Smart energy and built environment

The energy system is facing a transition driven by climate change. Energy production changes fast towards renewable technologies, and energy systems develop to be increasingly complex and integrated. In key energy-use sectors, such as buildings, transport and industry, emission reductions and an increase in overall efficiency can be achieved through electrification and sector integration. As buildings have a more active role in energy systems, we need to ensure safe and comfortable indoor air quality. VTT provides an RDI infrastructure to support the development of new technologies and solutions for new opportunities and business models created by this transition. 

VTT’s research facilities for smart energy and built environment are designed for the development and piloting of new technologies, solutions and business models needed in integrated and smart energy systems for the next generations. We work in close cooperation with companies, research organisations and other stakeholders. 

VTT IntelligentEnergy testbed allows our customers to test new technical solutions and products for distributed energy systems in a multifunctional environment. Several independent testing facilities are connected, covering production, control, loading concepts and energy storages of different sizes and technologies. The platform is flexible and can be adapted for various purposes.

Our Clean Air Laboratory is a unique RDI service platform. It includes a research Air Handling Unit (AHU), air filtration R&D systems, test rooms to study air purification, decontamination and emissions, a conditioning room for air sample analyses, and versatile measuring equipment for particulate, microbial or gaseous impurities and fluid flows. 

In VTT FutureHub building, you can find the Living Lab, an RDI platform. The facility forms a local energy system with several intelligent solutions. The building includes solar panels, electric car charging units, a modern building automation system, a 5G test network and several different meters and sensors to collect continuous measurement data to the Digital Twin of the building. It can be utilised, for example, in RDI related to local optimisation, virtual power plants, energy communities and regional operator models. 