigan looking up, with white lamps in the background.

Professor Matti Kuittinen: ‘I want to bring hope back to construction’

Professor of Sustainable Construction Matti Kuittinen returned ʵ University after several years as Senior Ministerial Adviser in the Ministry of the Environment.
Appointments
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Lyhythiuksinen mies sinisenharmaa pikkutakki yllään katsoo kameraan

Funding granted for research into physics of microscopic plant roots

The aim is to create a new micromechanical tool to better understand how root mechanics arise from cells and how living materials like plant roots adapt to external stresses
Research & Art
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Professor Matilda Backholm facing the camera