Building health seminar
6.-8.10.2026
A warm welcome to the Building Health Seminar in Oulu! The event will feature presentations on topics such as research on indoor environmental quality, the design of buildings and renovation projects, and the development of professional expertise.
Pre-seminar Events & Reception
Date: Tue 6 October 2026
The Northern Finland Construction Cluster will host the traditional Rakentajapäivä from 12:00 to 16:00 at Technopolis (Sepänkatu 20, 90100 Oulu). More information will be available at: https://www.rakennusklusteri.fi/uutiset/categories/tapahtumat
The University of Oulu will organize a workshop titled “Low Carbon Healthy Buildings Design, Operation and Assessment”. The workshop will include presentations on related research and share experiences from development and innovation activities. Ongoing projects, pilot initiatives, and collaboration opportunities between different stakeholders will also be discussed. The workshop can be attended both in person and online, and it will be held in English. A more detailed programme will be announced later.
From 17:00 onwards, participants are welcome to a cocktail reception hosted by the City of Oulu at the City Hall’s main hall.
Seminar and Dinner
Date: Wed 7 October 2026
The seminar programme will be finalized closer to the event. The first keynote speaker has now been announced.
Keynote lecture: Health Effects of Moisture Damage
Professor Emeritus Juha Pekkanen retired in 2025 from his positions as Professor of Public Health at the University of Helsinki and Research Professor at the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare.
Since the 1990s, his research has focused on the health effects of microbes in agricultural environments and moisture-damaged buildings, as well as respiratory symptoms. He played a key role in developing the Finnish Current Care Guidelines for patients exposed to moisture damage (2017) and in establishing and implementing the Indoor Air and Health Programme 2018–2028.
Pekkanen has participated in 22 EU-funded multicentre studies. He has co-authored over 500 peer-reviewed publications and supervised 22 doctoral dissertations.
At the Building Health Seminar, Pekkanen will deliver a keynote lecture on the health effects of moisture damage.
Excursions
Date: Thu 8 October 2026
The theme of the excursion day is culturally and historically valuable sites that are part of protected built heritage. Site visits will explore their challenges and opportunities, particularly from the perspectives of indoor air quality and building health. More detailed information on the schedule and destinations will be provided later.
Join us!
Join us to explore and discuss the latest topics and diverse perspectives on indoor air and building health! The seminar will feature leading experts as keynote speakers. A detailed program will be shared closer to the event.
More information about the seminar (incl. information about keynote speakers, Healthy and Sustainable Buildings Competition) and side events will be added around April 15 — stay tuned!
Call for abstracts and competition proposals
We invite professionals from different sectors to submit abstracts for the Building Health Seminar programme. Abstracts may present research results, case studies, or innovative solutions that promote healthy and sustainable buildings.
Instructions for abstracts
A key part of the event is the Healthy and Sustainable Building Competition, which aims to highlight successful projects, good practices, and innovative solutions that promote healthy and sustainable buildings.
Competition categories
- Project – a successful new construction or renovation project
- Practice – a good practice or implementation approach
- Innovation – a new method, device, product, or solution
Proposals will be evaluated from both health and sustainability perspectives. The competition proposal should describe the features that support health and sustainability and present quantitative and/or qualitative results suitable for assessing them.
In each category with at least five submissions, the best proposal will receive a recognition prize. All awardees will receive visibility through the seminar’s communication channels and partner networks. From among the recipients of the recognition awards, the jury will select the overall winner of the competition, who will receive a €5,000 cash prize as well as additional visibility in the seminar’s communications.
The competition can be entered by submitting an abstract to the seminar according to the instructions above. The competition will be held if there are at least ten participants.
Participation fees:
- City reception and seminar day: €270 (early bird until 30 June 2026), €300 (after 30 June 2026)
- Dinner: +€100
- Excursion: +€30
- VAT 25.5% will be added to the prices
Partners receive a 20% discount on these prices.
Become a partner
Two different partner packages are available, including a participant pass, a stand in the networking area, and/or visibility in marketing before, during, and after the seminar. The seminar’s networking area is the place where the best discussions and most valuable connections happen. Breaks and refreshments provide a relaxed setting for interaction, and the atmosphere encourages participants to stop by the stands and network with both new and familiar faces.
Ask us more about partnerhsip!
Jenny Reinikainen
050 434 4500
jenny.reinikainen@kiinko.fi
Accomodations
Participants can book accommodation at the Radisson Blu hotel at a special price (participation in the seminar must be mentioned at the time of booking).
For more information about the seminar, you can also contact:
