Kaarin Taipale, Ph.D. (Urban Studies) Visiting Researcher, Center for Knowledge and Innovation Research (CKIR) Aalto University School of Economics Founder, DOCHAKUKA - For a more decent world

Kaarin Taipale received her Ph.D. (Urban Studies) at the Helsinki University of Technology. She was originally educated at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich and at Columbia University, New York.

Before focusing on urban issues she worked as an architect, as the Editor of the Finnish Architectural Review, as the CEO of the Building Control Department of Helsinki, and as Guest Professor at Chalmers, Gothenburg.

As Chairperson of ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability (2000-2003), she represented cities in several United Nations’ meetings, e.g. WSSD in Johannesburg (2002). On behalf of the Ministry of the Environment of Finland she chaired the global Marrakech Task Force on Sustainable Buildings and Construction (2006-2010).Now, as a free-lance writer and lecturer, she focuses on sustainable urban and metropolitan policies. As a researcher, she has analysed the privatization of the public realm and the role of financing in sustainable construction. She is also Board Member of the Helsinki-Uusimaa Regional Council.