Viksu Kuopio recognition
The Viksu Kuopio recognition was awarded to fifteen climate and resource-wise operators during 2019-2023. The purpose of the recognition was to encourage operators in their environmental responsibility work.
In Kuopio’s jubilee year 2025, the City of Kuopio awarded the Viksu Kuopiolainen Award for climate and resource-wise activities to the Sewing Clubs Repair Workshop concept.
Recipients of the recognition
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- The 2025 “Viksu kuopiolainen” (Smart Kuopio Resident) award has been presented to the *Ompeluseurat Korjauspaja* (Sewing Circle Repair Workshop) concept in recognition of its climate- and resource-smart activities.
- The team behind the *Ompeluseurat Korjauspaja* concept has organized the “Kuopio Repair Living Room”—a free event open to all residents—as well as repair workshop tours in local upper secondary schools. The workshop invites people to repair and mend items, conserve natural resources, spend time together, and enjoy rotating art content.
- At these events, participants learn how to reduce consumption in their daily lives, while active volunteers provide guidance on repair techniques suited to each person’s skill level.
- The initiative combines ecological and social responsibility. The events, particularly those aimed at young people, encourage them to make better everyday choices through an accessible, low-threshold approach.
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- For years now, Hanna has taken care of the cleanliness of environment and voluntarily collected litter from the public areas of Kuopio and other municipalities.
- Hanna has collected litter both alone and together with her friends by organizing and participating in numerous litter collecting events.
- Collecting litter and speaking for nature is a daily activity for Hanna.
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- The reuse of rock caves mined about 90 years ago and the use of caves as a dual-use space (air-raid shelters are used for sports and events during normal times) is resource wise.
- The rock quarry resulting from the additional mining of Luola has been utilized in the city of Kuopio’s own infrastructure and construction projects, mainly in the nearby area, i.e. Savilahti.
- The geothermal heating has already put into use during the construction time. The commissioning has made it possible to heat the construction site with geothermal heating right from the beginning.
- The premises are designed to be flexible in such a way that not all premises need to be closed if there is, for example, activity related to the construction of an event in some part.
- Efforts have been made to use energy-efficient and long-lasting solutions and products in the building technical systems of the project.
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- Promotes circular economy in the North Savo region in an effective and comprehensive manner.
- Receives more than half a million kilograms of different kinds of products each year, nearly 80% of which are reused or recycled.
- Serves as an operator for the collection of waste textile, and through their efforts, more than 30 tons of textiles that have previously been used for energy purposes have been made available for use as recycled material. The amount corresponds to around 200,000 new t-shirts.
- The foundation implements high-quality work coaching on the use of recycled materials.
- Upcycled product development creates innovative ways to use recycled materials and to repurpose recycled products as, for example, clothes or furniture.
- Social enterprise.
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- Uses emission-free electrical and thermal energy
- Systematic construction that takes into account energy-efficiency and environmental issues
- Remote monitoring and optimisation in building temperature control
- Uses artificial intelligence to improve energy efficiency (e.g. in heating system management and underfloor heating)
- Shared-use car for residents
- Calculated the carbon footprint of their operations
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- A vision for building a sustainable future, aiming to promote environmental and social responsibility in their own activities and in working life in general
- Have identified key factors of environmental impact and set reduction targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions
- Calculated the carbon footprint of their operations
- New campus buildings will be built in accordance with the Swan Label criteria
- Environmental responsibility requirements set for procurements
- A circular economy coordinator is responsible for organising the reuse of movable property
- Measures to increase the environmental handprint: training professionals with environmental skills, supporting the environmental work of regional organisations and companies, developing operating models for environmentally responsible working life
- Systematic inclusion of sustainable development in operations, site-specific responsible persons and teams
- Environmental report published since 2009
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- Quarterly environmental plan for environmental responsibility work
- EcoCompass certificate received in spring 2021
- Environmental responsibility is one of the spearheads of the company’s strategy
- Carbon footprint calculated and CO2 emission reduction targets under preparation
- The organisation has an environmental committee and publishes an environmental report
- Environmental communication is part of the communication plan
- Vehicle positioning system and economic driving control
- Improved waste sorting
- Transitioning into fossil-free energy sources
- Promotes the use of recyclable construction materials
- Introduced process tool to illustrate e.g. environmental responsibility work
