Department of Built Environment

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Department of Built Environment

The Department of Built Environment looks for practical solutions for a society whose functioning requires sustainable asset management, efficient water and waste management, sufficient water resources, reliable and safe transportation as well as valid geographic data. Intelligent spatial planning enables built environments that best serve the needs of habitation, business and mobility.

Research

The research and education of the Department of Built Environment focus on fields that are continuously growing in societal importance. Research problems involve the great challenges facing today’s society, including population growth, urbanisation, climate change, globalisation, digitalisation and the increasing use of natural resources.

The Department of Built Environment is home to four research groups – Geoinformatics, Real Estate Economics, Spatial Planning and Transportation Engineering and Water and Environmental Engineering – and a partner in MeMo, the Research Institute of Modelling and Measuring for The Built Environment.

Spatial Planning and Transportation Engineering

Urban realities are becoming increasingly dynamic, complex and fragmented while demands for their livability, sustainability, competitiveness, and attractiveness increase. Our research connects spatial planning and transportation engineering for developing new scientific knowledge needed in systemic understanding, problem-solving, and integrative planning and policy-making beyond sectoral boundaries, aimed at achieving human-centered living environments.

Traffic in Mannerheimintie, photo Aalto University/Annamari Tolonen

Water and Environmental Engineering

Water and Environmental Engineering research at Aalto University aims to find solutions to decrease resource scarcity and to support sustainability. Our research is divided into two strategic areas: global water issues and sustainable circular economy, which are further divided into four research entities.

Aalto Research groups

Real Estate Economics

Real estate economics analyses the dynamics of real estate markets from the perspectives of e.g. business, planning, technology, value formation and law. The Real Estate Economics research group at Aalto University is the only university-level research unit in Finland focusing on the broad area of real estate.

Real Estate Economics

Geoinformatics

Geoinformatics at Aalto University is a truly multidisciplinary field. Our research and its applications cover a wide range of themes from human-centred to natural environments.

View from the plane used in remote sensing.

MeMo - Research Institute of Measuring and Modeling for the Built Environment

The goal of the Institute is to produce world-class research and development of the measurement technology in the field of construction and environmental engineering.

Henkilö tekemässä laserskannausta

DIWA – Digital Waters Flagship Programme

Promoting sustainable development by linking digital solutions to water resource management.

Read more
Digitaaliset vedet -lippulaiva

Education

The Department of Built Environment offers education at the bachelor's, master's and doctoral level.

News

Shaking up tech 2023
Campus, Research & Art, Studies Published:

Shaking up Tech welcomes high school students to campuses in January

The keynote speaker this time is neuroscientist Minna Huotilainen. The purpose of the event is to introduce the field of technology to underrepresented groups.
Aalto University campus. Photo by Mikko Raskinen
Research & Art Published:

Helsinki Capital Region Research Collaboration: Research funding for Impact Assessment Research for the years 2024-2028

The City of Helsinki, the City of Espoo, the City of Vantaa and the University of Helsinki and Aalto University have agreed to implement a scientific cooperation for the development of the Helsinki Capital Region in 2024-2028. Funding is now available for the period 2025-2027.
Aalto Open Science Award 2024. A light blue podium hovering over a blue-pink gradient background with the help of squishy-looking balloons with colored lights inside.
Awards and Recognition, Research & Art Published:

Call for nominees for Aalto University’s Open Science Award 2024

Nominate yourself, your colleague, a research group, a department, or a project for the award.
Yellow post-it notes with different white symbols on them and a hand grabbing one of the notes.
Research & Art Published:

Events

Aalto yellow pen
Public defences

Public defence in Water and Environmental Engineering, M.Sc. (Tech) Vili Virkki

Human-driven water cycle modifications and their importance in the Earth system – how human activities change the freshwater cycle.
Introduction to research data management
Lectures and seminars, Staff trainings, IT & digital tools, Support for teams, Training to support research

Introduction to Research Data Management, Oct 9, 2024

Get to know the basics of RDM with Data Agent, Dr. Essi Viitanen from Research Services.
Ask a Data Agent, weekly RDM support hour, 1-2 PM on Zoom
For Aalto community Support for teams, Training to support research

Aalto Data Agents' weekly support hour on Zoom

A weekly Zoom room to come and ask us anything about research data and open science: data management, data storage, data analysis, data sharing, reproducibility, responsible conduct of research, data privacy, ethics.
Research funding seminar series, part 1/3: Major EU funding instruments for research projects
For Aalto community Lectures and seminars, Staff trainings, Training to support research

Research funding seminar series, part 1/3: Major EU funding instruments for research projects, 9.10.2024

Aalto University Research Services organizes a seminar introducing major European funding instruments, focusing particularly on the framework programme Horizon Europe.

Contact information: Department of Built Environment

Find contact details for the Department of Built Environment.

Find staff members
Environmental Hydraulics Flow Channel

Where to find us

Otakaari 4

Mechanical engineering 1, K1

Otakaari 4

Tietotie 1 E

Water and Environmental Engineering, Water Building, Mon-Fri 8.00–15.45

Vesihuoltotekniikka

Tietotie 1

Marine Technology, Aalto Ice and Wave Tank

Tietotie 1 main entrance

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