green solutions from sweden vol 2 magazine (english)

GREEN SOLUTIONS FROM SWEDEN | 1

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2 | GREEN SOLUTIONS FROM SWEDEN


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“OUR AIM AND MOTIVATION is that our op-erations will be good for the environment and contribute to a better environment for everyone living in Sundsvall. We will be a driving force in environmental work and also be a source of inspiration to other towns and cities that want sustainable development as regards power,” says Anders Jonsson, man-aging director at Sundsvall Energi. Plenty has happened in Sundsvall as regards the environment over the last 20 years. In the 1980s, emissions of sulphur dioxide were greatly reduced in Sundsvall, greatly due to properties being connected to the district heating network, while industries also made major environmental investments. So far, emissions from 4000 chimneys have disap-peared thanks to district heating.

“The expansion of district heating has given Sundsvall cleaner air, lower power consump-tion through more e!ective heat production and cheaper heat. Every year, we connect around 400 homes and a number of larger building to our environmentally-friendly dis-trict heating system,” says Anders Jonsson.Korstaverket is the plant at the heart of pro-duction. Every day, it provides 80,000 people in Sundsvall with district heating. It produces electricity and district heating in a green, "-nancially sound way. One 60 megawatt com-

bined heat and power plant for waste fuel, one waste furnace at 20 megawatt and waste heat from Ortviken paper mill form the basis of its energy production. Around 100,000 MWh of electricity and 700,000 MWh of dis-trict heating are produced every year.

SCA AND SUNDVALL ENERGI IN A WIN!WIN PARTNERSHIPDistrict heating makes it possible to use en-ergy #ows in society that would otherwise go to waste. The partnership between SCA/Ortviken and Sundsvall Energi is a good ex-ample of this. Waste heat from Ortviken pa-per mill goes straight to Korstaverket, which recycles it as district heating. District heating also contributes to SCA’s sawmill, Tunadal, being able to signi"cantly reduce its power consumption.

65-degree water in the form of waste heat is sent from Ortviken to Sundsvall’s district heating network. Deliveries take place dur-ing the winter, when the need for heat is at its greatest. They total 100 to 170 GWh per year, depending on the weather and heating requirements.Around 60 percent of the production at Korstaverket uses waste as fuel. Around 25 percent comes from waste heat from Ort-viken papermill and biofuel.

“Investments in the waste-based combined heat and power plant and in waste heat have meant that we have taken a giant step to reduce oil dependence in our production of heat and power,” says Anders Jonsson.Another product that is increasingly in de-mand by Sundsvall’s trade and industry is distance cooling. This is created by the cold water that #ows in the Indalsälven and Ljungan rivers. In Sundsvall we have plenty of good quality water. Using water cooling rather than conventional cooling technol-ogy, where electrical systems are used, is considerably more energy e$cient. District cooling is delivered to customers via the municipality’s water mains.

BIOGAS COMBINATION FOR PRODUCING VEHICLE GAS AND FERTILISERSundsvall Energi AB is fully-owned by Sundsvall municipality. The municipality’s environmental targets are high and Sunds-vall Energi has been tasked with helping to realise these targets for a better environ-ment and sustainable development in the municipality.One of these environmental targets is to reduce emissions from vehicle tra$c in Sundsvall. In Sweden, around 37 percent of the climate-impacting emissions come from vehicle tra$c. Sundsvall is a city with

increasing amount of tra$c, which leads to increased emissions. There are currently only a few biogas cars driving on the municipality’s roads. The aim is that by 2012 the municipality will have 300 biogas-fuelled vehicles of its own. This would mean an annual reduction in carbon dioxide by 1600 tons. There is ongoing discussion about build-ing a combined biogas plant for vehicle gas, which partly processes domestic food waste. This is an important investment for achieving emissions targets and increasing interest among both private individuals and companies to replace petrol-driven vehicle with ones that run on biofuel.

The planned plant next to Korstaverket is in-tended for the production of biogas that can be cleaned to make vehicle gas, sludge that can be used as fertiliser and returned to the forest as nutrients.On this project, Sundsvall Energi has a close partnership with the municipal company, Fokusera, in Sundsvall.

“We can take a leading position in research and development in this area. Both knowl-edge and products can be developed in the region. Each new gas vehicle on our roads reduces our contribution to global warming and reduces air pollution,” says Åke Jonsson, managing director of Fokusera in Sundsvall.

Please see the article about biogas cleaning.

BLÅBERGET WASTE FACILITY " AN IMPOR!TANT PART OF ENERGY RECYCLINGBlåberget waste facility is almost 10 km outside central Sundsvall. The majority of operations at Blåberget consist of receiv-ing, sorting and the intermediate storage of burnable waste. Burnable waste, such as furniture, construction and demolition timber and garden waste are crushed in an industrial crusher and then taken for energy recycling at Korstaverket.

Climate change is the greatest challenge now facing the nations of the world. A warmer cli-mate means tangible changes for the Earth’s

population and threatens important global societal interests. The target of Sundsvall En-ergi and its owner, Sundsvall municipality, is to contribute to reducing global warming whilst providing the inhabitants of Sunds-vall with an improved environment.

“As a municipal company, we take wide-ranging responsibility for environmental is-sues. Naturally, the aim is that our customers are always o!ered e$cient, environmental-ly-friendly products. Our work on a long-term commitment to a better environment for people in Sundsvall and sustainable de-velopment has the highest priority. There is still lots left to do,” says Anders Jonsson.

YOU ARE WELCOME TO VISIT US, Sundsvall Energi: www.sundsvallenergi.seFokusera: www.fokusera.com

SUNDSVALL ENERGI working towards sustainable development and a soundenvironmentIN A JUST A FEW DECADES, SUNDSVALL HAS BEEN TRANSFORMED FROM A DIRTY INDUSTRIAL CITY TO ONE THAT FOCUSES ON ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES. ONE IMPORTANT STAKEHOLDER IN THE WORK TO IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENT IS SUNDSVALL ENERGI.

“Our aim and motivation is that our operations will be good for the environment and contribute to a better environment for everyone living in Sundsvall”

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008.THE CLEAN ENERGY RACEThe United States’ Secretary of Energy, Steven Chu, has many hopes resting on his shoulders. The US alone is respon-sible for almost a quarter of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions.

020.SWEDENS PRIMEMINISTER IN FOCUSFredrik Reinfeldt has travelled around the world to try to seek agreement for COP15.

035.POVERTY CAN’T HELP THE CLIMATE – TECHNOLOGY CANHans Rosling is one of the world’s most engaged and appreciated lecturers who, with his revolutionary approach in describing statistics, has changed the conception of the world for many of his audience including Bill Gates and Al Gore.

LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER HIGHLIGHTS

YES WE CAN TAKE ACTION WORLD! HIGH-

LIGHTS VOL.2

Welcome to the second magazine about green products and tech-nology from Sweden. We want to bring knowledge, information and inspiration about green, pro!table and sustainable long-term solutions from Sweden.

It is now time to move from words to action. We only have one Earth to share, and the number of us that have to share it is growing rapidly. We all bear complete responsibility for what we do – and what we don’t do.

We are moving from the old economy to a new, green economy. Sweden has genuine knowledge of and long experience of the subject; it is our obligation to make an active contribution to shar-ing this knowledge. It is a pleasant bonus for Sweden Ltd that our environmental technology companies can increase their business.

We must also persuade the rest of the world to ride the train to the future. Read the article about our Minister of Trade, Ewa Björling, who is encouraging Sweden to take the forefront and lead in CleanTech. "is message is in tune with the times and in the lead up to the Climate meetings in Copenhagen.

Work is now beginning on building a sustainable world. "e biggest challenge is that of population growth, which is stunningly depicted in "omas Friedman’s book “Hot, #at and crowded”. "e clock is ticking and by 2020 another billion people will be living, eating, working and consuming on our shared globe.

We cannot continue along the same path, as then things will never change. Population growth is without doubt the greatest chal-lenge facing us.

Read about One concept and many names including Ecocycle design, the concept of eco-friendly constructions in energy e$cient houses and buildings.

Green Solutions from Sweden wants to convey feelings and experiences. We hope that you will put the magazine to good use and that you will encourage others to read it. You can !nd more sug-gestions for pro!table green choices at www.cleantechregion.com.

Welcome to the new green economy!

LARS LINGProject Manager, MidSweden Chamber of Commerceand Founder CleanTech Region Solutions

020.

COVER © KEITH NEALE/SCANPIX


052.

046.ONE CONCEPT – MANY NAMESSome call it ‘zero-energy housing’, others call it ‘passive housing’ or ‘plus energy housing’. “The idea is to build well-sealed and well-insulated houses ,with the energy that they need coming from a system that utilizes renewable resources in an efficient manner,” explains Thomas Greindl, EU Certified ‘passive house’ architect.

052.TALL TIMBER BUILDINGSBuilding tall buildings from timber is no longer a problem from the perspectives of quality and safety. Sweden already has many examples of successful con-struction projects.

063.THE HOTEL KING“We must impose limits for what is acceptable and take payment for emissions. But I also believe in new, technological solutions.”

072.GREENER SEASUnique technology for cleaning exhaust gases is spreading around the world.

076.GREEN ROADSGreen produced asphalt could soon become standard.

080.WOODEN BRIDGESWooden bridges confer environmen-tal benefits throughout their entire life cycle, from production and use to recycling.

084.BIOGAS USING CRYOGENIC TECHNOLOGYSundsvall is the first in the world with a wastewater treatment plant that can produce liquid biogas using cryogenic technology.

093.UNDERGRUND RIVER COOLS VOLVOClose to the Ume River and the Volvo truckfactory there is an underground ice river. Icy water is pumped via a two kilometre long pipe into the factory’s own system.

096.ANOTHER STEP TOWARDS SUSTAINABILITYDomsjö Fabriker’s operations have developed from that of a traditional pulp mill to that of a leading biorefin-ery. There is now a green strategy all the way from raw material to process and product.

112.A SUSTAINABLE GREEN DESTINATIONÅre has been a tourist destination for a century and is now an experienced 100-year-old that is aiming for 2020 with a vision that gives a central role to responsibility for the environment.

093. 112.


“ WHEN THE STARTING GUN SOUNDED ON THE CLEAN ENERGY RACE, THE UNITED STATES STUMBLED”

STEVEN CHU

The United States’ Secretary of Energy, Steven Chu, together with the Swedish Minister for Enterprise and Energy, Maud Olofsson.


The United States’ Secretary of Energy, Steven Chu, has many hopes resting on his shoulders. The US alone is responsible for almost a quarter of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions and the hope is that he will be able to push development towards reduced emissions and increased investment in clean technology. Chu uses China as an example of a country that has taken the lead on environmental investments.

BY ERIK SÄFVENBERG PHOTO GUNNAR SEIJBOLD/REGERINGSKANSLIET

S teven Chu is a Nobel laureate and was handpicked for the post of Secretary of Energy by President Obama.

“Dr. Steven Chu is a Nobel Prize-winning physicist who has been working at the cutting edge of our nation’s e%ort to develop new and cleaner forms of energy... [he] is uniquely suited to be our next Secretary of Energy,” said Barack Obama in his nomination speech.

Under the previous president, George W. Bush, the US withdrew from the Kyoto Protocol, the current international climate agreement, in 2001. With Barack Obama in the White House, there is hope for a change in the US’s climate policies. During the election campaign, Obama stated that he will work to reduce the US’s greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent by 2050.

ANOTHER OF OBAMA’S campaign promises was the investment of $150 billion in green power technology over the next decade, a promise that has now been met.

As recently as the start of November 2009, Steven Chu presented an energy e$ciency programme for American industry that is worth $155 million. Nine industrial projects in the US will share most of this money. "ese nine awards – totalling approximately $150 million – will be leveraged with $634 million in private industry cost sharing, for a total project value of up to $785 million.

“To remain globally competitive, American industry needs to be energy ef-

!cient. "e funding for industrial energy e$ciency technologies announced today will support a robust American industrial sector and help to usher in a clean energy economy,” said Secretary Chu. “Many companies already realise that improving e$ciency saves money while helping the environment. "ese projects will make en-ergy e$ciency technologies more widely available, cutting energy use and reducing carbon pollution across the country.”

"ese industrial e$ciency projects will result in almost 14 trillion Btu in estimated energy savings, which is equivalent to over 112 million gallons of petrol per year.

STEVEN CHU IS the former head of the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory in Califor-nia, commonly known as Berkeley Lab. It is one of the world’s most respected research institutions for Physics, with an annual budget equivalent to almost SEK 5 billion and employing 4000 research-ers. Chu, who grew up in Garden City, New Jersey, and has Chinese parents, won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1997, along with two colleagues, for his work on trapping electrons and cooling them to close to absolute zero. Recently he has concentrated much of his research on !nding methods for increasing the rechargeability of batteries so that they can be used for cars.

Before becoming Secretary of Energy, Steven Chu was involved in advocating research into greenhouse gas emissions and has accused the UN’s Environmental Programme of underestimating the prob-lems of greenhouse gases.

He has also stated that the US has fallen behind in environmental invest-ment and uses his parents’ homeland, China, as an example of a country that really invests signi!cant sums in environ-mental technology.

“China has already made its choice. China is spending about $9 billion a month on clean energy. It will also invest $44 billion by 2012 and $88 billion by 2020 in Ultra High Voltage transmis-sion lines. "ese lines will allow China to transmit power from huge wind and solar farms far from its cities. While every country’s transmission needs are di%erent, this is a clear sign of China’s commitment to developing renewable energy.”

HE ALSO USES a Danish example, and again points out that the US has fallen behind.

“"e world’s largest turbine manu-facturing company is headquartered in Denmark. 99 percent of the batteries that power America’s hybrid cars are made in Japan. We manufactured more than 40 percent of the world’s solar cells as recently as the mid 1990s; today, we produce just 7 percent. When the start-ing gun sounded on the clean energy race, the United States stumbled. But I remain con!dent that we can make up the ground. When we gear up our research and production of clean energy tech-nologies, we can still surpass any other country,” Secretary Chu said. ■


MASDAR CITY

CITY OF THE FUTURE

Masdar City is a complete city whose electric-ity supply comes from solar panels, waste and windpower; that receives its drinking water with the help of a solar powered desalination plant; where green areas are watered with bath, dishwashing and washing water and where there are no cars.

BY GUNNAR ANDERSSON

I t may seem to be contradictory that the world’s largest oil exporters build a car-free community, yet in some way Abu Dhabi wants to lead development both regionally and globally on the renewable market. "e city will become a part of the Masdar initiative, which

is a multifaceted investment plan that the emirate Abu Dhabi is making to extract, develop and commercialize future sources of energy and environmental technologies. Behind Masdar City is the energy company “"e Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company”, which has adopted an action plan for sustainability in order to deliver the world’s greenest city. »


MASDAR CITY 2015

When Masdar City is completed in 2015 the city shall satisfy ten estab-lished objectives:1. Carbon-neutral: To be achieved through solar cells, con-centrated solar energy, wind, energy from waste and other technologies. 2. Zero-waste: 99 percent of waste shall not go to landfill. This is to be achieved through a reduc-tion in the amount waste as well as reuse, recycling, composting and the incineration of waste. 3. Sustainable transport: Carbon-neutral transport is to be achieved through facilitating and en-couraging public transport, vehicle sharing and through supporting the initiative of low emission vehicles. 4. Sustainable materials: Build-ing materials are to have a high specified content of recovered mate-rial. It shall be possible to trace and encourage a reduction of the energy content in materials and through the entire construction process. It must be specified that sustainable materi-als such as bamboo and timber marked with the ecolabel Forest Stewardship Council have been used. 5. Sustainable food: Shops are to meet established targets for the delivery of organic food and sustain-able or fair-trade labeled products. 6. Sustainable water usage: Water consumption per capita must be reduced to half of the national average and all bath, dishwashing and washing water is to be reused. 7. Living environments and animals: All valuable species are to be protected or relocated. 8. Cultural heritage: The archi-tecture must integrate local values. 9. Justice and fair trade: Fair wages and working conditions for all workers, including construction workers, according to international standards for working life. 10. Health and happiness: Facilities and activities for all demo-graphic groups.


MASDAR CITY IS to be a six square kilometer large city, located in the emirate Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates. "e aim is to create a carbon-neutral and zero-waste city completely without cars. And in doing so it is hopped to meet or exceed the ten sustainability principles for “One Planet Living”, which has been developed by, among others, the World Wildlife Fund, WWF.

"e idea is for the city to eventually accom-modate 1500 companies and 50,000 inhabitants. Masdar will receive its electrical power, partly from waste management, but also from a large solar

cell installation and from windpower. "e energy installations are to be located in the green belt around the city. Technology development compa-nies will also be housed in the green zone. Studies and research will be carried out together with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. "e hope is to attract 1500 companies to environment-friendly living and work in Masdar. "e city is also to be characterized by the sustainable pro!le during the construction period and only machines and trans-port vehicles that do not produce emissions will be used here. ■

MASDAR CITY

The United Arab Emirates’ Swed-ish ambassador, Najla Al Qassimi, (pictured in the middle) visited Väster-norrland in October to meet Clean Tech Region. Apart from discussions with Dick Jansson, Chamber of Com-merce, Lars Ling, Clean Tech Region and the consultant Lena Malmberg, she also visited the solar collector company Absolicon in Härnösand.

“We are known for our oil produc-tion, but we believe other means are needed to solve future energy

requirements. There are many ideas here that can be useful to us. I believe it to be important to travel outside of Stockholm and create contact with the Cleantech companies throughout the country,” says Najla Al Qassimi.In the United Arab Emirates the project to build Masdar City is under-way; this is to be a model city with re-gard to energy and the environment. The hope is that companies from Clean Tech Region can contribute with leading edge technologies necessary to reach the goal.

The idea is that Masdar City will eventually accom-modate 1500 companies and 50 000 inhabitants.

AMBASSADOR SEEKS GREEN TECHNOLOGY


– Substantial environmental benefits– Extremely easy to load and unload

– Cost-efficient and time saving

– the fully automatic railway carriage

A new and unique solution facilitating the combination of goods-carrying transports on the railway and the roads in Sweden, Europe and the rest of the world.

