T-Winning Spaces 2035

Owing to digitalisation, an increasing number of future ‘digital’ workers will be able to work wherever they prefer. This development does not diminish the importance of the characteristics of the physical spaces (e.g. the size, layout, type, and location) but, on the contrary, emphasizes their role. The spatial solutions will impact the performance and wellbeing of workers, but have also significant direct and indirect environmental impacts as it influences how we e.g. use spaces, commute, consume and spend leisure time. 

Hence there is an urgent need to maximise the potential that digital remote working can provide to reach Finland’s carbon-neutrality goal by 2035. However, challenges include the current unsuitability of the Finnish building stock, while workplace strategies may lead to negative consequences such as inequality and inability to respond to future work-life requirements. The long tradition, willingness, and capability of Finns to work remotely is high. Thus, Finland has potential to act as a pioneering laboratory in tackling these challenges by finding solutions to be exported to address global digital transition challenges. Therefore, the aim of this study is to increase understanding about the environmental and social impacts and challenges of digital remote work, and provide winning spatial solutions and strategy, policy and management recommendations for different types of organizations and individuals to empower them to support the double twin transition of digital/green and virtual/physical. 

This study brings together a unique team of researchers and methods from fields of spatial and land use planning, housing design, architecture, facility management, urban physics and environmental health, real estate, and futures studies.

We will present a novel understanding on how different work settings, including homes, workplaces and third places contribute directly and indirectly to social and environmental impacts. Concrete spatial solutions for different types of organizations and individuals will be provided. Key elements for optimization of corporate workplace strategies will be identified. 

This study proposes policies, regulations, business models, and management practices and highlights the cooperation between actors (such as households, employers, real estate owners, public sector) to build competence and to achieve pathways towards sustainable work settings, culminating in practical oriented tools forming "The Green Digital Working Roadmap".

Research partners:

• Aalto University, coordinator
• Finland Futures Research Centre, University of Turku and
• Tampere University (with two departments)

Research team: Juha Kaskinen (PI), Sirkka Heinonen, Juho Ruotsalainen, Mikkel Stein Knudsen, Amos Taylor, Joni Karjalainen & Riku Viitamäki.

This project has received funding from the European Union – NextGenerationEU instrument and is funded by the Academy of Finland under grant number 353326.