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- The working group for ecosocial education and sustainable well-being (Eko) develops the education centre taking into account the promotion of a sustainable future and good life
- Annual action plan for sustainable well-being, including a communication plan
- Has prepared a handbook on sustainable well-being
- Organises courses on resource wise consumption for personnel and residents
- Collaborates with several stakeholders and projects
- Digital services and online services have been improved, including online events and lectures, and the study guide is only published online
- Prevents the accumulation of waste through long-term procurement, monitors food and material waste and sorts waste
- Activities available in communal spaces in different residential areas – local services increase the comfort and vitality of different areas
- Premises accessible on foot, by bike and by public transport
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- Has done long-term work to take environmental responsibility and energy efficiency into account in residential properties for years
- Environmental guide for residents
- EcoCompass environmental system in use since 2017
- Waste sorting has been made as easy as possible for residents
- Properties use renewable energy for heating and solar energy for electricity
- Environmental responsibility is taken into account extensively in procurements
- Resource wise consumption is made possible for residents, and environmental responsibility is also required of partners
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- As the first library in Finland, stopped using contact paper on books, reducing plastic waste and saving the cost of the contact paper
- In addition to books, provides different kinds of recreational equipment and season passes to cultural and sports club events
- Book exchange shelf
- Designated eco-support person
- Encourages residents to use resources wisely through active communication
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- Actively communicates with its employees about environmental responsibility
- Encourages employees in smart mobility and collaborates with public transport services
- Continuously strives to improve material efficiency and resource wise practices in their operations and procurement processes
- Has implemented and is currently implementing a number of energy efficiency improvement measures, such as a district cooling system using cold water from the deep parts of Lake Kallavesi as well as using solar panels for producing electricity
- Has an environmental responsibility programme and participates in municipal sector energy efficiency agreements
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- Has a sustainable development programme and has the international Green Flag label for sustainable schools
- Has participated in the city’s eco-support activities since 2014
- Active monitoring of food waste as part of everyday operations
- Active participation in different campaigns
- Participates in the North Savo environmental education network
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- Has participated in the city’s eco-support activities since 2014
- Has an environmental group with students and teachers from different classes
- Waste sorting at the school has been successfully improved
- Plans to find new solutions to reduce food waste
- UN sustainable development themes and Agenda2030 goals as part of teaching and prominently visible at the school
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- Has worked systematically to improve energy efficiency in residential properties. Is part of energy efficiency agreements for rental housing companies.
- The company’s energy consumption has decreased by 13% since 2015.
- In 2018, Niiralan Kulma committed residents to resource wise consumption by organising competitions to promote recycling and to reduce electricity and water consumption.
- Niiralan Kulma has actively communicated about environmental responsibility with its residents and challenged Kuopio residents in general to participate in resource wise action.
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- Pioneer in circular economy, active adopter and promoter of new solutions
- Visible and high-quality communication and guidance in different channels
- Develops services with residents
- Actively increases the utilisation of biowaste and develops services for the separate collection of plastic packaging
- Jätekukko is prominently involved in events and development projects with various stakeholders
- Improves material flows in construction and actively promotes the utilisation of recycled materials
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- Publishes its own environmentally responsible actions and has set upcoming goals for developing resource wise consumption
- Collaborates with public transport services and encourages people coming to their games in smart mobility
- Several energy efficiency measures have been implemented at the hockey arena together with the Facility Services of the City of Kuopio
- Plans to improve waste sorting at the Niirala hockey arena
- Looking for solutions for reducing waste and plastics
- Has prepared an environmental programme and carried out a study on their carbon footprint
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Criteria for awarding the Viksu Kuopio recognition:
- The organization has incorporated resource wisdom into its operations
- The organization has a designated person responsible, such as an eco-support person or another person responsible for resource wisdom or the environment
- The organization has conducted an initial survey and selected development measures
- The organization takes actions that promote resource wisdom and actively communicates about them.
“Viksu Kuopio brings together everything that is being done in Kuopio for climate and resource wisdom.”
Learn more about Viksu Kuopio program
Viksu Kuopio program (PDF, in Finnish)