Long-term sustainable developmentand transport economy go hand in handA transition to more railway-based transports is ne-cessary in order to reduce the emissions of carbon dioxide, road maintenance and to increase the traf-fic safety. Flexiwaggon is a unique logistic solution for combining transports between road and railway and contributes to more environmentally friendly, financially viable and rational transports.

For more information, please contact Jan Eriksson, Flexiwaggon AB, +46 70 564 50 18 www.flexiwaggon.se


“ ENTREPRENEURSHIP IS THE ROUTE TO A SUSTAINABLE SOCIETY”

In his coming book “The Blue Economy” super-entrepreneur Gunter Pauli gives 100 concrete examples of innovative concepts and technologies that can create a sustainable world.

BY OLOF AXELSSON PHOTO OLLE MELKERHED

GUNTER PAULI

GUNTER PAULI

Gunter Pauli was born in Belgium in 1956 and is a qualified economist. Today he is a highly-regarded entrepreneur and speaker who lecture all over the world. He has started the world’s first ecological factory and has built up the Worldwatch Institute Europa and Zero Emissions Research and Initiatives. He is fluent in seven languages and has written over a dozen books, including a number of books for children.

E ver since his days as a young student at home in Belgium Gunter Pauli has burned for an improved world. Dur-ing the years he has started a large number of companies and has writ-

ten over a dozen books. Today he is at Tokyo-based Zero Emissions Research and Initiatives.

He says, “My driving force is to create a world in which we look a&er the environment, both today and in the future. I have four children myself which makes these ideas more relevant.”

His message is that new !nancial models func-tion if you allow greater opportunity for innova-tion and creativity.

“"e industrial systems need a package of new innovations. An entrepreneur dares to try out new ideas and is prepared to take risks. "at’s exactly what’s needed in order to produce change.”

GUNTER PAULI develops these thoughts in his book “"e Blue Economy – Cultivating a New Busi-ness Model for a Time of Crisis”. "e book is being presented as a report to "e Club of Rome in Octo-ber 2009 and will be published in February 2010.

“"e title alludes to how the earth appears from space: it’s not green but blue. Blue also symbolizes that it is time to abandon “the green argument” that the customer has to pay more for environmentally-friendly products, and that industry has to do more. By copying nature’s own evolution we can instead invest less, gain more and create social capital.”

He mentions the technology used to re!ne foodstu%s and biodiesel from algae as an example.

Algae that at the same time reduce the amount of carbon dioxide and thereby slow the impact on the climate.

Another example is mobile telephones. “Despite the fact that we have the technology

to run mobile telephones entirely without batteries we use enormous amounts every year. Using new methods the telephone can instead be run on the temperature di%erence between the telephone and the body, or the pressure that our voice creates when we talk.”

THE BOOK ALSO contains several examples from the Clean Tech Region. Among others the architect Anders Nyquist’s ecological house is mentioned, as well as air puri!cation technology Levande Filter (Living Filter), and the energy and drainage system Split Box.

“When I participated in the Clean Tech Region conference in Sundsvall in January 2009 I spoke about Swedish innovation. When I partici-pate in the Åre conference in January 2010 I’ll be concentrating on examples from other parts of the world”, says Gunter Pauli. ■


BUSINESS MORE IMPORTANT THAN TECHNOLOGYA strong business-minded psyche is needed to achieve success in the field of Cleantech. Hans Engblom, Senior Investment Man-ager at Swedish SEB Venture Capital says, “There has to be an entrepre-neur who can both build a busi-ness and attract capital.”

BY PER TROSTEMO PHOTO KEITH NEALE/SCANPIX

H ans Engblom of SEB Venture Capital explains, “Cleantech is something that nowadays is a concern to all sectors and I be-

lieve that it soon will become an integrated part of the industry. We don’t put aside any funding speci!cally for Cleantech, but we’re always inter-ested in investing capital in environmental technol-ogy companies that have progressed su$ciently for us to be able to believe in a market expansion. “

But that particular road can be a long one and Hans thinks it is important that environmental technology companies at an early stage shi& focus from technology to customer demands and commerce.

HANS CONTINUES, “"e marketing potential of the environmental innovators is dependent on several fac-tors. "ere has to be an entrepreneur who has knowledge of the customer demands. In order to attract venture capital there is also a requirement for credible indica-tions that the product concerned can change the market. Some sort of commercial acknowledgement from the potential customers is extremely important and is ad-

ECONOMY


ditionally a frequently understated source for early !nancing. It should preferably be something that the customers “must have” and not just think is “nice to have”. Something that makes the customers say, “aha - this is what will solve our prob-lems”!

HANS ENGBLOM CONTINUES, “Within Venture Capital we’re mainly more demanding than the general capital market is. "at might sound somewhat harsh, but for us it’s simply not enough with a unique product concept and a large market. An entrepreneur must be able to make his business plan credible. He has to prove his driving force in order to build a company. As far as we’re con-cerned, business is more important than technology. "e management’s ability to execute the business plan is vital. Global ambitions are important as the competi-tion most frequently lies with global actors. If these criteria can be satis!ed it will be easier to invest at an early stage.”

A further factor that innovators in the !eld of environmental technology ought to take into consideration is the industry’s way of seeing investment, ac-cording to Hans Engblom.

“If you want to achieve success with a product that is focused on industrial activities, you’ll !rst have to understand how they think. Industry is happy to invest in anything that will be environ-mentally bene!cial, but not if it entails higher production costs.” ■

A LITTLE OF EVERYTHING ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL FUNDSEnvironmental Funds can be said to be a sub-group of Ethical Funds, where the ethical dimension is decided by the environmental area. Environmental Funds can be divided into three main types:

technology, for example manufacture of windpower plants, solar energy accumulators, biofuels, refuse management, filter technol-ogy, ethanol-driven engines, etc.

-ered to be the best according to established environmental criteria. These criteria are most often the companies’ organization of their environmental efforts, i.e., that the company can prove that they are working strategically on environmental issues.

a selection according to the ‘Best-In-Class’ principle with social criteria, in order to achieve a trinity of economy, and social and environmental responsibility. The latter group, Environmental Funds with a social dimension, are increasing in number, whilst pure Environmental Technology Funds are becoming fewer.

UNDERGROUND HEATING AT BOILING POINTThe climate question is the driver for Cleantech as an investment area, with the energy segment by many observers being considered as the most interesting issue both now and in the future. That’s where geothermal and underground heating sources start to make their presence felt on the capital market.

Geothermal and underground heating sources are the energy forms that are making investors warm the world over. A new study from McKinsey & Company shows that a reduced energy consump-tion in buildings is the least expensive way in which to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Geothermal and underground pumps have proven themselves to be particularly capable of producing a longterm and steady reduction of energy consumption in buildings.

Until very recently, however, the Venture Capital market has not shown any real interest in geothermal and underground heating sources. Installations of geothermal and underground heating sys-tems have generally been ‘small-scale’ projects financed by house-holders and building owners themselves.

New business models for large-scale geothermal and under-ground heating projects are, however, on the horizon. In Canada, for example, geologists have started a pioneering company in which they themselves carry the risk for production and delivery, and also own the plants and the equipment required for a large-scale produc-tion of geothermal and underground heating. And suddenly the Venture Capital is there!!

Hans Engblom


ECONOMY


BILLIONAIRE WITH FOCUS ON THE ENVIRONMENTThe known financier Christer Ericsson was the placard’s favorite object when his oil rig company Consafe crashed some 25 years ago. However, Christer is a survi-vor and made a fresh start. Today the 64 year old former sea captain has built up the highly successful group JCE Group with 4000 employees. The business areas are IT, energy, forestry, construction, industry and finance. From being destitute, Christer now has plenty of money in his pocket, and here gives his opinion of envi-ronment technology as a business sector.

BY PER TROSTEMO PHOTO SÖREN HÅKANLIND/SCANPIX

How do you consider en!ironment tech-nology in general – is it an area where the JCE Group will increase its in!ol!ement?“We have been committed to environ-ment technologies since 2003. We have expanded strongly within biopellets and windpower at sea. So sure we are involved. We are also involved in ocean current energy through our Scottish operations.”

Do you support research or other development work within en!ironment technology? “We invest a great deal of money in devel-oping ourselves within the environmental sectors where we are active. How much is con!dential. We prefer internal R&D ahead of external research.”

Is there anything within en!ironment technology you consider to be of great interest?“All three areas in which we are involved are interesting.”

Within en!ironment technology there are many researchers/in!entors/politicians that are perhaps more driven by idealism

and enthusiasm than of business. What do you think about that?“Well, this is one of the reasons as to why we develop internally. Our objective must be that what we develop must be possible to sell.”

"ere are those who believe that en!iron-ment technology is becoming as attractive to in!estors as IT was 10-20 years ago. What do you say about that?“I think it’s an exaggeration. I !nd it di$-cult to believe that environment technol-ogy will be a new IT bubble.”

Some venture capitalists believe they lack industry know-how about en!ironment technology and that communications do not work that well, and this is why they do not speculate with risk capital. Do you have an opinion about this?“"is is always a problem when trying to get communications to work. "e fact is that 3.2 tons of biopellets have the same energy content as 1 ton of oil. One ton of oil costs more than SEK 10,000, 3.2 tons of pellets cost around half that amount. Add to this the fact that oil is ecologically

harmful and biopellets contribute to a better environment. I !nd the investor that does not see a business potential in this hard to understand.” Communica-tions work both ways. Perhaps many environment technology companies !nd it di$cult to put forward their interesting business opportunities?

Do you believe that Sweden can continue to have an advanced position within the development of en!ironment technology? If yes, how?“Absolutely We are the best in many areas within environment technology. As is well-known, we are the country in the world that has the toughest environ-mental demands up until 2020. Why – because EU believes we have come the furthest within environment technology. It is now my hope that Swedish industry can capitalize on this and makes sure we export environment technology to other countries. Within my group we have the aim to be the world leader within biopel-lets and the fabrication of steel founda-tions for the windpower industry at sea. Today everything is exported”. ■

ECONOMY


SWEDEN’S PRIME MINISTER IN FOCUSThe EU has taken the lead on climate issues since 2007 and, in the autumn of 2009, they have taken centre stage globally. Sweden’s presidency of the EU in the second half of 2009 means that Sweden’s prime minister, Fredrik Reinfeldt, has suddenly become an international statesman.

BY GUNNAR ANDERSSON PHOTOS GUNNAR SEIJBOLD/REGERINGSKANSLIET

FREDRIK REINFELDT


G lobal emissions must be reduced by 50 percent by 2050, compared to 1990. It is the developed countries that must take the lead in reducing their emissions. "e

EU has succeeded in establishing a joint long term target for reducing emissions by 80-95 percent by 2050.

"ere was a great deal of pressure on the Swed-ish prime minister, Fredrik Reinfeldt, to ensure that he managed to unify a splintered EU on the climate issue. One of the toughest episodes he’s faced as EU chairman was when he got the EU member states to agree on a mandate for the UN climate talks in Copenhagen.

“We have accepted the challenge,” said prime minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, a&er he succeeded in uniting the EU member states ahead of the climate talks in Copenhagen. But there were con#icts, as well as concessions to the EU’s eastern members, before the EU mandate was secured.

EFFORTS FROM ONLY the EU are not enough and, before the UN climate conference in Copen-hagen, COP15, Fredrik Reinfeldt has travelled around the world to try to seek agreement.

In this short time he has met the president of the USA, Barack Obama, and India’s prime minis-ter Manmohan Singh and led an EU summit with China. A&er the meeting at the White House,

Obama praised Reinfeldt for his way of approach-ing climate issues and Sweden’s leading role.

EVEN IF ALL the indications are that a legally binding agreement will not be reached at the COP15 conference in Copenhagen, Fredrik Reinfeldt believes it is obvious that Obama has brought change to the US and the start of a policy of change as regards the issue of climate change.

At Reinfeldt’s EU summit with India’s prime minister, Manmohan Singh, climate issues were at the top of the agenda. One of the decisions made

by the EU and India was for joint investments in various green technology projects.

“India has great potential when it comes to energy e$ciency and renewable sources of energy,” said Reinfeldt a&er the meeting.

"e Copenhagen conference will probably only result in a politically binding agreement. However, that agreement can be regarded as the start of a process towards a legally binding agreement and give the negotiators time ahead of the next year’s planned summit in Mexico City. Reinfeldt’s opinion is that Copenhagen is not the end of the line. ■

Sweden’s prime minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, as EU chair-man, and its president, José Manuel Barroso, meet India’s prime minister Manmohan Singh.

“ The Kyoto Protocol was not finalised in 1997, but in 2001.


G reen technology is a !eld of great importance to the Swedish government, because it is a perfect tool for reducing negative

environmental e%ects whilst being an area with an enormous potential for trade.

“We are convinced that the climate threat can become an opportunity. Concentrated e%orts to support Swed-ish green technology will enable us to

show that Sweden can and will wear the leader’s jersey for this transition,” says Ewa Björling in the same column.

FOR THE 2007–2010 period, Swe-den’s government has allocated a total of SEK 530 million to green technol-ogy, and is particularly emphasising the importance of making the most of the business and export potential of small and medium-sized businesses. Research,

development and demonstrations of new vehicle technology are important ele-ments of the government’s investments in developing green technology.

One important key to success is !nd-ing tools to tackle climate change that do not con#ict with ambitious policies for development and combating poverty.

In May, Ewa Björling suggested that a green free trade agreement should be negotiated. "e aim of that agreement should be to entirely remove tari%s, quotas and other trade barriers for envi-ronmentally and climate-friendly goods, services and technologies.

“WE CAN BEST meet the challenge of climate change through new technol-ogy, market solutions and international cooperation ,” she states in the opinion column.

Minister for Trade Ewa Björling has also launched a new Swedish export platform to market Swedish green technol-ogy and sustainable construction around the world. "e “SymbioCity” platform is aimed at cities that want to achieve sus-tainable development, and brings together several hundred Swedish companies.

"e concept is scalable and can be applied to new construction and renova-tions of existing buildings. ■

SWEDEN A GLOBAL KEY PLAYERThe issue of climate change is one of the most important ones facing the Swedish government and green technology will play an important role in the transition to a climate-friendlier society. Ewa Björling, Sweden’s Minister for Trade, is convinced that Swedish companies can contribute to reduced emissions and an improved environment. “Sweden may be a small country, but will be a key player globally,” says Ewa Björling in an opinion column in the Svenska Dagbladet newspaper.

BY GUNNAR ANDERSSON PHOTOS GUNNAR SEIJBOLD/REGERINGSKANSLIET

EWA BJÖRLING

Ewa Björling, Sweden’s Minister for Trade, is convinced that Swedish companies can contribute to reduced emissions and an improved environment.


SCA and the Norwegian power company Statkraft are investing heavily in wind power. The two companies will construct six wind farms in the woodlands of central Norrland, with a total of 450 wind tur-bines. When fully constructed, this venture will generate 2,400 GWh of renewable electricity per year, corresponding to 2% of Sweden’s total electricity consumption, and three times the current

wind-power production in Sweden – an investment totaling SEK 16 billion. Our growing forests bind carbon dioxide, provide valuable raw materials for Sweden’s most important industry and provide renewable electricity – without the need for burning first-class industrial raw mate-rials to produce energy.

www.forestproducts.sca.com SCA FOREST PRODUCTS

MEL

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STED

T D

ESIG

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Energy from the forest


STOCKHOLM – A WORLD LEADER IN GREEN TECHNOLOGY

STOCKHOLM


STOCKHOLM – A WORLD LEADER IN GREEN TECHNOLOGY

The City of Stockholm has an extremely ambitious environmental programme and is aiming at remaining a world leader in the development, commercialisation and application of new environmental and energy-related technology.

BY PER TROSTEMO PHOTO HENRIK TRYGG

T he City of Stockholm promotes and uses new environmental and energy-related technology in al-most all areas of its activities. Waste disposal using pneumatic suction

pipes below ground, from residential areas straight to the district heating plant, is just one of many examples where new, environmentally friendly methods are used. Another one is Hammarby Sjöstad and the planned Norra Djurgårdsstad; two area that will put Stockholm on the global map of cities at the cutting edge of sustainable urban construction.

“"e city is growing, we need new residential areas, o$ce property, etc. "is means that we are an important customer. It is important that we keep up with the technological developments that are taking place, and we have good partnerships with higher education institutes as well,” says Ulla Hamilton, head of Stockholm’s environment and tra$c divisions.

"e City of Stockholm is also responsible for a number of e%orts to develop research, nationally and internationally, in innovations and business models in the !eld of environmental technology.

SWEDEN GREEN TECH BUILDING is an are-na for green business – a meeting place and trading centre for companies and individuals that is run on business and an interest in green technology.

"e building provides publicity for those at the cutting edge of Swedish green technology and attracts businesspeople, innovators, researchers, en-trepreneurs and investors from around the world.

STOCKHOLM CLEANTECH VENTURE DAY is an event at Kistamässan exhibition centre. It creates direct contact between young and promising Swedish cleantech compa-nies and investors from the US and Europe. "e event helps Swedish companies with solutions to urgent climate problems to !nd !nancing faster and more easily.

STOCKHOLM CLEANTECH BUSINESS NETWORK is a targeted initiative that aims to gather the leading small and medium-sized cleantech businesses in Stockholm area.

STING – STOCKHOLM INNOVATION & GROWTH – helps innova-tors and entrepreneurs to build the international growth businesses of the future. With the sup-port of business coaches who are experienced in industry, STING contributes to helping grow new Swedish technology companies that can compete on the international stage and generate exports. ■


I n hard competition with other Euro-pean capitals, Stockholm was chosen by the European Commission due to “the city’s consistent record of achieving high environmental standards; a commitment

to ongoing and ambitious goals for further envi-ronmental improvement and sustainable develop-ment”. Due to its measures to solve the problems of air pollution, high tra$c volumes and congestion, greenhouse gas emissions, waste management and water puri!cation, the European Commission believes that Stockholm can lead the way for the rest of Europe.

“IT FEELS GREAT THAT Stockholm’s long term work with environmental issues has received international recognition. "e title gives our city’s businesses great op-portunities to sell their green technology and skills and also create interest in the City of

Stockholm and our development. By sharing our experiences and working methods, we can con-tribute to other cities around the world being able to combine growth with reduced environmental impact,” says Ulla Hamilton, head of Stockholm’s environment and tra$c divisions.

