Proceedings of the Fifth World Conference on Floating Solutions

This book compiles the papers presented at the 5th World Conference on Floating Solutions (WCFS2025), held from September 1st to 3rd, 2025, in Espoo, Finland. The WCFS series, initiated by the Society of Floating Solutions, Singapore (SFSS) in 2019, serves as a platform for global experts and leaders to share the latest research and innovations in floating solutions. Previous conferences were held in Rotterdam (2020), Tokyo (2023), and Hong Kong (2024).

The theme of WCFS2025, "Floating Solutions for Sustainable Urban Waterfront Development and the Blue Economy," addresses critical global challenges such as rising sea levels, coastal flooding, and the need for space in crowded urban areas. It explores innovative ways to expand aquaculture, increase renewable energy production, and create sustainable living and working spaces and infrastructure on water bodies.

This proceedings offer insights into the modeling, analysis, design, and construction of a wide range of floating solutions. The content will be of great value to architects, engineers, urban planners, biologists, social scientists, consultants, developers, policymakers, researchers, academics, and postgraduate students interested in addressing the pressing challenges of climate change and sustainable development through floating solutions.

Kimmo Saharinen leads the technical direction of Bluet’s floating solution projects, specializing in swimming pool technology and floating construction mechanics. His expertise includes designing floating business and leisure concepts, area development, and residential projects. He oversees quality coordination, supervises design, and collaborates with suppliers and construction teams to ensure seamless system integration, with a focus on energy-efficient and improved building solutions.

Prof. C.M. Wang is a Professor in Structural Engineering at The University of Queensland and a Fellow of multiple academies, and Member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts.  His research focuses on structural mechanics and floating structures. He leads the Offshore Engineering Program at the Blue Economy CRC, a $329 million initiative combining seafood, renewable energy, and offshore engineering.

Dr. Elizabeth C. English is a Professor of Architecture at the University of Waterloo. She holds degrees from UPenn, MIT, and Princeton.  Dr. English specializes in developing amphibious foundation systems as flood mitigation and climate change adaptation strategies. She founded and directs a non-profit organization dedicated to creating affordable, flood-resilient housing solutions for vulnerable communities worldwide.

Kai Happonen is a Research Scientist at VTT, specializing in maritime research. His work includes ship handling simulation, port and fairway design, and the development of autonomous maritime systems. He has contributed to defining wind limits in ports using simulators and wind tunnel testing, improving maritime safety and efficiency. Happonen's research also encompasses the design and evaluation of collision avoidance systems for autonomous ships.

Dr. Koen Olthuis is the founder of Waterstudio.NL, the first firm dedicated to floating architecture. With degrees from Delft University of Technology, he has led over 200 projects worldwide. Named by TIME as one of the most influential people in 2007, he promotes sustainable water-based urban solutions to combat climate change and urbanization challenges and is part of UNESCO-IHE’s Flood Resilience Group. His book Float! explores water-based urban solutions.

Dr. Martti Latva is Research Manager and Head of the Research Center WANDER at Satakunta University of Applied Sciences. His research focuses on water quality, materials in contact with water, and indoor hygiene. His work addresses issues such as plumbing materials and environmental residues. Latva emphasizes high standards in drinking water quality and has been involved in developing product approval and standardization systems for materials used in water systems.

Pekka Ristikaarto's areas of expertise include various electromechanical solutions such as electronics product enclosures, cooling elements, cabling and connectors, and electronics manufacturing technology. Prior to joining the patent sector and Kolster, he spent 15 years in telecommunications product development, working on base-station systems and project management.

Prof. Torgeir Moan is a professor at NTNU and a leading expert in marine technology. Holding a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering, he has made significant contributions to the safety and design of marine structures, including ships, oil platforms, and wind turbines. A prolific researcher with around 700 published papers, he has supervised over 80 Ph.D. candidates and served as Director of NTNU's Centre for Ships and Ocean Structures. 

Ville Leisti is an entrepreneur and consultant in floating infrastructure. He is the Founder and CEO of Floating Padel Oy and Dontsink Consulting Oy, where he leads innovative projects in floating sports and leisure facilities. Ville also serves as an advisor for Bluet. With leadership roles in marina and floating projects, he has extensive experience in managing marina and floating structure projects, underscoring his commitment to sustainable and efficient marine solutions.