The first Finnish park made nearly entirely of recycled materials piloted in Malminkartano
During the summers 2023–2024, Helsinki’s Circular Economy Cluster Program piloted Cubeco modules made from recycled raw materials in Malminkartano. The pilot project was a continuance to the concrete industry’s innovation challenge held the previous year, which aimed to find solutions for reusing demolition wool.
The mineral wool demolished from buildings adds 20,000 tonnes of material to landfills annually in Finland alone. In 2022, Helsinki’s Circular Economy Cluster Program sought solutions for utilising demolition wool through an innovation challenge, in which four companies were rewarded for the concrete recipes and products they came up with.
The Cubeco modules of one of the winners in the innovation challenge, EcoUp, were piloted in Malminkartano, on the demolished Apollo school yard, over two summers. The geopolymer concrete modules use demolition wool to replace the typical Portland cement as the binding agent. Local residents were positive about the pilot park and the Cubeco modules were found durable against both the outdoor weather conditions and use.
Piloting in an authentic urban environment
The pilot studied the suitability of the recycled raw material for outdoor use in different weather conditions and in the use of the residents. User feedback was collected during the summer 2023. The Cubeco park made its environment livelier by opening the school yard of Apollo for temporary use before the school building’s demolition project.
Implementing the pilot next to a school building ordered for demolition demonstrated how construction materials from demolished buildings can be used as raw materials of new products instead of removing them from the cycle. This conserves natural resources and helps reduce emissions and waste related to manufacturing new products. In the future, existing buildings will be increasingly seen as ‘material banks’ with materials that can be reused or recycled.
The EcoUp pilot park comprised a hundred Cubeco elements in combination with an existing pergola structure, creating an inviting outdoor area for recreation. The manufacturing process of one element uses 300 litres of recycled, cleaned demolition wool, reducing the amount of landfill waste and demand for virgin raw materials. The carbon footprint of the elements is up to 80% smaller compared to similar concrete structures. The modular elements are a versatile solution for building various green and recreational areas.
Although the modules faced some vandalism in the form of tags and one broken module, Cubecos were found to be durable and flexible for their intended use. Chipping paint was changed to another based on the results of the pilot.
The Helsinki Circular Economy Cluster implemented the pilot project in cooperation with the Helsinki Innovation Districts, which brought smart city development and pilot activities to the City of Helsinki’s urban renewal areas.
