Greenhouse utilising pulp mill residual streams wins Finnish Forest Industries Federation鈥檚 Innovation Contest for Students
Wood U Make It Happen Innovation Contest winners Milla-Mari Vastavuo and Mikko Niemel盲inen from the Aalto University School of Chemical Engineering. Photo: Mirkku Merimaa
Aalto University students Mikko Niemel盲inen and Milla-Mari Vastavuo have won the Finnish Forest Industries Federation鈥檚 Wood U Make It Happen Innovation Contest. The duo鈥檚 project named Relaps is an ecosystem that utilises a pulp mill鈥檚 waste heat and mineral flows in smart greenhouse cultivation.
鈥淥ur innovation is based strongly on the circular economy approach: we want to find a practical use for material flows that previously went to waste. In addition, Relaps offers a model for how food production can respond to population growth and the pressures caused by climate change鈥, Niemel盲inen and Vastavuo explain.
The students believe that Finland has a very high level of expertise in greenhouse technology and forest industry, and collaboration between the two can in the future create unprecedented opportunities for food production.
鈥淲e sought advice from experts from different fields and combined these. A circular economy-based approach is not a new concept in the forest industry but combining it with greenhouse cultivation this comprehensively is. You just have to dare to try out and play around with possibly wild ideas without prejudice鈥, the two students assure.
According to Timo Jaatinen, Director General of the Finnish Forest Industries Federation, the winning entry has good development opportunities and scaling potential.
鈥淎n ecosystem like Relaps approaches food production and energy consumption in a completely new way. It boldly takes on the challenges created by global megatrends, such as environmental problems and population growth鈥, Jaatinen describes.
Innovation Contest looks to the future
The innovation contest鈥檚 three finalists received their awards on 4 December at the Finnish Forest Industries Federation鈥檚 centennial celebration where one of the themes is renewal and looking to the future.
鈥淐urrently, the entire forest industry is looking for answers to how we can create the most sustainable options for consumers. The innovation contest鈥檚 participants have demonstrated through their own solutions that the future of the forest industry is being built now鈥, says Timo Jaatinen.
More information:
Director Maarit Lindstr枚m, tel +358 40 531 8262, maarit.lindstrom@forestindustries.fi
Contestants鈥 interviews:
Senior Adviser, Communications, Martta Fredrikson, tel +358 40 687 1686, martta.fredrikson@forestindustries.fi
Read more news
Suggest the School of Electrical Engineering Alum of the Year 2025!
Submit your suggestion by 31 August 2025.
Aalto University again ranked Finland鈥檚 top university in the QS World University Rankings
Aalto placed 114th globally
FITech Network University's new project increases the network鈥檚 capabilities in continuous learning
FITech's new FITech FORWARD project aims to develop the member universities鈥 ability to create offerings of continuous learning and micro-credentials to meet the current skill needs in the field of technology. Besides Aalto University, also Tampere University, University of Oulu, and University of Vaasa are involved in the project.