Guidelines

Guidelines of the Viikki Plant Growth Facilities
User ac­cess policy

How to start research in the greenhouse

The Equipment Centre of the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry coordinates the use of the greenhouses and the research field. The Equipment Centre collects the users of the greenhouses based on the area used and the time spent. The use of the greenhouses and the research field must be planned well before any experiments can be carried out.

Terms of use for the greenhouses:

  1. The user is mainly a University of Helsinki unit but also exterior users are considered under certain conditions. Users from outside the University of Helsinki will conclude a lease agreement with the University of Helsinki Facilities.
  2. The Equipment Centre drafts a monthly reservation list for the greenhouse facilities and sends it to the relevant unit contact people for inspection. Placement on the reservation list is a binding agreement, as the Equipment Centre uses the list in its billing.
  3. A usage fee is invoiced 3 times a year to all greenhouse users. The usage fee covers general costs of automation (hard- and software), plant protection (biological and chemical) and some growing medias.
  4. The users of the greenhouses must participate in the costs of the shared equipment and instruments in the facilities proportionately to the area and period that they use. Any acquisitions are agreed on in the greenhouse steering group.
  5. Only entire greenhouse rooms are given for use, but a room maybe shared if users do agree so.
  6. The agreement will last at least one month at a time. The time of use is calculated from the beginning of the experiment to its conclusion and the cleaning of the greenhouse.
  7. Every unit or group which uses the greenhouses is responsible for the research or teaching conducted in the greenhouses or on the research field using its own or jointly hired staff and is responsible for any fees accrued by their work. Every unit or group that carries out research or teaching work in a greenhouse facility or the research field area must appoint a person responsible for the use of the facilities. One person may be responsible for the affairs of several units, if the units or groups so agree. The duties of the person responsible for the use of the facilities are described under the section User guidelines.
  8. Any unit using the greenhouse facilities must announce the availability of the greenhouse unit one month before relinquishing the unit.

Administration, steering group

The glasshouses and protected research field have a steering group appointed by the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry. The Faculty also appoints the chair from among the steering group members. The steering group comprises six members. The Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry proposes three members, the Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences proposes two, and the Institute of Biotechnology proposes one. The steering group appoints a vice chair from among its members.

The composition of the steering group is the following in 2023–2026:

  • Professor Pirjo Mäkelä, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, chair.
  • Professor Albert Porcar, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry
  • Professor Kristiina Mäkinen, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry
  • Laboratory Coodinator Airi Lamminmäki, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences
  • Professor Ari-Pekka Mähönen, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences
  • Professor Alan Schulman, Institute of biotechnology

In addition:  

  • Research Coordinator Kristiina Himanen, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry
  • Senior Engineer Aarno Pelkonen, secretary, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry
  • Head Gardener Daniel Richterich, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry
User guidelines

An agreement is done between each user unit of the facilities and the Equipment Center of the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry of the Helsinki University. User unit, person in charge and project information is exchanged for the reliable running of the project. Every unit or group which uses the greenhouses is responsible for the research or teaching conducted in the greenhouses or on the research field using its own or jointly hired staff, and is responsible for any fees accrued by their work.

We introduce new users before starting a project in the greenhouses and on the experimental field. Our thread is to cultivate responsibly and hygienically. These are critical points while tens of projects are running next to each other in a definite space. We guide users about the rules of the house and general questions concerning cultivation. Climate and irrigation data can be collected in the greenhouse automation software and this data is available for the users on request. The measurements about the experiments are done and stored by the user groups themselves and using their own devices.