Promote circular construction and offer a solution to the innovation challenge
The cities of Helsinki, Espoo, and Vantaa, together with HSY, are launching a joint innovation challenge through the Circular Buildings project to find new circular economy-based construction solutions. Selected solutions may be piloted at various sites across the Helsinki metropolitan area. The market dialogue is conducted jointly, after which each city may proceed with its own procurement based on the challenge.
The goal of the innovation challenge is to discover new types of construction solutions based on the circular economy and to maximize the reuse of demolition materials and building products. The aim is to identify better practices, uncover new circular economy-based products and services, and create the conditions for a market-driven circular economy in construction. The challenge also seeks solutions that could, in the future, extend the lifespan of buildings under threat of demolition, improve the utilization rate of underused spaces, and reduce vacancy.
Selected companies will receive expert mentoring during the process, and the finalized solutions will be showcased at a demo day in October.
Throughout the entire Circular Buildings project, we will continue discussions with all interested participants of the innovation challenge, with the goal of advancing circular construction in various ways. The most promising proposals may also be piloted at sites provided by the innovation challenge partners.
The proposed solution can focus on the reuse of a specific building product, the life cycle of a building, or it can be a more comprehensive service concept related to the circular economy and reuse of building materials.
The innovation challenge seeks entirely new services or existing solutions combined in a new way. In the evaluation, special emphasis will be placed on the novelty, innovativeness, and feasibility of the proposal. The proposed solution can still be in development, but it must be at a readiness level that allows it to be piloted between October 2025 and May 2026.
Documentation and Reporting in Piloting
A key aspect of the piloting phase is the documentation of implementation and the reporting of experiences and results. The outcomes of the pilots—including a description of the implementation, key results and deliverables, as well as insights and conclusions on the solution’s impact—must be public and freely accessible. This means that the results of the project are public and cannot include trade or professional secrets, nor can their publication be restricted on such grounds.
Team Participation
Participation as a team of multiple implementers is possible and encouraged. In such cases, the team must designate one main point of contact. Multiple actors may submit a joint proposal, but the idea must have one lead proposer responsible for the solution.
You can register for the innovation challenge and the pre-procurement market dialogue between June 10, 2025, at 14:00 and August 17, 2025, at 23:59.
After this, we will engage in discussions with those who submitted the most feasible proposals. The ideas will be further refined during a mentoring session on August 27, 2025.
Refined requests for proposals will be sent separately by each city after the mentoring session and market dialogue. The deadline for submitting tenders and final solution proposals is September 17, 2025, by 23:59.
A pitching event will be held on October 8, 2025.
The final selection will be based on the criteria specified in the request for proposals and the scored pitch presentations.
Each city will carry out procurements and sign implementation contracts based on the solution proposals that performed best in the challenge.
The piloting should be completed by May 2026.
Pilots and Procurement
The pilots will be implemented as procurements by each respective city. Each municipality will select 1–3 solutions to be tested, meaning the total budget may cover multiple pilots.
Suppliers may submit proposals for one or more challenges.
Challenge themes and budgets:
Reuse of window and flat glass
City of Helsinki
Total budget: €30,000 (VAT 0%)
Efficient methods for deconstruction and reuse business models
City of Espoo
Total budget: €30,000 (VAT 0%)
Life cycle-efficient use of existing building stock
City of Vantaa
Total budget: €30,000 (VAT 0%)
All cities participating in the Circular Buildings project serve as the platform for the innovation challenge, even though procurements are carried out separately. Pilots may be implemented within the area and/or with the resources of one or more cities.