"e title will in#uence all of the city’s activi-ties in 2010, with everything from exhibitions at Kulturhuset to the opening of the Spårväg City tramline. ■

STOCKHOLM – EUROPEAN GREEN CAPITAL 2010Stockholm is waiting in the wings before taking the stage as European Green Capital 2010.

BY PER TROSTEMO

STOCKHOLM

Ulla Hamilton


A &er an initiative from Swedish trade and indus-try, Stockholm has got a “green” meeting place for businesspeople, innova-

tors, researchers, entrepreneurs, investors and other interested parties. All of them have one thing in common – they are driven by an interest in environmental technology.

“In just a few months we’ve had around 40 activities and the building is very well-visited, not least by foreign del-egations,” says Anders Pettersson, satis!ed project manager for Sweden Green Tech Building.

TWENTY OR SO companies and organisations can be found in the exhibi-tion halls, where visitors visually experi-ence what Sweden can o%er as regards green technology.

“We have many successful innovators and businesses in energy and environmen-tal technology, but I would particularly like to emphasise the systematic thinking that is Sweden’s unique strength. "is is why we present the entire chain of our system solutions, products and services in a manner that is easy to grasp.”

"is is particularly important for the investors and venture capitalists that

are becoming increasingly interested in Swedish green technology – they have a need for information and understanding of this new sector.

AT SWEDEN GREEN TECH Building there is also intensive networking – there are direct contacts to companies and ex-pertise in !nancing, legal issues, engineer-ing and marketing; everything necessary for success in green business.

“We now have an arena in which Swedish energy and environmental tech-nology can be exposed to new business. Our focus is on contributing the right business models in order to ensure a re-turn on investment,” says Anders Petters-son. “"e global crisis has not negatively a%ected the investors’ interest in Swedish environmental technology; just as much was invested in 2008 as in 2007 in young Swedish greentech companies. We can see that the need for it is increasing on all markets.”

Contributing factors for the Swedish investments in the Sweden Green Tech Building are also Sweden’s position as chair of the EU and the European Com-mission’s announcement that, next year, Stockholm will be the !rst Green Capital in Europe. ■

SWEDEN GREEN TECH BUILDING

A NATIONAL ARENA FOR GREEN BUSINESSA bustling meeting place and trading centre, Sweden Green Tech Building in Stockholm has rapidly become a melting pot for individuals and companies that are driven by business and green technology.

BY PER TROSTEMO PHOTO BIRGER LARSSON




A NATIONAL ARENA FOR GREEN BUSINESS

“ We now have an arena in which Swedish energy and environmental technology can be exposed to new business.


ROYAL COURT OF SWEDEN

THE ROYAL COURT IS INTERESTED IN THE ENVIRONMENT


H is Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf is commited to environmental issues. Ever since 1992, the envionmental symposium, Royal Colloquium, has been organised

on the initiative of the King. It is an international environmental symposium with researchers and experts from around the world. Both the King and the Crown Princess are also happy to appear as opening speakers at environmental meetings, conferences and inaugurations. One example is the opening of a new factory owned by the green tech company, ClimateWell, in the Spanish city of Soria. ClimateWell has developed a solar-powered heating and refrigeration plant and the British newspaper, "e Guardian, has named it as one of the world’s 100 most promising low-carbon technologies.

ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF this green commit-ment is when King Carl Gustaf turned the !rst sod for the construction of the world’s !rst plant for producing the renewable motor fuel, Bio-DME. "e plant is being built by Chemrec, close to the company’s development unit at Smur!t Kappa’s pulp and paper mill in Piteå. "e pilot plant will produce Bio-DME that is derived from Swed-

ish forest raw products. Bio-DME is made from evaporated black liquor, which is a by-product of the Swedish timber industry.

"e King and 'ueen have also shown their interest by test rising an ethanol hybrid bus when visiting the municipality of Salem, outside Stockholm. Stockholms Lokaltra!k has the world’s largest #eet of ethanol buses, to which is biogas buses are continually being added. "e target is tough and unequivocal: in 2025, all buses will run on renewable, green fuel.

THE ROYAL COURT of Sweden is also involved in an electric car project. "e "ink electric car will be used experimentally by Court sta%.

Crown Princess Victoria will keep this envi-ronmental interest alive. She has demonstrated her green commitments on a number of occasions, including at opening speeches and environmental conferences. In an interview with Sweden’s biggest newspaper, A&onbladet, she says that she has been in#uenced by her father, who has long been envi-ronmentally aware. "e Crown Princess also states that she is concerned about global warming and that, as o&en as possible, she takes the train instead of #ying. ■

The Royal Court of Sweden has a great interest in the environment and green technology. His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf, the Queen and Crown Princess Victoria have displayed this in public on many occasions.

BY GUNNAR ANDERSSON

The Think electric car will be used experimentally by Court staff. King Carl XIV Gustaf of Sweden celebrates National Day on 6 June.


In Sweden, we have compiled a great deal of knowl edge and experience regarding cleantech. At www.swentec.se/find_cleantech you will find Swedish products and plants that will provide profits for both your wallet and the environment. You can search the entire chain; from sustainable built envi-ronment, plants and industrial solutions to companies that have provided the product or service. A map function can assist you in finding the right partner and perhaps also in planning your next business or study visit.

Swentec, the Swedish Environmental Technology Council, is commissioned by the government to develop an effective national structure to increase the growth of Swedish cleantech. www.swentec.se

Looking for Swedish cleantech? swentec.se/find_cleantech


THE PEAK REGION!e Peak Region [ði ˈpi:k ˈri:ʤәn] – a European centre for research and business develop-ment within tourism, sport and the outdoors – covers the areas of Åre, Krokom and Öster-sund in Mid Sweden. It includes international research environments that focus on winter sports and tourism, some of the world’s foremost brands in outdoor products, dedicated sporting interests with elite athletes and Olympic gold medallists, as well as having public bodies as committed stakeholders. It has hosted the Alpine World Championships in Åre in 2007 and the World Biathlon Championships in Östersund in 2008. It is famous as a multinational, innovative playground for young, creative talent and as a cooperative region with the ambition to be a world-leader through sustainable growth.

www.peakinnovation.se


“I t is a bizarre idea that the majority of people in the world must do without electricity while most the of richest countries are allowed to destroy the climate at a slightly lower rate than

today. "e richest countries must invest serious sums in the development of green technology. At the present time only a fraction of what is spent on agricultural subventions is invested,” says Rosling

HANS ROSLING IS one of the world’s most engaged and appreciated lecturers who, with his revolutionary approach in describing statis-tics, has changed the conception of the world for many of his audience including Bill Gates and Al Gore. "e lecture he held in Monterey 2006, which can be watched on Youtube and which has been seen by more than 1 million people, opened the doors to speak about anything from the OECD World forum to Google’s Zeitgeist event. "e so&ware he used to present the statistics with was purchased by Google and is now free to be used by anyone.

Rosling has worked with global health as a researcher and lecturer at Uppsala university

and Karolinska Institutet for more than 25 years. He has been an advisor for example to Sida and WHO and is also one of the founders of the Gapminder foundation, which contrib-utes toward good global development by mak-ing statistics easier to use and understand.

What Hans Rosling presented in 2006, with such an e%ect, was that the third world, as it is usually de!ned, no longer exists. He took two of the characteristics that have de!ned the third world, average length of life and the number of children per family, and showed that the majority of the countries in the world are now grouped in high average length of life and few children. Instead he wanted to speak about “the bottom billion”, the billion of the world’s population that live in poverty. Many of these live under instable leadership and are ravaged by civil war.

WITH HIS STATISTICAL tool he has also shown that an increasing number of countries have a rapid economic and social development.

“Regarding countries that have conditions on the same level as Sweden had before 1900 my students say: “"ey will never be able to live

POVERTY CAN’T HELP THE CLIMATE – TECHNOLOGY CANBy describing the world through statistics Hans Rosling has shown a world where more and more countries are taking social and economic strides as no country has previously done before. The world is becoming better, yet he regrets that the high income countries have not made any serious invest-ments in environment friendly technologies.

BY ERIK SÄFVENBERG

HANS ROSLING

»


like us”. I ask myself why not? Sweden has made the same journey and countries such as Bang-ladesh, Egypt and Brazil have a faster develop-ment rate than what Sweden has ever had. "ey are already catching up.

He also points out that the development rate will in#uence the climate. India and China are building new coal-!red power plants at a furious pace to meet the need of electricity and they do it because coal-!red power plants are the cheapest way for them to produce electricity. He is surprised over some people in rich countries who still believe in the idea that countries experiencing rapid development should refrain from the comforts that we in the high income countries enjoy, for example washing machines, just because the climate is threatened.

“THE MESSAGE ‘Stay poor – save the climate’ is unreasonable. Carbon dioxide emissions in China, for example, are soon on a level with those of the USA, but that is because China has a far greater population, emissions

per inhabitant are only a fraction in China compared to USA. USA discharges 20 tons per person, China only three tons. Saying that China discharges as much as USA is the same as saying China’s collected population weighs more than USA’s and are therefore fatter and should diet. You must count per capita.

ROSLING ALSO EMPHASIZES that USA invests three federal billions per annum on green technology, the same sum that China generates and saves in three days. But also that companies in the USA invest more in green technology than the Government does.

“"erefore I am also optimistic for the fu-ture. "e money is there, so is the capacity and the needs are identi!ed. If the world only starts to act seriously together and invest money where it does the greatest good we will succeed in making the world a better place for everyone within one to two generations. "is is why meetings such as COP15 are so important,” says Hans Rosling.

Read more at gapminder.org ■

HANS ROSLING

Rosling is also a sword swallower, as demonstrated in the final moments of his second talk at the TED conference.

“ If the world only starts to act seriously together and invest money where it does the greatest good we will succeed in making the world a better place for everyone within one to two generations.


In green industries the market is crying out for sustainable, cleantech solutions, and the Midsweden Chamber of Commerce is an important tool for these compa-nies and their growth. “By taking the initiative for the Cleantech Region we want to improve export potential for Swedish business,” says Dick Jansson, managing director of the Midsweden Chamber of Commerce.

BY PER TROSTEMO PHOTO OLLE MELKERHED

I t’s not overstating matters to say that Sweden is a world-leader in the research and development of cleantech. It has unique expertise in work with sustainable environ-

mental technology, but when it comes to doing business with this expertise there is still a great deal to be done.

"e Midsweden Chamber of Com-merce is one of the national stakeholders that is actively working to improve clean-tech companies’ business opportunities.

“"e market is crying out for green solutions and we want businesses to focus on the business opportunities that are opening up. We are a tool for these busi-nesses and are here to help create growth. "is is one of the reasons why we have ini-tiated the Cleantech Region and publish the Green Solutions magazine.

“WE WANT TO contribute profession-al marketing that highlights our products and system solutions in environmental technology,” says Dick Jansson, managing director of the Midsweden Chamber of Commerce. He points out that the Clean-tech Region should be seen as something that stretches far outside the borders of Mid Sweden.

“As a concept, it has no geographic limits. Our starting point is Norrland, but throughout Sweden it is necessary to help

each other to meet environmental targets and complete the transition from an old to a green economy. Shared e%orts are also necessary in order to increase the export of products and expertise in green trade and industry. We must get better at packaging, pro!ling and marketing our products – and we need more active sales.”

Sweden has a wealth of small busi-nesses that are active in green tech, which

means it is vital to build networks – com-panies !nd it di$cult to reach out if they are isolated and on their own.

“"at’s why it is so important that we get it right and create strong domes-tic networks. In this context, we have to be better at displaying facilities with green tech e$ciencies and successful, environmentally friendly solutions. For example, major public investments such as combined heat and power plants, water puri!cation plants and waste manage-ment have many suppliers in the form of private small businesses with signi!cant expertise in environmental technology.

One particular EU project in the region focuses on developing good demo facilities (see page 83).

DICK JANSSON BELIEVES that trade and industry cannot avoid green tech as an area with great growth potential, and the Midsweden Chamber of Commerce welcomes all companies, ideas and initia-tives that can contribute to the develop-ment of business opportunities.

“We also want to help companies to develop good business models, to contact !nanciers and to market themselves abroad. Another vital factor that we want to highlight is the design of products and services. "e launch of the Cleantech Region is a step in the right direction.” ■

– A HELPING HAND FOR BUSINESSES

MIDSWEDEN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Dick Jansson, managing director of the Midsweden Chamber of Commerce.


Å ke Mård is an engineer and the man responsible for the patented Koljern construction system, where sheets of cel-

lular glass are joined to make building elements and reinforced with u-pro!le lightweight girders. He believes that this material can solve many contemporary problems regarding moisture, climate and energy conservation.

Cellular glass is made from 95% air, which provides good insulation, enclosed in glass that primarily comes from recy-cled bottles and car glass. Cellular glass has been used in construction for more than 40 years. Turning Torso in Malmö, Dunkers Kulturhus in Helsingborg and the Royal Library in Copenhagen are just a few buildings with foam glass in their foundations.

PITTSBURGH CORNING IS the world’s foremost producer of cellular glass insulation, Foamglass. Pittsburgh Corning Scandinavia AB has supplied Foamglass to Åke Mård’s project in Nju-runda and interest is now being shown by several other countries.

Foamglass sounds like a beautiful cladding material, shimmering like ice, but a façade is delicate and the house in Njurunda, which was built as a private home, is covered with wood panelling and the roof is sheet metal.

Previously, cellular glass was only

A whole house built from recycled bottles and crushed glass from cars. In Njurunda, outside Sundsvall, an entire house has been built from cellular glass for the first time in Sweden. The walls, roof and foundation are made from cellular glass sheets, which are joined together. It is a prototype for a fully damp-proof house with low operating costs.

BY NINA GUNNE, ARCHITECT PHOTOS PER BERGER

KOLJERN

A HOUSE OF FOAMGLASS


THE KOLJERN TECHNIQUE

The Koljern technique consists of cellular glass modules: 600x1200 mm in-sulating sheets of cellular glass that is reinforced by u-profile lightweight gird-ers, 50 mm or 100 mm thick. The modules have a bearing function and also provide insulation. They can be used in curtain walling as well. The material cannot be used in the open, as it will freeze and crack.Energy consumption is estimated to be 15-25 kWh per square metre/year for an apartment block, slightly more than this in a detached house.Cellular glass is 75% recycled glass from empty bottles and car glass, 9 per-cent air bubbles in glass mass that is impervious to moisture, and sand.

WILL SMITH FINDS INSPIRATION IN TIMRÅBY GUNNAR ANDERSSON

Swedish life cycle construction ac-cording to the EcoCycleDesign model is now spreading around the world. A&er several Japanese projects, Swed-ish life cycle construction has now grabbed the attention of Hollywood celebrity Will Smith.

"e actor Will Smith is famous for his roles in the !lms “Men in Black”, “Ali” and “I am Legend”, and also as a rap artist. It is perhaps less known that he and his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, are involved in !nancing and running a school, New Village Academy in Los Angeles.

He is now looking for land on which to build a new school and, a&er his contacts with Anders Nyquist and the EcoCycleDesign concept, the life cycle-designed school in Laggarberg will be the model for the new school. Will Smith’s school will, just like Laggarberg, bring together technical solutions in water, drainage, ventila-tion and energy.

"e children at Laggarberg school, which Anders Nyquist designed as a pilot project fourteen years ago, have also received a personal greeting from Will Smith. "e famous actor signed a poster with “Change the World”. ■

used in foundations, but one aim of the house in Njurunda was to show that it’s possible to build a whole house from it. In Njurunda, cellular glass was used for both environmental and energy rea-sons. "e house’s power consumption is estimated to be around 30-40 kWh per square metre, including water and heat-ing. "e are 30 inbuilt sensors in order to evaluate the results.

In Njurunda, Åke Mård is partnered by the architect Anders Nyquist, who has worked with life cycle-adapted houses for 40 years, based on a model called EcoCycle design.

THE CHOICE OF cellular glass is just part of the whole concept of the building that Anders Nyquist and Åke Mård have created together.

“It’s all about system thinking in construction,” says Åke Mård. “Foamglass allows us to build !reproof houses. "ey

can cope with !restorms at temperatures of 300-600°C through the installation of special !reproof hatches for windows and doors. "ese houses are valuable in California, Australia, Greece and Spain.

Åke Mård believes in a #ourishing future for this building material. “Its investment cost is 5-10 percent more expensive, but the monthly cost for the homeowner is SEK 500-1000 less than in a conventionally built house,” he says.

HOWEVER, ÅKE MÅRD thinks that tension between architects and consult-ants with di%erent views on energy and environmentally friendly construction are hindering development.

“Consultants and businesses that work with the construction of low-energy build-ings should cooperate more. If we can sit down at the same table and talk, we can get a long way towards low-energy buildings with long-term sustainability.” ■

In Njurunda, outside Sundsvall, an entire house has been built from cellular glass for the first time in Sweden.

40 | GREEN SOLUTIONS FROM SWEDEN Engy ABEriksbergsparken 1 / 114 30 Stockholm / Sweden / Tel +46 (0)8 407 32 00 / Fax +46 (0)8 694 93 50 / www.engy.com

Efficiant energy solutionsfor the local community

Supply means that Engy offers green and environmen-tally certified energy direct from the source, on the basis of specific customer needs and the prevailing local circumstances.

Demand means that Engy identifies total actual energy requirements and adapts energy consumption to the specific needs of the operational activities. We ensure that our customers’ properties, systems and facilities are suitably dimensioned, furnished with the optimal technology and benefit from the correct settings. Engy also works to ensure that energy is utilised in accor-dance with the requirements and wishes of the tenant or end consumer.

Engy’s unique concept

Engy offers major energy consumers an opportunity to reduce costs, increase operational margins and raise the value of their properties. At the same time, compliance with current climate and environmental requirements is also made possible.

engy-anonns-02.indd 3 6/7/09 10:41:07


I n the 70’s, Sweden was the most oil dependent country in the industrialized part of the world. Drawing on trial and error and step by step improvements, the

country eventually took a new approach to sustainability; one that is holistic, look-ing at the broad picture of the problems.

A&er taking a leading role in organ-izing the !rst UN conference on the environment – held in Stockholm in 1972 – Sweden is today one of the few industrialized countries to have reduced carbon emissions combined with eco-nomic growth. Between 1990 and 2006, emissions declined almost 9 percent. Over the same period, the economy grew 44 percent. "is shows that it is possible to combine economic growth with an improved environment.

To gather all knowledge and experi-ence to the Swedish approach to sus-tainability, the concept and trademark “SymbioCity” was launched in 2008. It emphasises renewable resources and re-source management that minimise waste and optimize recovery and reuse. It also encourages the development of new and better system solutions as well as the most e$cient use of natural resources.

THE KEY TO success for the Symbio-City concept is to o%er a more scalable model which may be adapted to di%erent development levels of cities and towns as well as di%erent planning situations. Another key to success is to deliver value – getting more for less.

During last year SymbioCity was presented at more than 30 international

exhibitions, seminars and delegation visits around the world. It has been very well received and Tangshan in China, Toronto in Canada, Pune in India and Narbonne in France are just some of the cities that already have adopted the concept, or used it as a source of inspiration.

On December 12, the Swedish Min-ister for Trade, Ewa Björling will present the Swedish approach to sustainability at Bright Green Expo in Copenhagen, Denmark. A number of interesting seminars will also be arranged in the Swedish pavilion, stand 42. During 2010, the SymbioCity concept will be presented at World Expo 2010 in Shanghai, at the World Urban Forum 5 in Rio de Janeiro and MIPIM, the international real estate summit in Cannes, and other places. ■

SYMBIOCITY– THE SWEDISH APPROACH TO SUSTAINABILITYThe international market for environmental technology is undergoing rapid growth, as climate and energy issues are increasingly coming to the fore. With continuing urbanisation environmental technology and know-how concerning sustainable urban development will be required in both industrialised and developing countries.

BY GUNNAR ANDERSSON

SYMBIOCITY


ENVIRONMENTAL WORK IS BREAKING DOWN OLD HABITS

Life cycle cost instead of investment cost. Time rather than money. Architect Anders Nyquist doesn’t hesitate in turning things on their heads. He highlights hitherto unseen aspects by using alternative calculation models.

The process of adapting to new circumstances and new opportunities is often slow. This is human, and not least applicable to the area of the environment, where there is such major, rapid change. But in order to move on, it is necessary to break with old habits and and to dare to think innovatively. New business models and new eco-nomic evaluations are necessary. The architect Anders Nyquist and entrepreneur Sten Wennerklev are two people who don’t want to keep walking the same path.

BY PER TROSTEMO PHOTO PER MÄKITALO/JOHNÉR

T he life cycle-adapted work of architect Anders Nyquist has been the focus of attention both in Sweden and abroad.

Right now Anders is working on a resi-dential building in Nolby, outside Sunds-vall, which is being constructed based on an exciting vision of a social, ecological and technical holisticity. "e residents will literally be part of a living cycle!

Anders Nyquist is an amazingly crea-tive person and has ideas about almost everything around us. Many of his ideas revolve around a new economic approach where life cycle costs and time cost analy-ses are central concepts.

Anders’ opinion is that the construc-tion industry and banks are still holding

on to outdated business models and analyses. “Yes, the construction industry has long focused on the investment costs when making calculations. Instead, in the projects that

I manage, we try to concentrate on the annual cost and the life cycle cost. "e investment cost in a life cycle-adapted house may be ten per cent higher than for a conventional house, but even in its !rst year the annual cost can be ten per cent lower than that of a conventional house!

"is means that Anders Nyquist is looking for another way of valuing invest-ments and payo% times.

“We must introduce a new type of economic thought in the construction industry, where the operating cost is what controls our investments. Life cycle-adapt-ed houses consume less energy, are built from better materials and are healthier than conventional houses. "us they cost much less in relation to their lifespan.

“THE BANKS MUST also get better at valuing houses that have low annual costs and low lifespan costs are healthier and have less impact on the environment. It goes without saying that if a house has lower annual costs then the bank’s customer is more likely to be able to

NEW THINKING

AN ARCHITECT WITH THE COURAGE TO THINK INNOVATIVELY

Anders Nyquist


FREE SUNLIGHT FOR LOCAL AUTHORITIESSave energy and get free lights! This idea is now being launched as a way of reduc-ing power consumption in municipal property and premises.

S olljus AB is a company that manufactures light !ttings with a ceramic metal halogen lamp, which emits light close to sun’s spectrum. "e sunlight lamps result in energy savings of 30-90 % compared to ordinary light !ttings, and have a number of other advantages.

"e energy savings that the sunlight lamps provide could be used to !nance installing them in premises owned by the municipalities and the county council.

“We have started a dialogue with the municipally-owned power company, Jämtkra&, about our idea, so we’ll see where it ends up,” says the managing director for Solljus, Sten Wennerklev.

“THERE ARE MANY municipally-owned power companies in Sweden. Local authorities also own a great many proper-ties in which they still use traditional, power hungry lighting. We think it should be natural for the municipally-owned pow-er companies to buy lights that they can then provide for free. Because, in this case, the municipality owns both the power company and the property, so everything stays “in the family”, says Wennerklev "e energy savings mean that the light

!ttings are !nanced over a three-year period and the power com-pany can also sell the “extra power” from the very !rst day. “In general, power companies are better paid for selling electric-ity outside their home municipalities, so they can cover the cost of buying the light !ttings this way.” It’s a business idea that’s as good as any… ■

pay them, doesn’t it? "e banks should therefore set lower interest rates on borrowed capital for life cycle housing, because it is an investment with a more stable value.

ANDERS’ INTEREST IN alternative calculation models also covers the sphere of individual !nance. We usually say that time is money, but Anders has turned that around.

“We have produced a calculation model that demonstrates the relation-ship between income per hour and the costs of a family’s biggest expenses, like housing, the car and food. "e time-cost calculation shows that you have to work more than 700 hours to pay for the “average family’s” car costs over one year. To earn the cost of food and other living expenses for a two-child family, you need to work 2500 hours per year and to pay the rent the providers in the family must work more than 1000 hours per year.

“If you reduce the costs for housing, food and the car by practising life cycle thinking, you need to work less. You get more time for the family, children, friends… more time to be human,” says this visionary architect from Sundsvall. ■

Sten Wennerklev


DEVELOPING GREEN INDUSTRY FOR BILLIONS

PEAK INNOVATION

The business world’s green visions for the county of Jämtland meet in the newly-started Peak Innovation. In seven years’ time the region is to be a European leader for research and business development within tourism, sports and leisure activities.

BY ANDERS LÖVGREN PHOTO TOMMY ANDERSSON


FACTSIn Sweden, state-owned Vinnova has named twelve different regions - innovation systems - that have received support for their growth. Peak Innovation in Jämtland is the only one focused on tourism, sports and leisure activities.

B racke Systems has seen that GPS technology that has been tradition-ally used in forestry, for example in the planning of clearance and thinning-out, can also be used in

the piste machines in the mountain ski resorts. From now on, technology will make it easier to see where the piste machine needs to do its job, which saves both time and fuel, and improves the quality of the pistes.

Another company, Coresource, is developing a system that collects information about the origin of products and services; their history and mate-rial. !is system enables goods to be declared, for example, from an ethical or ecological perspective.

!ese are just two of all of the innovations that either already exist, or are under development in the region. !ey are, however, good examples of how innovations, growth and ecological sustain-ability can be inter-connected.

LARS LINDQVIST, CEO at Peak Innovation explains, “We don’t have any traditional base in-dustry, and it’s not our intention to try and create any. What we want to do instead is to collaborate within the "elds of tourism, sports and leisure activities, and to take advantage of our common strengths therein. !inking in terms of ecological sustainability is no longer just an idea: it’s already present in our strategies as the most natural feature in the world.”

Lars Lindqvist, together with business devel-oper Kjell-Ove Wiklund, has his "nger on many of the buttons in Peak Innovation, which has received in total some SEK 64 million during eight years, from a number of public and private interests. State-owned Vinnova stands for the majority of the "nancing for building up a so-called innova-tion system. !e purpose is to create growth through collaboration within business develop-ment and research, amongst other things through attracting more tourists to Jämtland and by creat-ing products and services that can be exported.

A number of di#erent development projects are on-going at the national winter sport center, which is intended to produce Swedish successes at the world’s sports arenas. A$er this, these ideas will be commercialized.

An example of this is the advanced roller-ski track that can be programmed to simulate a run on the Olympic track in Vancouver. National teams wanting to hone their skills prior to a competition form the target group.

KJELL-OVE VIKLUND says, “Many of the ideas that arise from the research environment need sup-port in order to reach out into the market. !at’s what we at Peak Innovation help with. We "nd partners, seek "nanciers, manufacturers and initi-ate the necessary procedures.”

Lars Lindqvist adds, “But you have to keep in mind that only 22 percent of the products that are commercialized emanate from an academic envi-ronment. Most ideas come from the industry and we o#er companies the same opportunities.”

Jämtland has a number of strong destinations, primarily Åre, which attracts both tourists that enjoy the Great Outdoors and the world’s sport-ing elite who come to compete. !is provides a good foundation on which to develop services and products.

Already today there are nearly 1500 com-panies in Jämtland who are active within Peak Innovation’s area. Together they have a turnover of around SEK 4.5 billion. By 2025 when the region will have gone from being a leader in Europe to a leader in the world, the industries will be turning over SEK 17 billion. ■

The experienced entrepreneur duo of Kjell-Ove Wiklund and Lars Lindqvist are visionaries in the fields of tourism, sports and leisure activities, and believe that Jämtland can be a world leader by 2025.

“ Thinking in terms of ecological sustain-ability is no longer just an idea: it’s already present in our strategies as the most natural feature in the world.


S ome folks call it ‘zero-energy housing’, others call it ‘passive housing’ and others call it ‘plus energy housing’. But re-gardless of whether you build

in order to cool down the interior climate in warmer countries or if you build to

keep the heat in in cooler climes, the principle remains the

same. “!e idea is to build

well-sealed and well-insulated houses ,with the

energy that they need coming from a system

that utilizes renew-able resources in an e%cient manner,”

explains !omas Greindl, EU Certi"ed ‘passive house’ architect at the technology consultancy company Sweco.

A LOW-ENERGY house is a house with an extremely low energy requirement for heating. Di#erent concepts for low-ener-gy housing are marketed in Europe, such as Passivhaus in Germany, E%nergie in France, Minergie in Switzerland, Casa Clima in Italy and Low Energy Class 1 and 2 in Denmark. !e various concepts have slightly di#erent limits for maximum energy usage, and calculate energy use di#er-

ently, which makes it di%cult to compare them, however, the international de"ni-tion of a ‘passive house’ is a house that has a maximum annual energy requirement of 15 kWh/m2 for heating. If you build a house where additionally heating and electricity are produced on site, for exam-ple via solar power, the concept becomes

‘zero-energy housing’; if the electricity and heating produced just cover the

energy requirements for the run-ning of the house, and ‘plus-energy

housing’ if the production exceeds the requirements.

Economical pro"tability with self-production of

heating and electricity can only be achieved,

however, ifthe running of

PLUS-ENERGY-HOUSE

ONE CONCEPT – MANY NAMES

It’s quite simple really. It’s all about building houses as well-sealed and well-insulated as possible, and supplying electricity and heating that is produced and supplied in the right way. After that, you can call it what you want.

BY GUNNAR ANDERSSON

Thomas Greindl Anna Joelsson

The tallest timber building in Sweden is in Växjö and

is also a low-energy house.


EXAMPLES OF SMART SOLUTIONS:Wood-based lightweight beams have obvious environmental and energy benefits and are strong, light and straight. Up to 80 percent of the trees’ volume is utilized. The beams’ I-profile means that thermal bridg-ing is minimized, and consequently heat losses with them, and that a lesser amount of raw materials are required. Environmental impact and resource dependency are the lowest possible as smaller dimensions can be used. Furthermore, the beams are partly manufactured from biproducts of the sawmill.Masonite Beams AB is a company in the construction sector that manu-factures and markets timber-based I-beam systems to customers in Sweden and overseas. The company is part of the Norwegian Byggma ASA Group.

Glued laminate (Glulam) beams consist of interlaced laminates of wood that are glued together to form beams of the required dimension. Glulam is sometime called nature’s answer to steel and concrete.The environmental benefits of con-structing in wood are primarily that less energy is used in the production of building materials for a wooden house, than for most other materi-als. By comparison, a concrete house will cause carbon dioxide emissions from chemical processes in the manufacture of cement that are avoided in the case of the wooden house. Additionally, waste wood products from the production processes can be used for energy purposes, replacing fossil fuels. This also goes for residual timber follow-ing the demolition of buildings at the end of their serviceable life, and this substitution is an important factor if the intention is to achieve climate-neutral housing.

Wood-based lightweight beams have obvious environmental and energy benefits.

the building is 3 to 4 times as energy-e%cient.

A well-constructed building is the ba-sis for reduced energy consumption. !e "rst thing to consider in order to build in an energy-e%cient manner is to reduce heat losses by insulating, sealing and avoiding thermal bridging. However, a to-tal overview is needed in order to decide if a construction project can be deemed as being sustainable in the long term, and then more than just the building shell needs to be taken into consideration.

“Just because you’ve built a good house doesn’t mean you can forget about reducing energy losses and emissions when supplying energy”, says Anna Joels-son, Dr. of Eco-Technology and Envi-ronmental Sciences and sustainability consultant at Sweco.

THE CHOICE OF heating system is more important in terms of the building’s climate impact than most people think, and is an important matter even where low-energy houses are concerned.

“You have to have e%cient process all the way from utilizing natural resources

to the "nal utility that is supplied”, Anna Joelsson continues.

!e lifecycle perspective is valid of course, both if the utility concerns heat-ing, electricity or the choice of building materials, and it is important to keep in mind how the residual products in the processes are used and how the house itself can "nally be recycled.

BY THE YEAR 2019, new buildings in the EU will not have any net energy usage, which means that electricity and heating must be produced within the building itself. Even if this is achieved by means of renewable resources it will not be enough to achieve the established energy and climate goals. Additionally, existing buildings must become more energy-e%cient, and the EU is there-fore encouraging its member nations to establish energy e%ciency goals for the signi"cant number of existing buildings that currently use close to 40 percent of all energy consumed in the EU.

“If you really want to change some-thing, you have to start reconstructing what is already there”, says !omas Greindl.

It’s not di%cult to build properly in-sulated and sealed houses. Anna Joelsson and !omas Greindl both mean that it is more a question of the attitude of those commissioning the building projects, in combination with a lack of knowledge on the part of those ordering the works.

“It’s mainly a question of attitude. All it really takes is a decision about the direction in which to go in order to progress, and to put a slightly higher de-mand on quality”, explains Anna Joelsson, who in her research has made detailed studies of energy usage and carbon diox-ide emissions from constructing buildings from timber. ■


PLUS-ENERGY-HOUSE – VILLA ÅKARP

PLUS-ENERGY-HOUSES PRODUCES MORE THAN IT CONSUMES

Karin Adalberth has many years of experience from the con-struction and property industry. For example, she has spent five years working with passive houses in her own company Prime project AB. She has now taken the ability of the well-insulated passive house to principally heat itself through the energy already in the house a step further. The Plus-energy-house produces its own energy, with a surplus.

BY GUNNAR ANDERSSON

Karin Adalberth


V illa Åkarp is the Adalberth family home, a one and half &oor house situated to the north of Malmö.

– Plus-energy-houses are ideal for both those building for the general public and those building for small families.

!e 150 square meter Villa Åkarp will consumes 5,500 kilowatt-hours per year for electricity and heating. !e National Swedish Board of Building, Planning and Housing’s building regulations set the upper limit of 110 kilowatt-hours per square meter and year for heating and domes-tic hot water in homes. !e Adalberth family will save around SEK 15,000 per year in energy costs.

!at is around a quarter compared to a regular Swedish home.18 square meters of solar collectors on the roof heat the house and guaran-

tee hot water. Heat is accumulated in the property to provide heating around the clock and to meet the transition between warmer and colder seasons. !e pellet-burning stove supplements the heating system during colder periods.

PLUS-ENERGY-HOUSES, like passive houses, are equipped with a heat exchanger that transfers heat from the ventilated air to the incoming fresh air. Floor heating is not the best solution from an energy standpoint and Villa Åkarp is "tted with standard radiators.

32 square meters of separate solar cells produce electricity. In the summer, April-October, around 4000 kilowatt-hours are sold to the power company Eon. Around 2600 kilowatt-hours of electricity are then bought back during the year. ■

ECONOMY PLUS- ENERGY-TECHNOLOGYInvestment: approx. SEK 800,000 in a regular-sized single family home Cost centers: ventilation, insulation, airtightness, windows, solar cells and solar collectors.Operating savings: about SEK 15,000 per year with a living area of 150 square meters.

Villa Åkarp is built using the fol-lowing components and energy efficiency measures:

shell-

lation air

-ing machine

ADVICE FROM KARIN

Advice from Karin Adalberth to those who wish to build a Plus- energy-house, large or small:

2. Ventilate thoroughly, with high heat recovery.

3. Ensure good airtightness.4. Accumulate heat, e.g. through

solar collectors and an accumula-tor tank.

5. Generate electricity, e.g. through solar cells or a small wind power plant.

6. Ensure heat production during the winter, e.g. with a stove.

7. Install water efficient products: faucets, shower heads, washing machine and dishwashers.

8. Install electrically efficient prod-ucts: ventilation fans, pumps, light-ing, refrigerator, freezer and TV.

The house heat exchangers for solar collectors.

The interior has a contemporary design.


In 2006 the Jegrelius Institute of Applied Green Chemistry launched a new concept how to put non-toxic Cleantech innovations on the market through Technology procurement.

BY ERIK NOAKSSON PHOTO TOMMY ANDERSSON

MATCHMAKING CUSTOMERS WITH NON-TOXIC CLEANTECH SOLUTIONS

“T echnology procurement was used successfully in Sweden during the 1990’s to stimulate the produc-tion and sale of more

energy e%cient products,” says Lena Stigh who is responsible for the Technol-ogy procurement initiative. Everything from refrigerators, heat-pumps, low energy windows to &exi-fuel vehicles were procured by di#erent groups of buyers. Electrolux and Ford are good examples of two delivering companies.

!e core issue is to create a large group of dedicated small buyers that can, and will, challenge the industry and demand for a product currently not available on the market. “!e idea is that the demand and the joint spending power will be so strong that it can help to stimulate technology “leap frogs” and set new standards for product performance and quality,” says Lena Stigh.

IN THE REGION of Jämtland a number of companies are developing peak products based on cutting edge non-toxic technology. “Outdoor equipment (e.g. www.klattermusen.se) and eco-friendly detergents (www.invekta.se) are exam-

ples that inspired us to launch a national initiative to organise group of buyers in di#erent business sectors focusing on Green chemistry and substitution of toxic chemicals,” says MD Erik Noaksson.

One group of buyers, coordinated by Jegrelius, constitute the majority of public health care providers in Sweden, all with the ambition to procure a non-toxic alternative to the currently available PVC/DEHP containing blood bags for red blood cells. “Another group of buyers under formation have the ambition to procure a non-toxic alternative to toxic antifouling coatings keeping boat hulls free from settling mussels and algae in the Baltic Sea,” says Tomas Östberg who is responsible for substitution and risk assessment at Jegrelius.

PARALLEL TO THE initiation of groups of buyers, Jegrelius is working to setup Cleantech demonstration arenas within municipality and County Council owned working facilities in the region of Jämtland. “!ese arenas creates not only awareness and demand for cutting edge Cleantech technologies in the public sector, but are also golden opportunities for companies to introduce new products,

which at the same time will get veri"ed and tested by potential costumers,” says head of the project Sven Wadman.

It is our belief that tomorrows cus-tomers increasingly will demand non-tox-ic peak products sustainably produced,” says MD Erik Noaksson. Jegrelius will lead this movement and therefore seeks new partners and Cleantech companies outside the region for new Peak innova-tion initiatives (www.peakinnovation.se) and Technology procurement projects. ■

JEGRELIUS

Chemistry (www.jegrelius.se)

humans everyday life

toxic Cleantech solutions-

opment processes

in the public sector

Council (www.jll.se)

ADVERTISEMENT


TALL TIMBER BUILDINGS


Building tall buildings from timber is no longer a problem from the perspectives of quality and safety. Sweden already has many examples of successful construction projects, including apartment complexes, commercial premises and car parks.

BY GUNNAR ANDERSSON


»

The seven-storey houses are built on the foundations of wood, with a building system that lead to quick installation and ensures dry construction since the building is weather-protected throughout the construction period.


T here is a great deal of experience in Sweden when it comes to building in wood, and tall buildings have now been built in several places in Sweden. !e tallest one is in

Växjö in southern Sweden and has eight &oors; in Skelle$eå in northern Sweden, there are several buildings that have seven &oors and in Sundsvall there is one with six &oors.

One of the most recent projects has involved an apartment complex and car park in the centre of Skelle$eå. Skelle$eå is a town of classic timber buildings that is currently experiencing extensive investments in industrial timber construction. !e new car park is an example of the opportunities presented by modern timber construction, both as regards engineering bene"ts and an environ-mentally bene"cial alternative to other building materials.

THE CAR PARK in Skelle$eå is being built by Martinsons Trä and has a total of 141 park-ing spaces on six &oors, of which two are below ground, and the ground &oor is o%ce space. !e car park is constructed with a pillar-beam frame that is based on a glulam framework from Mar-tinsons Trä. !e load bearing elements are cassette joists in “KL-trä”, made from solid timber slabs of planed spruce that are glued together with alter-nating grain directions for increased stability. !e

result is a rigid construction element with a high load capacity, which o#ers the potential for large spans and rational methods for rapid assembly.

!anks to the construction’s design, the dy-namic heavy loads that occur in a multi-storey car park are no problem, and e#ective sound reduc-tion has made it possible to use the ground &oor as o%ce space.

IN COMBINATION WITH the car park, Setra Group is building the Ekorren quarter with 32 apartments. !e building has a maximum of "ve &oors, and a minimum of two. Ekorren is entirely timber-built, using modern timber construction techniques, giving a number of bene"ts. One important bene"t is, of course, that wood is an en-vironmentally friendly and renewable material that is sparing on the Earth’s resources. Setra Group’s subsidiary, Plusshus, has used the Träly$et building system, which is a system for building multi-storey wooden buildings. Entire rooms are built indoors and completed internally, and then li$ed into place on the foundation. Träly$et also includes well designed, "nished solutions for sound insulation, ventilation, heat recycling and cable laying.

“Innovation and modern technology means that it is possible to build tall buildings in solid wood, combining the bene"ts of timber as a build-ing material with the pleasant feel of wood in the building,” says Olle Jakobsson, Setra Group. ■



Contact Gunnar Fackel, Environmental [email protected], + 46 (0)63-16 83 14 www.jll.se

The County Council of Jämtland, responsible for providing health care in Östersund and in 29 towns and villages in the county, has for many years worked towards replacing fossil fuels with renewable sources of energy. The dramatic rise in oil prices in 1973 triggered the first efforts. At that time we had oil-fired central heating in 84 percent of its premises. Today we don´t use any oil at all. In addition to purely practical measures to improve energy efficiency, such as lighting, heat recovery, improved windows etc., we provide information about energy and environmental issues to our 4,000 employees.

The County Council of JämtlandHeating energy kWh per m2/year.1973–2008

From fossil fuels to renewable energy

Foto

: Ger

t Olss

on/B

ildar

kive

t.se


A Green house on Green Street at the end of Green Park. In 2010, the first steps will be taken towards com-pleting a unique project in Valga, Estonia.

BY GUNNAR ANDERSSON

A GREEN VISION IN REALITY

T he project involves the construc-tion of a reference and show house that contains the latest technology for optimal energy e%ciency and green thinking, for both people

and the environment. !e project owners are Valga city and the Mid Sweden Chamber of Com-merce, supported by the counties of Jämtland and Västernorrland, as well as the municipalities of Östersund and Sundsvall and Jämtland’s County Council.

!e house will be a life cycle-adapted building that conserves energy, a great home for socially vulnerable young people and a good example for similar projects in the future, as well as of Swed-ish technology and cross-border cooperation. !e project’s architect, Anders Nyquist, has extensive experience with projects that focus on sustain-ability. Green ideas and solutions interact with economics, technology and a social vision for everyday life.

VALGA HAS AROUND 15,000 inhabitants and is a road and rail hub on the Estonian border. Valga is aiming to earn the title of Estonia’s best energy savings centre and has completed the construction of the "rst passive house in Estonia, the Kaseke kindergarten. Furthermore, construc-tion has started on a low energy campus at the

Valga County Vocational Training Centre. !e service building for the Valga football stadium and the Estonian-Latvian Joint Visitors’ Centre have all been designed according to the demands of passive house technology. Next year, reconstruction work on Valga Gymnasium will start to convert the building into a low energy school building.

!e show house is going to be built in one of the most beautiful parks in Valga. It’s is a two-sto-rey building with 18 small apartments, mainly with one or two bedrooms. !e exterior of the building will be adapted to its surroundings, and a lot of the nearby trees will be saved. !e house is going to have its own energy, ventilation and sewer systems built using SplitBox technology.

THE TENANTS’ GREY and black water is dealt with along with kitchen waste, producing clean water and a dry fraction that can be used as ferti-liser. It is estimated that the project will cost SEK 15 million and that research and construction will take about one year. Valga has agreed to "nance 10-15 percent of the construction and, when it is completed, the city will manage its operation and maintenance. !e project has interested parties in the private sector – but there is room for more members and investors. ■

VALGA

Proposals for green buildings in Valga, Estonia.


P roducts from Domsjö Fabriker’s biore"nery can replace oil as a raw material in many areas. Not many people know that each

American space shuttle carries a ten-ton heat shield of space fabric that is made from special cellulose from Domsjö, or that viscose textiles, paint thickener, sausage skin, washer &uid or concrete constructions could come from Domsjö, outside Örnsköldsvik.

Times change, they say – and it’s true. !e e#ects of climate change, population growth and limitations to sources of fossil fuels and raw materials are already being felt, and will in&uence our lives even more in the future. !is is not viable in the long term, which means that we need new ap-proaches and innovations.

History is full of examples of how bad things can get when companies and organisations refuse to think in new ways and so remain in the past; but there are also plenty of examples of visionary thinking, in unison with realism and en-trepreneurship, resulting in new develop-ment and new companies. One example of this is the Domsjö Fabriker biore"nery.

IN 2000, Domsjö Fabriker was sold by what was then MoDo, which rightly saw no future for the plant as a pulp mill. However, a group of investors saw a future for the same plant as a biore"nery. !eir vision, alongside realism and target-ed investments totalling SEK 800 million, as well as a pioneering spirit among the employees, has made us a world-leading biore"nery.

At Domsjö Fabriker, we have a techni-cally unique process. It is actually as if it is tailor-made for a biore"nery. !e raw timber comes from sustainable forestry and is transformed to special cellulose, lignosulphonate, ethanol, carbonic acid, biogas and other green products. !e process has a minimal environmental impact on the atmosphere and on the waters of Öviks'ärden. !e bleaching of our special cellulose has been chlorine-free for decades and the entire process is free of emissions.

Our philosophy is simple: we make more from timber. !is is a description of our current operations, but also our com-mitment to developing more products from the raw timber. We have increased our production of special cellulose, etha-nol, biogas and carbonic acid since 2000 . Special cellulose is our main product; it is primarily supplied to the textile industry, where it is a complete alternative to cot-ton. A$er extensive development work and a major investment programme, we also now produce dried lignosulphonate. !is is mainly used as an additive in con-crete, so that less cement is used in order to provide the same strength in a concrete construction. !is reduces the carbon emissions from cement manufacturing.

COOPERATION IS AN invaluable condition for creating sustainable devel-opment and success for all those involved. Our project gathers technical pioneers, production sta#, investors, vehicle manu-facturers, power companies and others. Its driving forces include the pressing need to replace oil as an energy source, rising power prices, increasing environmental threats, as well as the need for change and products in the future.

In the future, people who wish to study how global development, particularly re-garding environmental issues, is associated with a company and its owners’ approach to thinking innovatively and in a visionary manner, but without a completely new start, will "nd that Domsjö Fabriker is a relevant subject for studies. ■

CHRONICLE BY OLA HILDINGSSON

WE MAKE MORE FROM TIMBER


HOT SWEDISH CLEANTECHSweden is a breeding ground for new and interesting cleantech projects. We’ve selected a few examples of the hottest projects currently underway.

IN SHORT

!e EU’s Water Framework Directive has placed tougher re-quirements on how Swedish municipalities manage stormwater. Järven Ecotech creates outlet areas for stormwater puri"cation in existing waterways, such as lakes, rivers and the sea. A patented solution that consists of a combination of &oating walls and ba(es builds water puri"cation facilities in the receiving area.

One great bene"t is low running costs. Stormwater is puri"ed from heavy metals, in particular, by using the force of gravity. A natural sedimentation takes place which, combined with exist-ing vegetation, creates a perfect basis for microorganisms that cleanse the water of particles. !e degree of puri"cation in these facilities depends on the composition of the pollutants.

WATER PURIFICATION IN WATER


STORMWATER FILTER FOR EXPORTClean Export Mälardalen is a project that is owned by Mälard-alen University, for which Sustainable Business Mälardalen is process manager. As part of the CLEAN project, there are now plans among successful ground and water puri"cation companies, who want to move into export markets, to form a joint development company.

FlexiClean is one of the companies that is planning to take part in the new development company. It manufactures and sells a new "lter for cleaning stormwater. !e "lter consists of an outer "lter casing and a "lter cartridge with an easily re-placeable "lter bag. !e "lter contains di#erent types of bark. FlexiClean has already won prizes for its new product and has been highlighted at a number of environmental events.

SAFER ROADS WITH PULP INDUSTRY BY-PRODUCTSUsing green liquor from paper mills on gravel roads means that they stay better compacted and there is a signi"cantly reduced need for maintenance. !is has been demonstrated in trials carried out in Örnsköldsvik and Umeå.

Behind this idea is !e Biore"nery of the Future initiative, which gathers business, academia and society around the idea of using forests as a raw material in developing products and processes that can replace oil’s social signi"cance.

“Dried green liquor has proper-ties which let it remain on the road for a longer period,” says Gunnar Westin, project manager. “One substance previ-ously used was salt, which disappears rapidly, or just lignosulphonate, which is di%cult to spread well.”

Sweden’s road network consists of about 20 percent gravel roads, for which maintenance – in the form of planing and edge cutting – can be minimised if the road remains in better shape. !is would probably save millions of kronor every year in reduced road maintenance. Properly functioning roads also result in increased safety and comfort. If this can be achieved using green liquor, which must otherwise be disposed of, it is of great bene"t to society and the environ-ment.

!e project that aims to create a product from green liquor is part of the research and development work at !e Biore"nery of the Future.

“We "nance research projects in which our member companies col-laborate with the region’s universities to develop new green chemicals, new green products and new biofuel solutions. We currently have around 20 exciting research projects in our portfolio. Our methodology is characterised by open-ness and we welcome more ideas from new people,” says Clas Engström, CEO for Processum Biore"nery Initiative AB.


Hotel king Petter Stordalen is worth around NOK 10 billion. The 46-year-old Norwegian is happy to call himself a capitalist, but in the same breath he empha-sises his strong sense of social responsibility – and he is passionate about climate issues, which he considers the most important of all. “We must impose limits for what is acceptable and take payment for emissions. But I also believe in new, technological solutions.”

BY PER TROSTEMO

THE HOTEL KING WITH A PASSION FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

P etter Stordalen is Scandinavia’s uncrowned king of hotels and owns Choice Hotels with its 169 hotels in the Nordic and Baltic regions, amongst other things. Petter is

famous for his strong involvement in social issues, where concepts such as “social responsibility” and “environmental responsibility” are his key words.

“Companies that neglect their social responsi-bilities are not credible. For me, social responsibili-ty is really all about ethics and morals. It deals with the attitude we have towards ourselves, our lives and our deeds. !is is why, for example, I think it’s obvious that we should pay tax. And whatever you do, it should be done thoroughly and properly!”

PETTER’S LIFE and business philosophy perme-ates the entire business group’s operations and he holds the &ag high on environmental issues.

“We will exceed and, where possible, be a step ahead of all legislated environmental requirements and regulations. I’m very interested in new, green solutions. We began an extensive programme of environmental investments in 2003, and since then

we have replaced all the old oil-"red generators with heat pumps and water-borne heating.

“Within Choice we continually work with environmental issues. In 2009 all of our 169 hotels received environmental certi"cation! ISO 14001 also provides us with a control system so that we can work comprehensively and more ambitiously with our environmental e#orts. For example, we are working on a project to replace chlorine in our swimming pools.

CHOICE AND PETTER Stordalen are also the main sponsors of the Zero environmental founda-tion that works to achieve emission-free solutions.

“Zero highlights and promotes new green technology in all sectors of society. In our industry, we can see how important it is to have energy-e%cient hotels and in the future Choice wants to be able to build ‘plus hotels’ that not only use minimal energy, but which can also return excess power to the power grid.

“I am enthusiastic about the idea that we will "nd zero emission solutions for all areas of society, not least for the transport sector that is responsi- »

PETTER STORDALEN


ble for 20 percent of all emissions. I love cars and I have invested in two electric cars and Norway’s only Mercedes that has been converted to bioetha-nol. I enjoy following technological developments and where they lead.”

AS A VENTURE CAPITALIST, Petter Stord-alen sees the area of environmental technology as “unavoidable”.

“!e American environmental icon, David Brower, says: ‘there is no business on a dead planet’. Simple and true. We have to see the business op-portunities of green technology because it is our only hope.”

Petter also believes that in the future we will see a type of self-cleansing, where only companies that take social and environmental responsibility will survive.

“Yes, I believe in consumer power. I think that in the future consumers will reject the companies and manufacturers who don’t take their responsi-bility. I also think that there will be a basic level at which companies don’t just present "nancial ac-counts but also account for their climate and social commitments. In such a future, the companies that take responsibility will be the winners! And those that start now will have a great bene"t from their head start – as we have! ■

ABOUT PETTER STORDALEN

AGE: 46 A house in Oslo

FAMILY: Partner. Three children from a previous relationship. Qross the German shepherd dog.

: In Porsgrunn, Norway, where he started his empire by selling strawberries in the square.CURRENT Copperhill, in Åre.OWNS 169 hotels and 8000 employees.CURIOSA: Made a bid for the Premier League Liverpool FC a few years ago.PASSIONATE ABOUT: Society and the environment.

PETTER STORDALEN

“ Yes, I believe in consumer power. I think that in the future consumers will reject the companies and manufacturers who don’t take their responsibility


We thrive on sustainable growth

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GREEN THOUGHTS BUILD NEW TOWN DISTRICT

NORRA KAJEN


N orra Kajen and the Hef-fners industrial site are located in the heart of the Bay of Sundsvall and have since the middle

of the 1800s been sites for timber and charcoal handling, sawmills, oil-storage depots, industries, warehouses and o%ces.

Long rows of metal-covered proper-ties cover over one kilometer along the waterfront and beside this tra%c thunders past on the E4.

Paradoxically it is just this part of Sundsvall that is to become the greenest.

Norra Kajen Exploatering AB, which is jointly owned by the private real estate company Norrlandspojkarna and Sunds-vall’s municipality, has its o%ces in the western end of the harbor area. !e plan is to develop a district with Sweden’s best south facing location and with a pro-environment approach.

AT THE PRESENT time building rights are being sold for the "rst block of 15,000 square meters.

“Developers have shown a great deal of interest in being a part of this. We have noticed that optimism has returned a$er the global recession and it will not be di%cult to "nd someone to be the "rst to start construction,” says CEO Christer Ersson.

Purchasers of building rights must be prepared to work with a green pro"le.

Here are a few examples of what Norra Kajen Exploatering means by sustainable construction:

-ronment friendly and recyclable.

as possible from environment friendly district heating, solar collectors and windpower.

each apartment to take care of domestic waste, which is conveyed to a digester plant where biogas can be produced.

-walks, cycle paths and public transport are given priority.

that a variety of di#erent experiences are “built into” the area. In addition to works of art, it can be a question of us-ing audio and light creatively.

“THESE ARE THE examples included in the prospectus that interested stake-holders have received. We are naturally open for further discussions with the purchaser of the building rights, they may also have their own green ideas or ideas about adornments that can be used,” says Christer Ersson.

2500 apartments, the majority with a sea view, are to be built and the area is to feature numerous green oases, jetties and berths. Move than 50 percent of the land area is to consist of grass, trees and parks.

Furthermore grass and plants are also to be used to cover the roofs of the build-ings, these provide insulation as well as e#ectively utilizing rainwater.

“An ecological approach is to perme-ate the choice of energy solutions and materials. We speak about trying to create environment friendly energy systems,” adds Christer Ersson.

AN ALREADY STARTED multi-billion investment means a bridge is to be built across the bay in Sundsvall. !is means the E4 motorway will be moved away from the Norra Kajen, which emphasizes the green aim of the area.

Norrlandspojkarna’s former CEO Lars Bäckvall wishes to highlight the green pro"le yet further by building an exhibition building in the area. !e building, which is called lat. 62.3° (Sundsvall is situated on this latitude) is to house and display green technologies, but also with space for artistic and crea-tive industries.

“!is building is to be an arena and meeting place for innovators within culture, ecology, technology and climate. !is region is the home of many skil-ful companies within, e.g. ecologically sustainable construction. It could possibly be a place where together they can present their solutions, and I think we would at-tract visitors from around the world,” says Lars Bäckvall. ■

“We must be visionaries and think sustainability with new-builds.” Says Christer Ersson who is CEO for the company responsible to transform a gray industrial area in Sundsvall to a green town district.

TEXT & PHOTO ANDERS LÖVGREN ILLUSTRATION WHITE

vision to build a new, green and ecologically sustainable district in Sundsvall. The aim is for building to start in 2010.


nergy and climate are on the world’s agenda more than ever. I am writing this before the big meeting in Copenhagen in which I hope the world’s leaders will be successful in reducing mankind’s effect on climate. Whatever will be agreed, the need for energy efficiency and renewable energy sources are increasing rapidly.

The county of Västernorrland is used to deal with big amounts of energy. We have the highest use of electricity per capita in Sweden. This gives us reason to generate new technology and to use the latest innovations in the field. We have experience of products and solutions from a number of areas, companies, municipalities and households.WE ARE READY TO WORK WITH YOU!

Västernorrland has a long industrial history. The other side of this coin are the leftovers from the use of not so environmental-friendly technologies. We therefore have generated new applications and knowledge from for instance remediation of contaminated areas, restoring waterways and introducing new skills.WE ARE READY TO WORK WITH YOU!

The County Administrative Board of Västernorrland is supporting a lot of different projects and ideas with the aim to highlight the region’s collected experience in environmental technology, CleanTech. There is now a sharp increase in demand of our expertise in these areas.WE ARE READY TO WORK WITH YOU!

CleanTech Region is an initiative that joins the forces of the region. Thus, it is possible to offer complete system solutions. A work that will result in more business and trade and, above all, in a better environment globally and locally.

I BELIEVE IN SUCCESS THROUGH CLEANTECH AND VÄSTERNORRLAND IS READY TO GUIDE!

I believe inSuccess

throughCleanTech!

E

Bo Källstrand County Governor

Västernorrland

Pho

to: Ö

rjan

Leek

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GREENSCREENING AT NORRPORTEN

“W e want to be able to work as a knowl-edge bank for our tenants as regards environmental

issues and sustainable workplaces. For example, which computers consume the least power, what wood should the desk be, installing presence sensor lighting and

so on.” Åsa Hansson

is an information o%cer for the Nor-rporten property company, which owns o%ce and retail properties from Luleå in the north to Hamburg in the south. !e

company has noticed a clear increase in its tenants’ environmental awareness.

“Yes, now they have increasingly high demands on the premises and business being adapted for sustainability and envi-ronmental requirements. Apart from this increasing the need for our own green expertise it, also means that we need to be better at communicating the company’s environmental skills and policy.

“THIS IS WHY Norrporten is carrying out a “greenscreening” process, in which the company’s environmental perform-ance is analysed in detail. Emphasis is placed on things that are good, but which can be improved. Greenscreening also

provides the company with information about how best to present and com-municate its environmental activities to external parties - tenants, customers, sup-pliers, construction companies, industry and professional bodies, entrepreneurs, authorities, the media, etc.

“It is important that our communica-tion is credible and clear. Previously, we

were probably more focused on “action” than “talk”, but now we have a better un-derstanding of the value of commu-nication and that we can publicise our environmental activities and our

high demands with a better emphasis,” says Åsa.

NORRPORTEN HAS A very ambitious environmental programme. Energy issues are a major concern, given the character of the business, but the company also has carefully speci"ed requirements in other areas, not least regarding construction processes.

“!at’s an area where we can really steer suppliers into choosing materials and systems that ful"l our high environ-mental requirements, thus contributing to the development of green technology,” says Norrporten’s Anna-Karin Kammer-ling. ■

The Norrportens property company has high environmental requirements for its activities. Using greenscreening means the company can improve its external communication.

BY PER TROSTEMO PHOTO NORRPORTEN

NORRPORTEN

Anna-Karin Kammerling


A ir Star has recently realized a deal worth SEK 5.5 million with the major developer Skanska. A pat-ented ventilator will be used to cut heating costs and improve the air in

site cabins.“Anyone who has been in these workplaces

knows that there is a lot of running to and fro in the cabins. !e radiators are working at full power, and you frequently open the window to air the cabin. Not really a sound environment. Our ven-tilation unit is the perfect answer to change this,” says Peter Björs, CEO of Air Star.

THE COMPANY HAS won an order to equip 1,250 o%ce and site cabins with its ventilation unit, which is designed on the principle of taking in fresh air from outdoors, heating it and exchang-ing it with the used air that is removed once the heat has been recovered.

Tests made by the client Skanska have shown that by using the Air Star unit it is possible to lower energy consumption and make savings of up to 50 percent on operating costs for the cabins.

An important function is that the ventila-tor is connected so that it controls the radiators

in the cabins and lowers the output at night and weekends.

!e deal has caused the waters to ripple and Air Star has a$er the deal also negotiated a con-tract with site cabin rental company Ramirent.

“!is deal is important to us and opens up new possibilities. We are also in discussions with customers in Poland, Ireland and France about deliveries,” says Peter Björs.

Besides construction companies Air Star’s customers include house manufacturers, o%ces, day-care centers and private persons.

!e history behind Peter Björs and Air Star really started in a sauna. !e disc jockey and build-ing salesman Björs was visited by a friend and they decided to relax in a warm sauna.

THE CONVERSATION TURNED to an interesting object "tted to the wall outside of the sauna, a ventilation unit developed by Peter Björs’ neighbor, but which was proving di%cult to sell.

“One thing led to another and we ended up buying the rights and started a new company, to accelerate both development and sales. !e basic idea is the same, but we have attracted more owners and put the resources into place to both develop functionality and the design as well as to increase sales,” says Peter Björs.

Air Star has built up a network of dealers in Sweden and also has agents in Norway and Finland and Estonia.

“It is important for us to win over prefabricat-ed house manufacturers. To install the unit during production at the factory makes everything a little bit easier,” explains Air Star’s CEO. ■

A STAR IS BORNAIR STAR

Ventilation company Air Star has made a market breakthrough with its patented ventilation unit. Important deals with construction companies that will reduce energy consumption and improve the climate in office and site cabins lie behind the lift.

TEXT & PHOTO ANDERS LÖVGREN

AIR STAR The unit with the patented technology can ventilate and heat a space of 20-35 square meters. Up to six ventilators are needed for a home of 120 square meters, depending on the size of the rooms. According to the manufacturer this installation is sufficient for a new well-insulated house, but some form of additional heating is recommended to deal with cold waves.The price of the unit is SEK 4,500-6,000.


STT Emtec’s unique technology for cleaning exhaust gases is spreading around the world. The company from Sundsvall has taken the step from land to water.

BY OLOF AXELSSON

STT EMTEC

EMISSION CONTROL FOR GREENER SEAS


W hen STT Emtec was founded in the 1980s, the business idea was to develop technol-ogy for improving engine per-formance and reducing fuel

consumption. Over time, it was expanded to focus on products to help improve the environment.

“!e company’s mission has been to develop products to clean exhaust gases from diesel en-gines. In the end, it’s all about taking better care of the planet and that’s where STT Emtec has an important role to play. Our technology reduces the emission of nitric oxide and harmful particles,” says Ulf Sundström, who has been the company’s managing director since the start of 2009.

!e company’s customers are primarily interna-tional players in Europe, Asia and North America, focusing on heavy vehicles and land-based ma-chinery. Its products are found in everything from lorries in California to buses in South Korea.

THE TOUGH RESTRICTIONS on emissions that are being introduced in increasing numbers of large cities provide new opportunities for the company from Sundsvall.

“We have an interesting new partnership in Germany for campervans. In order to comply with new requirements, the owners are choosing to install our treatment system.”

However, over the last two years, STT Emtec has widened its focus to include the marine mar-ket, primarily in Norway.

!e demand for cleaning ship exhaust gases has increased in Norway since the authorities intro-duced high fees for nitric oxide emissions and, in parallel with this, established investment grants to reduce emissions.

“We have adapted our system for exhaust gas cleaning to small and medium-sized vessels in coastal tra%c and o#shore activities. !e marine sector represents around half of our turnover for 2009. In a few years it will be our most important area of operations.”

!is covers both technology that is installed in new engines and installation in existing engines in particular. Work is carried out in close cooperation with the engine manufacturers.

ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS and legislation are what drive the demand for STT Emtec’s products.

“In the 1970s the focus was on reducing emis-sions from cars. !en it was heavy vehicles, and now legislators have discovered the major emis-sions from ships. !e laws that already exist in Norway will spread to the rest of Europe, which has great potential for us. Even if competition increases, we have an advantage.

STT Emtec does not sell to end customers, but works via its partners.

“Naturally, the Chinese market is of long term interest. We already have customers in both Japan and South Korea,” says Ulf Sundström. ■

STT EMTEC

Its main products are used for cleaning exhaust gases from diesel engines, on land and at sea. It has also developed a high-performance system that is primarily used in Mitsubishi’s four-wheel drive models. The company has around 30 employees, who work with development, construction, assembly and sales. There is also a unique engine testing lab with three engine testing cells. Tests are carried out internally and for external customers.

Ulf Sundström


HOT SWEDISH CLEANTECHSweden is a breeding ground for new and interesting cleantech projects. We’ve selected a few examples of the hottest projects currently underway.

IN SHORT

World Bioenergy is now the world leading bioenergy trade fair combined with a confer-ence and "eld trips to bioenergy sites. Plan-ning is in full progress, as always half a year before this global event.

“We focus on the bioenergy sector. !e World Bioenergy at Elmia in Jönköping is foremost a trade fair within bioenergy, but also a large conference combined with around 100 study visits to hands-on bioenergy applica-tions of all sorts. Last year World Bioenergy gathered 200 exhibiting companies and 4.400

professionals from 60 countries as well as over 100 accredited journalists. Visitors are mainly professionals within and around the bioen-ergy sector, but even ministers, ambassadors and members of the royal family come here. !is proves that our concept Taking you from know-how to show-how is very attractive.” Says Jakob Hirsmark, Exhibition manager at World Bioenergy.

!e project team is now placing exhibitors in the indoor and outdoor areas for the 5th World Bioenergy in 25-27 May 2010.

Efokus is the Mid Sweden regional forum for information, knowledge and research about energy e%ciency, renewable energy and clean technology.

“Our aim is a sustainable and energy e%cient society”, says Tord Fjällström, CEO Efokus.

Mid Sweden has a strong potential to become an important and strong region in the shi$ from fossil to renewable energy and Efokus will play a central role in this "eld.

“We are an active partner and important meeting place”.At present the Efokus projects covers forest residues, biogas,

biomass to liquid, arable land fuel and renewable energy, clean technology and arrangements towards energy e%ciency.

“We work with modern and innovative forms of co-operation. We connect projects and look for opportunities for co-operation. By being alert on what is going on at the local, re-gional and international arena, Efokus is a signi"cant platform”, says Tord Fjällström.

WORLD BIOENERGY IN JÖNKÖPING

EFOKUS – A ENERGY HUB IN MID SWEDEN

manager at World Bioenergy.


INVESTMENTS IN SUSTAINABILITY WITH 75 TRAINEES.75 trainees will help small and medium-sized businesses to take sustainable product decisions. Unique investments are now being made to establish a European centre of expertise for sustainability information.

As international demands for sustainability increase, there is also growing pressure on companies to change their proc-esses and materials management. But the area is large and the requirements are complicated, which means that it is necessary to have knowledge of how companies can use sustainability to give them competitive advantages.

!rough unique project involving leading research into sustainability and local stakeholders, the Coresource company is investing in founding a European centre of expertise in sustainability information with a focus on Europe’s 28 million small and medium-sized companies.

!e basis of the centre of expertise is the classic idea of keeping sustainability information ‘neat and tidy’ and the insight that it is actually part of the product information and Product Data Management systems that the company already works with.

!is is where the centre of expertise comes in, in order to reduce company lead times by o#ering services in sustainabil-ity. !is could involve providing access to knowledge about sustainability, everything from basic information to regulations and the latest research in the area. Increasing companies’ abili-ties to manage sustainability, i.e. understanding and ful"lling their stakeholders’ sustainability requirements, and providing products with the sustainability requirements that end custom-ers demand, as well as e%ciently managing and presenting sustainability-related information that in necessary to enable sustainability-control and sustainable product structuring

Trainee courses start at the end of 2009 and the "rst partici-pants will qualify in 2010.

THE NEXT BIG STEPBioDME and Talldiesel (pine diesel) will be important vehicle fuels in the future. !e world’s "rst two produc-tion plants are now being built at Solander Science Park in Piteå.

!e development of vehicle fuels that are based on re-newable sources that cannot be used for food production is vital, such as biological dimethylethers, BioDME , och Talldiesel. Both products have been developed through "nding new areas of use for the forest’s energy &ows, by re"ning black liquor and tall oil (mostly resin) from paper and pulp production.

!ere is great potential, particularly for BioDME. Sweden alone has 20 pulp mills and, internationally, there are huge opportunities.

“In theory, we could replace one-third of all the petrol and diesel in Sweden with BioDME,” says Robert Berg-man, project manager at Solander Science Park which has the ETC research institute as a leading stakeholder. Chemrec is developing the BioDME plant and Sunpine AB owns the Talldiesel plant, which will be "nished early in 2010. !e world’s "rst pilot plant for BioDME will also be "nished in 2010. Meanwhile, the vehicle manyfacturer Volvo, which is managing the entire project, has 14 trucks that are running on BioDME.

“Volvo’s commitment to BioDME is tremendously important,” says Robert Bergman.

Leif Johansson, CEO of Volvo Trucks and Robert Bergman, Solander Science Park, Piteå, shake hands on a partnership for the biofuel of the


GREEN ROADS WITH NEW ASPHALTStill an exception on Swedish roads yet demands on energy savings and reduced emissions are increasing rapidly. Green produced asphalt could soon become standard.

BY GUNNAR ANDERSSON

U p until now high temperatures have been a prerequisite when pro-ducing su%ciently strong asphalt for e.g. highways.

Consequently, the majority of the asphalt produced and laid on Swedish roads has been hot-mix asphalt. !is means that stone material and bitumen is heated and mixed at high temperatures.

!e process for traditional asphalt production is both energy-intensive and expensive. Each ton of asphalt produced requires around seven liters of fuel oil. In Sweden some seven million tons of hot-mix asphalt is produced annually. !is means that the industry uses ap-proximately 50 million liters of fuel oil per year, resulting in large carbon dioxide emissions.

NCC ROADS HAS now developed an environmental asphalt, NCC Green As-phalt, which is a warm asphalt produced at a low temperature. !e trademark pro-tected designation NCC Green Asphalt is a collective name for several methods used to reduce energy consumption dur-ing the production of asphalt.

!e production temperature can be lowered from 160 to 120 degrees centi-grade by adding water to the bitumen and “frothing” the binder. !e temperature reduction reduces energy consumption in the asphalt plant by 20 percent; carbon dioxide emissions by up to 30 percent and nitrogen oxide emissions by 70 percent.

Development started in 2003 and last year saw the premiere of the new environ-

ment friendly produced asphalt when it was laid for the "rst time on a street in Sundsvall.

THE NEW GREEN asphalt can ideally be applied on the same high tra%cked highways as traditional hot-mix asphalt. Laboratory tests show that the warm-mix asphalt can even produce paving that last longer than regular hot-mix asphalt. !e lower production temperature causes the bitumen to oxidize less, i.e. age at a slower rate and thereby increasing its life in the applied paving.

Technical principal Roger Lundberg at NCC Roads in Umeå notes that inter-est in the new green asphalt from the country’s highway maintenance compa-nies has recently increased signi"cantly.

“We have laid 23,000 tons of which 8,000 tons was for Vägverket (the Swed-ish Road Administration) outside of Sundsvall and on “green” streets in for example Falun and Borlänge,” says Roger Lundberg. ■

GREEN ASPHALT

Roger Lundberg, Technical principal at NCC Roads in Umeå.


GREEN ROADS WITH NEW ASPHALT

The amount of smoke is low when loading the green asphalt.


G reen asphalt still only represents a small part of the total asphalt pro-duction, but NCC wants to see this grow and interest to spread.

“We have had visits from Belgium and the UK and interest is immense,” says Roger Lundberg, Technical Principal at NCC Roads in Umeå.

!e mobile asphalt plant Six Pack was used for the "rst assignment. Since then all green asphalt has been produced in stationary plants, but the next major assignment on the E4 between Hudiks-

vall and Enånger, will be a job for Six Pack. Some 130,000 tons will be laid over a 250 kilometer section of the highway.

