GreenCity program supports new growth of Lahti

Lahti has a strategy with an ambitious aim to cut the greenhouse gas emissions by half in 2025. Additionally, there are plenty of on-going spatial development plans in Lahti with an objective to develop and raise the quality of urban core and neighborhoods. At the moment, the annual population growth rate of Lahti is 0.7%, which should maintain the health socio-economic profile of the area.

The environmental goals are not self-evidently met with growing spatial needs of urban settlements and infrastructure, not to forget the urban life style requirements. The city has a strong backbone in environmental work done by the Lahti Region Environmental Services, and the expertise in Cleantech business led by the Lahti Science and Business Park Ltd. The newly established GreenCity program of Lahti (2011 -2013, funded by ERDF) aims to implement the environmental-friendly solutions to the very core of the Lahti city development.

Lahti GreenCity program consists of new and innovative practices, better co-operation of city partners and higher visibility of the Lahti Region. The practices of GreenCity program include e.g. pilots that tackle the need to increase the energy-efficiency of buildings. The renovation planning of municipality-owned buildings and the advisory work of private building projects are heading towards more holistic overview with the work of GreenCity program. Lahti is developing greener working practices with WWF Green office program, which it is committed to implement in the whole city by 2013. The development of urban core of Lahti (2011-2016) will be designed in a new partnership with the citizens, the urban dwellers. As a member city of World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 year, Lahti develops inspiring public-private co-operation models, which facilitate the transformation of urban core towards space that brings quality of life to everyday experience of the citizens. For instance, the bicycle routing and parking spaces are designed in an intensive co-operation with urban cyclists.

The GreenCity program also aims to develop mutually important new partnerships with other environment-aware cities in Finland and globally. Best practices of other cities may well end upasa part of the urban development of Lahti.