The circular economy group EcoUp manufactures carbon-neutral thermal insulation and reuses material from demolition: “We help the construction sector in the green transition”

“The history of Ekovilla ecological thermal insulation began in the 1970s when entrepreneurs in Kymenlaakso started to manufacture thermal insulation from newspapers. Ekovilla was already a circular economy product 40 years ago, but now the circular economy in construction has really become a topical theme. In 2019, we wanted to expand our operation from the Ekovilla insulation to new circular economy activities and became the EcoUp Group through corporate acquisitions.

I was involved in the implementation of the corporate acquisitions and immediately seized the opportunity to lead the company into the future. I believe that, with circular economy goals, EcoUp has huge growth opportunities in the construction sector. We really can change the world by increasing the resource efficiency of construction.

Ekovilla and other insulation materials produced according to the principles of the circular economy are our cornerstones, but by expanding we can also take advantage of the side streams from construction. For example, with our technology, the insulation material left over from demolition can be used as raw material for concrete and other new products.

For us, a demolished building is a treasure trove from which we can recover several different raw materials. The idea is the same as with Ekovilla and newspapers: we use something that would otherwise end up as waste. New technologies and the large volumes in construction only increase the opportunities.

Our most important task is to enable our customers to be environmentally friendly.

Acting ecologically is a megatrend that cannot be ignored in any sector – consumers, legislators and collaboration partners demand that action be taken. The construction industry has ambitious climate goals and there is demand for more ecological products.

We will be there when companies want to move from words to action in terms of environmental friendliness. With our help, it is possible to reduce the emissions of the entire construction process by using carbon-neutral insulation, and a concrete manufacturer can reduce its carbon footprint by using recycled material as a raw material.”