IN SPITE OF Six Pack being smaller in size than a regular stationary asphalt plant, it has a greater capacity and can produce 220 tons of asphalt per hour. It runs for around ten hours and produces 2,200 tons of asphalt per day.

Six Pack was manufactured by the American company Astec Industries in Chattanooga, Ten-nessee. ■

NCC’s mobile green asphalt plant Six Pack was the first green asphalt plant. One sixth of NCC’s stationary asphalt plants are now green. Eventually more asphalt plants are to be converted to green plants.

BY GUNNAR ANDERSSON

GREEN ASPHALT

MOBILE MONSTER FIRST GREEN ASPHALT PLANT


We create the green solutions of the Future

The Biorefi nary of the Future includes members from the commercial sector, academia and the community at large from the regions surrounding Örnsköldsvik and Umeå. Together we create new products and pro-cesses with the Swedish forest as raw material. As we contribute to the transition towards a fossil free society, we also develop dynamic companies and industry.

www.biorefi nery.se


WOODEN BRIDGES


WOODEN BRIDGES ARE RIGHT FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

Interest in bridges made from timber has increased in Sweden over the last few years. Wooden bridges confer environmental benefits throughout their entire life cycle, from production and use to recycling. Little energy is used, the waste is insignificant and carbon emissions are low.

BY GUNNAR ANDERSSON

»

With its 230 meters the pedestrian and cycle bridge in Umeå is Sweden’s longest wooden bridge.

The arch bridge over Klockarbergsleden is 35 meter long and nine meters wide.


WOODEN BRIDGES

W ooden bridges now have the same performance and techni-cal lifespan as bridges made from steel and concrete, both as regards pedestrian and cycle

bridges and advanced road bridges that are suitable for heavy vehicle tra%c. Most wooden bridges consist of glulam components that are a natural material. Anything extracted from nature should be able to be sustainably used, reused, recycled or "nally disposed of with the least possible use of resources and without harming nature.

Glulam is made from laminated wood that is stapled and glued together to produce large building elements. !ese products do not place a negative burden on the environment during their life cycle and are easy to reuse, recycle or use for energy recycling. Glulam production is a process that doesn’t use many resources. !e raw mate-rial is indigenous coniferous timber, particularly spruce, and a synthetic glue. !e amount of glue used is less than one weight percentage. Primarily, by-products are used as fuel for the drying process.

As glulam is o$en “tailor made” for the customer, it does not result in signi"cant building waste at construction sites. During its useful life, glulam has no signi"cantly negative environmen-tal factors. It can be maintained with traditional methods and is highly repairable.

AS INTEREST IS increasing in wooden bridges made from glulam, there are also increased require-ments for the bridges’ construction. Glulam is one the strongest construction materials in relation to its weight and, at the same time, is relatively light. One cubic metre of glulam is estimated to weigh about 470 kilos, which compares to a weight of around 2400 kilos/m3 for concrete and 7800 kilos/m3 for steel.

Glulam also has a higher average strength than building timber with the same dimensions. !is is because knots and other defects that may be found in one sheet of laminate has only a small e#ect on a glulam element, because they end up in di#erent sections. Glulam has a lifespan of at least 80 years and can withstand aggressive environments. ■

In Karlstad the pedestrian and cycle bridge over

long and 3 meters wide.

The bridge in Virserum is 18,2 meters long and 8,5 meters wide.


GOOD NEIGHBOURS ARE GOOD FOR BUSINESSThere are historically strong ties within the Cleantech Region to several countries in the former Eastern Bloc. A project that is run by the county councils in Jämtland and Västernorrland aims to strengthen business relationships in the area of green technology.

BY PER TROSTEMO PHOTO SANDRA PETTERSSON/FOTOGRAFTINA.SE

S trong, long-term ties with Es-tonia, Poland and the Czech Republic are a winning ticket for green tech companies in Norrland. !e county coun-

cils, county administrative boards and municipalities have long had twin town relationships in these states, and now good business opportunities are becom-ing apparent in the previously neglected area of the environment.

“Yes, since these countries joined the EU they have been investing large amounts of money in the environment. !ey have a long way to go to reach the level of the rest of the EU as regards water puri"cation, sewerage and green energy production, and large amounts of EU funds are made available,” says !ure Mårtensson, who is project manager for the EU project “Public and private cooperation for the export of energy and environmental technology”.

THANKS TO THE twin town schemes there are already developed channels, which is a great help for !ure’s role as a door-opener for the region’s businesses.

!e twin town of Valga, Estlonia, is currently planning a show house, an eco house where builders and suppliers can display their skills. It is probable that a Swedish house factory may be estab-lished in Estonia as a result of these good relations, with the implied new business opportunities.

“We have standing invitations when the municipalities meet in our twin

regions to discuss new environmental investments. !is provides excellent op-portunities for marketing environmental and climate smart solutions. In Pilzen, in the Czech Republic, a new combined heating and power plant will be built and they are very interested in Korstaverken in Sundsvall, which is Europe’s most modern combined heating and power plant and which produces heat and elec-tricity from waste. Korstaverken is a fan-tastic demonstration plant for the export of energy and environmental technology,” says !ure.

!is gives big and small green tech companies form the region the chance to

display their expertise and increase their export potential.

“Every year, Sweden has around 300,000 visitors who want to see and invest in our energy and environmental technology. But most of them go no further north than Stockholm – and we want to change this. We have so many public and private stakeholders who are so much further ahead and deserve to be seen.

“!is is why we have begun cooperat-ing with Mid Sweden University, which educates industrial designers and moti-vated entrepreneurs who are skilled at ‘packaging and selling’ green tech facili-ties. It is a real boost to have professional marketing and sales of green technology from our region, in an area that has been neglected,” says !ure, who also wants to highlight the important role that the Chambers of Commerce have played.

THURE ALSO THINKS that munici-palities and county councils could make ‘more business’ of their environmental expertise now that there no legal barriers.

“Take the county councils in our region, they now have zero percent’s oil consumption for heating their buildings! We live among the renewable resources of wind, water and forest. !ere is unlimited potential for developing green tech com-panies, but they need help with marketing and that’s where I think this project has an important job to do,” concludes !ure Mårtensson. ■

THURE MÅRTENSSON

Thure Mårtensson, project manager for the EU project “Public and private cooperation for the export of energy and environmental technology”.


Sundsvall is the first in the world with a wastewater treatment plant that can produce liquid biogas on a small scale using cryogenic technology.

BY ANDERS LÖVGREN

BIOGAS IN SUNDSVALL

THE WORLD’S FIRST

BIOGAS PLANT USING CRYOGENIC TECHNOLOGY


T he completely new biogas plant is situated virtually in the centre of Sundsvall and means a great deal for the image of the town, which increasingly is about creating sus-

tainable solutions within energy.!is is how it will happen: Domestic sew-

age in Sundsvall is taken care of at the municipal treatment plant run by the company MittSverige Vatten. Once the water has been treated a large amount of sludge remains and this is then sent to the digester chamber. Here the sludge is prevented from coming into contact with oxygen causing the degradation process to start.

PREVIOUSLY THE GAS was burnt for heating and the production of district heating. !e new cryogenic technology makes it possible using chill-ing techniques to liquidize the carbon dioxide to then remove this from the gas and then create liq-uid biogas (methane) in the next stage. It will then be possible to transport six to seven times more with a gasoline truck than today. !is will make it possible to transport su%ciently large quantities for sales at gas stations in the region.

“It is by using cryogenic technology that it becomes commercially interesting. For the local authority the entire production is cost-neutral. We provide the raw materials, it is then private businesses that treat, transport and sell it,” explains MittSverige Vatten’s CEO Micael Löfqvist.

!e companies involved in this instance are MittSverige Vatten AB, Scandinavian GtS, and AGA.

!ere are many small communities in the re-gion and considering the geographical conditions it has not been possible – as in many large cities – to build a large common sewage network. !ere are 46 treatment plants scattered around MittSver-ige Vatten’s area of responsibility.

IN THE FUTURE a new approach is needed to expand biogas production. A pilot study has been made where Sundsvall’s local authority has looked at the possibilities of building a large scale plant. !e idea is that apart from sewage sludge to also use sludge from SCA’s paper mill in Ortviken and domestic waste collected by the local authorities’ refuse companies in both Sundsvall and Östersund.

“Operations will be ten times greater than to-day. You have to be rational and "nd new regional solutions in order to realize large scale operations in municipality in Norrland,” says Micael Löfqvist.

At the present time these large scale plans are set sometime in the future. Yet the switch from purchasing fossil fuel to becoming self-su%cient has begun. ■

BIOGAS IN SUNDSVALL

Biogas is judged to be a vehicle fuel that has the least effect on the environment of those currently available on the market. Annual produc-tion of biogas in Sundsvall will be approx. 500,000 cubic meters of ready vehicle gas, which is equivalent to as many liters of diesel. What remains after the biogas has been produced is sludge that can be used as filling and soil improvement materials.

The interest was great when first filling station for biogas opened.


MBEnvirotek.


A GREEN BROKER

D ag Jonzon is now looking beyond aid, in order to promote partner-driven cooperation and sustainable development

through the Sida Partnership Forum. His next challenge is the Green Solutions Week in Härnösand in May 2010.

Why is Sida hosting a Green Solutions Week?

“!e idea is to stimulate green solutions, connect partners, to provide inspiration and introduce them to new markets and new relationships.”

GREEN SOLUTIONS WEEK is both an arena and an opportunity to meet business people and partners from the private and public sectors, as well as researchers and community organisation. During Green Solutions Week, partners can exchange experiences, develop ideas and create synergies for collaboration at Sida Partnership.

“In May in Härnösand, the Sida Part-nership Forum, in close association with Clean Tech Region and Technichus, will host several seminars with international key note speakers, a Green Fair for Green Solutions, and Technichus will open a new exhibition about a sustainable world – Kretshopp, which will go on to tour through Scandinavia.”

!e potential in Sweden for Green Solutions and Clean Tech Business is

enormous, as is the global need for better products and solutions.

“More countries are now able to manage with-out traditional aid and want to develop new

relationships. We are therefore invest-ing more in partner-driven cooperation, which builds on mutual interests and shared responsibilities – and can lead to long-term, self-sustaining relationships. !e objective is to create a “win-win-win” situation in which three groups bene"t: the people in poverty, those participating in projects in partner countries and those involved in Sweden.”

PARTNER-DRIVEN COOPERATION is based on the partners’ own initiatives and mutual interest in cooperation. Sida’s country teams are responsible for ensur-ing that the concept is launched in each country.

“We are prioritising countries in which Swedish aid is undergoing changes: Indonesia, India, China, Vietnam, South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and a special focus on Iraq and Serbia.” ■

Dag Jonzon is a well-known and highly experienced television journalist who has presented programmes with an environmental theme of national television. He started the first environmental programme on Swedish national radio. He has always been enthusiastic about development issues and, as chairman of the young and vibrant Söråkers Folkets Hus, he represents the leading edge of the Think Global – Act Local concept.

BY GUNNAR ANDERSSON

SIDA

GOOD EXAMPLESIVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, is working with a number of partners in India who need knowl-edge and technology for purifying waste water.

Sundaresan Raghupathy, president of Indian Industry, says “the concept of ‘cleaner production’ that IVL works with is completely new for us. We are happy to continue this proc-ess using Swedish environmental technology.”

In South Africa, Nelson Mandela Bay has developed a close partner-ship with Göteborg. Anki Gustafs-son of Business Region Gothenburg explains, “Trust is built through effective and long-term efforts, which allows us to support business rela-tions between our regions.”

SGU, the Geological Survey of Sweden, is facilitating a cluster called MeetingPoints Mining in order to stimulate sustainable partnerships between the Swedish mining sector and its Namibian and Botswanan counterparts. The goal is to support new business relationships in the public and private sectors, as well as a sustainable mining sector in all three countries.


GREEN HIGHWAY – SCANDINAVIA’S GREEN LINK

GREEN HIGHWAY

In Östersund is locally produced biogas already

available and used by more than 200 vehicles.


Sundsvall

Östersund

Krokom

ÅreJärpen

StorlienMeråker

Stjørdal

Bräcke

Borgsjö

Trondheim

Gällö

Brunflo

Vattjom

Legend

Biogas-pump

E85 Ethanol

Charging station

RME Biodiesel

Green Highway is a green transport axle that crosses Scandinavia. The Gulf of Bothnia is connected to the Atlantic by an east-west artery, on which the forms of transport are increasingly environmentally friendly. It is now possible to refuel with electricity and other renewable fuels from coast to coast! This opens new business opportunities for the region’s trade and industry.

BY PER TROSTEMO ILLUSTRATION GREEN HIGHWAY

G reen Highway follows an ancient route from Sundsvall in Sweden to Trondheim in Norway. Medi-aeval pilgrimages on bridleways have been replaced by more

modern forms of transport. But we are once again approaching transport that is based on renewable energy. It is already possible to !ll up on electric-ity, biogas and ethanol in a number of places along the almost 500 km of road. It is already possible to recharge an electric car at least every 120 km.

Green Highway is a project that is run in cooperation between municipalities and power companies in the Mid-Scandinavia region. "ese investments are very timely and extremely compat-ible with the EU’s climate and energy policies, contributing to solutions that reduce environmen-tal impact.

“FOR INHABITANTS OF this region, this investment is both natural and important,” says Britt Bohlin, county governor of Jämtland. “Green Highway harmonises with the signi!cant natural values found here, and is entirely consistent with the development of the environmental technology that we are so good at.”

"e positive e#ects of Green Highway are not limited to greener, cleaner transport. "ey also en-compass making the region an even more attractive place in which to live and work.

Development opportunities in Mid-Scandina-via are excellent, particularly as regards local power production from biogas and electricity from wind and hydropower. "e county of Jämtland, at the heart of the region, produces one of the largest amounts of renewable power in the world if you count per capita!

THERE ARE ADVANCED plans for a produc-tion facility in Sundsvall that will guarantee access to biogas for vehicles. Regarding the development of environmental technology, there are generally great opportunities for industrial development and growth.

Plenty of environmentally friendly business ideas are blooming in the wake of the Green High-way project. For example: manufacturing quiet, odourless snowmobiles; producing charging posts and developing payment systems; four-season vehicle testing, converting petrol stations to energy stations – and much, much more! ■

Swedish Environment Minister Maud Olofsson trying Green Highway.

Green Highway stretches from Trondheim in Norway to Sundsvall in Sweden.

© www.worldsat.ca 2009 all rights reserved. Distribuerad av www.metria.se


In the Top Coat two robots are working together painting the cab in the colour chosen by the truck buyer. This is the cleanest Paint Shop in the world.


V olvo Trucks in Umeå has for several years been making major invest-ments in improving the e$ciency of its energy usage and the goal is to have a carbon dioxide-neutral facto-

ry with locally produced energy. Energy consump-tion has decreased by 30 percent per manufactured cab over the past ten yeas, at the same time as there has been a record increase in production volumes.

“"e factory has for many years worked very successfully with environmental issues, generated highly innovative solutions and shown in concrete terms that this commitment bene!ts both the

company and the environment,” says Lars Mårtens-son, environmental director at Volvo Trucks.

TODAY 90 PERCENT of the factory’s energy consumption is renewable. "e target is 100 percent. "e propane used for the painting ovens has been replaced with district heating and today propane is the only fossil fuel being used. "e dis-trict heating system has also replaced oil as a fuel, and all told emissions of CO2 have been cut by 8000 tonnes a year. Today energy is recycled to the tune of 80 GWh per year. Now propane is being replaced by DME produced from biomass. "is is

ICE-COLD UNDERGROUND RIVER COOLS VOLVO TRUCKSThe Volvo Trucks cab factory in Umeå, will soon be an entirely CO2-neutral factory. This is being achieved by replacing propane with DME and by cutting energy consumption through the use of an ice-cold underground river to cool the production machinery. At the same time, considerable environmental improve-ments in the paintshop have helped create the world’s cleanest and most energy-efficient paintshop.

BY GUNNAR ANDERSSON

VOLVO TRUCKS

»

The Volvo FH16 700 is the most powerful truck on the road today.


VOLVO TRUCKS

“ We are now the world’s cleanest paintshop as regards emissions of solvents to the air, and it is our aim to maintain this lead in the future too.

taking place in a joint project bringing together Umeå University, Umeå Energi, Ö-vik Energi and Volvo Trucks.

“"e DME project is a good example of how research, business and society work smoothly together to !nd solutions that really work,” continues Lars Mårtensson.

"e most spectacular energy saving is seen in the factory’s cool-ing system. Close to the Ume River and the Volvo factory there is an underground ice river that maintains a constant cold temperature come summer or winter. "e icy water from this river is pumped via a two kilometre long pipe into the factory’s own system. "is water is used in various cooling systems and has replaced many of the cab factory’s refrigeration plants which otherwise used cooling agents such as freon. "e biggest consumer of cooling water is the dehumidi!cation of the air that is fed to the paint-boxes in the paintshop. "e !rst supply of ice-river water reached the factory about a year ago, and its cooling e#ect corresponds to 3000 kilowatts.

WORK ON REACHING the environmental targets has also prompt-ed energy savings and environmental improvements in the factory’s paintshop. "e paintshop has been modernised and production has been streamlined in several stages, thus also cutting the consumption of paint and solvents and slashing emissions to the surrounding air. Today emissions are below 10 grams, which is way below the EU’s limit of 55 grams per square metre.

“We are now the world’s cleanest paintshop as regards emissions of solvents to the air, and it is our aim to maintain this lead in the future too,” says Anders Olausson, plant director at Volvo Trucks in Umeå. “We intend to continue our drive to be even regarding both environ-ment-impacting emissions and energy consumption. ■

Cold water is pumped from an underground ice river into the cooling system of the Volvo Trucks cab plant in Umeå. The temperature has a constant temperature of 10°C.

Anders Olausson, Plant Director at the Volvo Trucks Cab Plant in Umeå, Sweden.

ENERGY SAVINGSProject “Ice-River Cooler” was de-veloped by Volvo Trucks in coopera-tion with the Umeå Municipality’s water supplier, UMEVA. The project has resulted in environmental im-provements and considerable cost savings in terms of both investment and operation.

OTHER ENERGY-SAVING MEASURES IN THE FACTORY:

electric motors.

pumps.

the various premises.

minimisation, reactive effect, in the mains network.

locally and is renewable, using hydropower from the Ume River.

VOLVO TRUCKS UMEÅ Volvo Trucks in Umeå, in the north of Sweden manufactures cabs for Volvo’s FH and FM truck models.Production volume 2008: 62,000 cabsNumber of employees: 1,300Max capacity: 90,000 cabs in three-shift productionTotal area: 300,000 m! Heated area: 163,000 m!Energy consumption 2008, total: 106 GWh

VOLVO TRUCKS

PIPE

CLAY BOREHOLE

DEP

TH O

F

AP

PR

OX

IMA

TELY

2

5–3

5 M

PUMP

SANDMORAINE

ROCK

BUILDING

GROUNDWATER


FIBRE OPTICS FOR THE ENVIRONMENTThere is an expanding need for communication, and unless travel and transport behaviours change, society’s future environmental impact will increase dramati-cally. Fibre optics may be an important piece of the puzzle in managing increased need for communication while meeting future environmental targets.

BY GUNNAR ANDERSSON PHOTO PHILIPPE RENDU

F iber Optic Valley is an or-ganisation working to make Sweden a world-leader in the development of products and services based on !bre optics.

Activities involve helping global and local companies to grow.

“We do this by providing support in the form of research, education, !nancing, contacts and business development, as well as a unique testing environment for technical and behavioural science studies,” says Magnus Burvall, managing director at Fiber Optic Valley.

A RECENTLY PUBLISHED report ‘Green Perspectives of Fiber-to-the-Home’, by Gartner Group in December 2008, states that optical !bres to homes

is the only reasonable way to be able to manage increased needs for communication and to meet future environ-

mental targets.“Fibre optics equals

sustainability,

energy savings and increased safety. Even now, !bre optics contributes to a reduc-tion in environmental impact and, eventu-ally, it can entail real virtual presence,” says Magnus Burvall.

FIBRE OPTICS ALLOW large amounts of information to be transferred at the speed of light, over long distances at low cost – and no other technology can transfer such large amounts of data with such energy e$ciency. "e technology for supplying broadband via copper cables has now reached the theoretical limits of what is possible, while we are just at the start of the development of !bre optic technology.

A well-developed !bre optic infra-structure is a prerequisite for sustain-able development. Some of the positive environmental e#ects of !bre optics are direct energy savings in communication networks, savings with !bre-based control systems in property and the process industry, for example, reduced travel and reduced transports. ■

FIBER OPTIC VALLEY

Magnus Burvall, managing director at Fiber Optic Valley.

FIBRE OPTICS

a vital role and projects at Fiber Optic Valley.

and service halls.

control systems for property.

modern technology, communica-tion, alarms and sensors.

-ple, broadcasting theatre and


A t the end of the 1990s, pulp production in Dom-sjö was quietly anony-mous and it looked as if a long industrial tradition

was drawing to a close – when what was almost an industrial miracle took place. New owners and new ideas resulted in a new direction. Domsjö Fabriker is now a shining example of how it is possible to change basic industry as regards sustain-ability.

Domsjö Fabriker currently has 340 employees and sales worth SEK 1.5 bil-

DOMSJÖ FABRIKER TAKES ANOTHER STEP TOWARDS SUSTAINABILITYDomsjö Fabriker’s operations have developed from that of a traditional pulp mill to that of a leading biorefinery. There is now a green strategy all the way from raw material to process and product. The company is moving up a gear and will be the first in the world to start large-scale production of the renewable fuels bio-DME and biomethanol.

BY ANDERS LÖVGREN PHOTOS ANDERS ELIASSON

DOMSJÖ FABRIKER


Bio-DME is derived from Swedish forest raw products. Bio-DME is made from evaporated

Domsjö Fabrikers specialty cellulose is being used in a wide range of consumer products. The major

products where it is an alternative to cotton.

Ola Hildingsson, CEO, Domsjö Fabriker.

DOMSJÖ’S SUSTAINABILITY TRIANGLE:

timber from sustainable forestry.

emission-free.-

tives to cotton and oil products.

In 2009, Domsjö Fabriker’s man-aging director, Ola Hildingsson,

received Swedish industry’s sustain-ability prize and the award for the “cross-fertilisation” of the year at the Forest Industry Awards. “The plant is creating the green jobs that everyone is talking about. Its opera-tions are also, through their cyclical nature, an important example to others,” said the latter jury.

lion in special cellulose, lignosulphonate and ethanol. All the products are derived from sustainable forestry, the raw timber that is so abundant in the region.

Special cellulose: Processed to make viscose and is a suitable replacement for cotton in clothing and other textiles.Lignosulphonate: Used as an additive in concrete production, which means that less cement is used. "is makes the manu-facturing process more energy e$cient and reduces carbon emissions.Ethanol: 94 percent ethanol is produced for technical purposes and chemical products.

PLANS ARE NOW being laid for the fourth area of production, bio-DME and biomethanol for heavy vehicles. "ese are products made using the gasi!cation of black liquor, a by-product at Domsjö Fabriker.

“It is one of the fuels of the future. "e intention in China is, next year, to permit the use of a mixture of up to 15 percent methanol in vehicle fuels,” says the managing director of Domsjö Fab-riker, Ola Hildingsson.

"e Chemrec company has had testing facilities in Piteå, over 300 km north of Örnsköldsvik, for many years, using them for the development of the technology and processes on which

manufacturing will be based. For Domsjö, black liquor is a by-product that is burnt in its recovery boilers to generate power, but it has also supplied black liquor to Chemrec’s testing facilities in Piteå for evaluation.

“For a long time, it looked as if the world’s !rst full-scale plant would be built either in Piteå or in Michigan in the US. But it will be here in Domsjö, and we are very happy about it. We have already shown that we have the drive and the infrastructure to do this,” says Ola Hildingsson.

THE HUNT HAS begun for investment capital worth SEK 3 billion for a plant that will start operating in 2013. "e Swedish Energy Agency has already given the go-ahead for its provision of SEK 500

million, the largest sum the agency has ever granted.

"e project will be run in partner-ship between Domsjö and Chemrec, where the latter owns the patent and the technology that can be sold for licensed production. Domsjö owns the plants and intends to sell the biofuel to an oil com-pany that will manage distribution. Volvo, which is currently developing trucks for bio-DME, is also part of the project.

If all chemical pulp mills in Sweden were to follow the example of Domsjö Fabriker and manufacture bio-DME from black liquor, it is believed that the fuel would be enough for half of all heavy vehicle transports, replacing imports of fossils fuels at a value of SEK 10 billion every year. Carbon dioxide emissions would be reduced by 10 percent. ■


A MODERN ENERGY CONCEPT WITH RESPONSIBILITYNewbuild properties comprise a very small part of the total property portfolio in Sweden, and this will be the case for many years. If society’s total energy consump-tion is to be reduced and a transition to renewable sources undertaken, it is also necessary for older properties to be energy smart.

BY GUNNAR ANDERSSON

T he supply and consump-tion of energy are two important factors for a property’s environmental impact. "is could involve

the type of energy source, how the energy is transported to the property and how energy-e$cient the building is.

However, taking care of these energy issues with an o%en complex property portfolio can appear insurmountable for many small consumers. One company, Engy, has a new approach to energy and energy services, making life easier for elec-tricity and power-dependent customers from the perspectives of both supply and demand. Beginning by reviewing use and making it more e$cient, and then guar-anteeing a supply of renewable energy, is what makes Engy’s concept unique.

“It can be di$cult for many small consumers among companies and mu-nicipalities to !nd the right expertise. We help with everything from analysing ener-gy e$ciency and energy saving measures to !nding the right source of renewable energy, such as the potential for owning wind power,” says Pontus Axelsson, who is responsible for energy services.

ENGY OFFERS A concept that stretches through the entire value chain on the energy market, from individual production of green, environmentally certi!ed electricity/power, to the large-

scale development of e#ective and climate smart property and industrial facilities.

“We are o%en able to provide long term savings guarantees, which makes investment easier. But there are also tax bene!ts, while the overall approach al-lows companies and municipalities the chance to comply with current environ-mental and climate requirements,” says Pontus Axelsson.

ON THE SUPPLY side, Engy o#ers renewable, environmentally certi!ed en-ergy straight from its source, based on the customer’s speci!c needs and local condi-tions. Demand means that Engy identi!es the total energy requirement and adapts energy consumption to the speci!c needs of the operation.

“In concrete terms, we ensure that our customers’ properties, systems and facili-ties are correctly dimensioned, equipped with optimal technology and have the right settings,” says Pontus Axelsson.

"e Engy Group’s vision is to be a leader in renewable energy and energy e$ciency. Business is conducted in three areas: Engy Power (supply), Engy Services (demand) and Engy Airtech, which is an independent operations and service company for wind turbine owners. It also owns the distribution rights to Hyundai’s new wind farm through its own company. ■

ENGY


SSG MAKES SUSTAINABILITY A STANDARD

SSG

SSG has designed a common standard for how to build pipe systems. They has also developed standardised training in both safety and the environment.


I n 2008, the Swedish timber industry made investments worth SEK 10.5 billion, which was equivalent to 25 percent of the country’s total industrial invest-

ment.“Our owners and customers have

enormous collective experience regarding investments. At SSG, our task is to make use of this knowledge and to transfer it to standards that can be used as support dur-ing procurements,” says Jonas Berggren.

A good example is how SSG has designed a common standard for how to build pipe systems.

“By reviewing the needs of industry and its experience, and using the best solutions on the market, we have created a standard that reduces material con-sumption for pipe systems by 30 percent. In one current project, the customer’s investments costs were reduced by SEK 1.8 million,” says Jonas Berggren.

THERE ARE NO less than 450 stand-ards in the six areas of technology: pipes, mechanics, construction, power, instru-ments and surface protection. Previously there were a number of di#erent stand-ards; manufacturers were able to have their own and it was di$cult to make comparisons and rank products. With SSG’s help, the industry has found it easier to in&uence suppliers. "ose who want to have a chance in procurements must be able to meet the demands.

“It is important to emphasise the sig-ni!cance of the concepts of sustainability and life cycle economy. Whatever the area that we produce a standard for, it deals with ful!lling a need. It goes without

saying that we create energy e$ciencies and environmental gains, and use as little material as possible in manufacturing,” says Jonas Berggren.

In many cases, the biggest manufac-turers are part of the committee that pro-duces a standard. "is has been the case for surface protection, where it is neces-sary to produce coatings that can cope with demanding conditions for many years. It has been important to capture the manufacturer’s ideas and expertise.

AN INTERESTING QUESTION is how new innovations in environmental technology can !nd an introduction to heavy industry, if only tried and tested technology can form the basis of stand-ards.

“"at’s a challenge. Standards may not prevent progress in industrial technology.

"at’s why a standard is written so that in-novation can also have a place in procure-ments. Simply put, the overall functions of large systems are more important than the details.

SSG has built a web-based product database with half a million articles. It has everything from pumps and fans to cables and !lters. "e aim is that industries will use similar equipment and spare parts, which simpli!es purchasing and saves money. "e database is also transparent in that the companies that are connected to it can search for and borrow critical operating parts from each others’ stocks instead of risking long stoppages.

FURTHERMORE, SSG HAS devel-oped standardised training in both safety and the environment. So far, almost 50,000 entrepreneurs among the indus-tries’ suppliers have taken part in the web-based safety course, SSG Entre, whilst the industries’ employees are on courses for the “environmental driving licence”.

SSG’s services are now spread around the globe, with the help of expanding Swedish industries and as export products for foreign industry. ■

Developing common standards in industry saves energy and leads to increased sustainability. Standard Solutions Group is owned by seven of Sweden’s biggest timber industries, but their services are also used by several other processing industries.“Our standardised solutions are now used in 26 countries,” says SSG’s CEO, Jonas Berggren.

BY ANDERS LÖVGREN PHOTO PÄR HELANDER

SSG

SSG is owned by Billerud, Holmen, Korsnäs, M-real, SCA, Stora Enso and Södra. External customers, which are found in most industrial

Boliden, Akzo Nobel, Preem, Sandvik, Shell and Övik Energi.

Jonas Berggren, CEO at SSG


Jämtland Countycreates renewable energy

Cooperation and environmental technology are important to development in the county of Jämtland. Clean air, clean water and attractive and healthy environment are all characteristics of Jämtland.

I believe that the green technology products and solutions that we develop in our region will not only help our transformation to minimising the use of fossil resources in our society – they will also be in increasing demand on an international market!

The development of new, green technology (CleanTech) is a key factor in ensuring good development and good growth in the county.

Britt BohlinCounty Governor, Jämtland

www.lansstyrelsen.se/jamtland

Photo: Marie Birkl, Tina Stafrén.


A crystal-clear choice for green buildersKoljern™ is the building technology of the future. It is a building solution that provides a healthy indoor environ-ment and lower energy consumption, as well as having a long life. Koljern™ is a lightweight building technique that combines aluminium sheet with foamglas insulation – which is 75 per cent recycled glass – and can be used for building foundations, wall elements, curtain walls and cantilevered decks or roofs. It is easy to handle and quick to install, o!ering benefits all round.

MRD SÄLJ & BYGG ABJuniskärsvägen 190, SE-862 91 Kvissleby, Sweden Tel. +46 (0)60-51 30 65, fax +46 (0)60-56 14 10 [email protected], www.koljern.se FOUNDATIONS | WALLS | ROOFS | DECKS


“Our methods can be ap-plied to any company or activities, this can be Sony-Ericsson or Jons-sons Smide or Öster-

sund local authority; it does not matter!Olof Andersson has together with

Patrik Forslund, Katarina Simonsson and Christer Andersson started the company Ma4 Nordic AB, which “supports, in-spires and develops people and organiza-tions to create e#ective working meth-ods”. One of the tools we use is LEAN, a method that the Toyota Group developed some 60 years ago.

“It’s a question of eradicating waste related to time, energy, materials, money and human resources and to attempt to build sustainable and competitive activi-ties,” says Olof.

BY USING LEAN each step in a process and each stage in the &ow from supplier to customer are analyzed. Stocking, logis-tics, economy, production, administration and all other processes that in&uence the &ow are reviewed in detail.

“We always assume that the custom-ers’ need is the controlling factor. A%er all, satis!ed customers are the basis for a company being competitive. It is also im-portant that everyone in a company or an organization participates in the improve-ment work, which must be constantly in progress,” says Patrik Forslund.

A PART OF the LEAN methodology is to standardize operations so that they are performed with optimal e$ciency. Patrik gives an example that is usually used to create an understanding from employees.

“We ask all the participants to fold a paper plane from a sheet of paper. "ey then get to throw them and naturally they all cover di#erent distances. "e paper plane that &ies the furthest then becomes the model for how “everyone” should fold their plane. It is exactly the same with operations in a company – they can be standardized and made more e#ective.

Another example is the building company that has not put it logistics in order. "e windows are delivered to the

construction site at the beginning of the project, they are then moved around and by the time they should be installed they have been broken.

Patrik and Olof are careful to empha-size that LEAN is not about rationaliza-tion where employees can lose their jobs.

“No, not at all, it is a question of saving resources and to become more competitive.

THE FOUR MEMBER of the company can be considered as living examples of “sustainability” and the value of taking care of one’s own resources. "ey have a collected competence of management, production engineering, system knowl-edge, etc from their employment at the telecom giants Flextronics/Solectron who recently closed down their operations in Östersund. Valuable knowledge and experiences to build on. ■

GREEN LEANSustainability is an important objective for the cleantech industry, and in this context the management of resources and increasing the efficiency of activities are given prerequisites. The newly started company Ma4 Nordic in Östersund helps companies, local authorities and other enterprises to eliminate waste in their production flow. This is done with the help of the LEAN method, which was originally developed by the car giant Toyota.

BY PER TROSTEMO PHOTO TOMMY ANDERSSON

MA4 NORDIC

Olof Andersson has together with Patrik Forslund, Katarina Simonsson and Christer Andersson started the company Ma4 Nordic AB, which “supports, inspires and develops people and organizations to create effective working methods”.

GREEN LEAN


Västernorrland in the north of Sweden is aiming for energy ef‐ficiency by employing a unique method ‐ Snow Cooling, at the county hospital in Sundsvall. The snow cooling plant here is the first of its kind in the world and has already reduced electricity consump=on by 90 percent.

In the winter, about 70,000 cubic

metres of snow is cleared from

streets and car parks, stored in

a reservoir the size of a football

pitch and covered with a 20 cm

layer of wood chips. In the sum‐

mer, the melted snow is then used

to cool hospital facili,es.

However, snow cooling is only one

part of the County Council’s exten‐

sive environmental and energy sa‐

ving ac,vi,es. As a result of these successful projects, the region’s

carbon dioxide emissions have de‐

creased by more than 50 percent

between 1995 and 2009.

In 1995 as much as 5,200 MWh of

electricity and oil were used for

hea,ng buildings and hot water. Today, fossil fuels have been com‐

pletely replaced by district hea,ng and biofuels. Västernorrland is

one of 12 partners in the Interreg‐

project More4NRG.

County

council

Västern

orrland

For further informa=on please contact:Mr Jan Lindberg, Energy controller

County Council of Västernorrland

Telephone: +46 611 802 90

E‐mail: [email protected]

www.lvn.se

County Council of Västernorrland is responsible for provision of healthcare, dental care and other specific public services in the region.

Unique technology in the north of Sweden for a cool hospital


Mid Sweden Chamber of Commerce creates business for our members

IS INITIATED BY MID SWEDEN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.midchamber.se www.cleantechregion.com

2010


HITECH AMONG FORESTS AND MOUNTAINS

BRACKE SYSTEMS


B racke Systems is a small company from Jämtland with great expertise. With its roots deep in the forests of Norrland, a few years ago the company developed FCGIS, an advanced geographic navigation system for modern forestry businesses.

"e system is based on all drivers having a GPS and a vehicle computer in the forestry machine.

“"is has made two-way communications between the supervisors and the drivers possible. All necessary information is integrated in the map that the driver and supervisor see simul-taneously on their screens,” says Mats Holgén, CEO of Bracke Systems.

Is the snow depth right or do the snow cannons need to spray some more? Is this patch of ice dangerous and should be taken care of? The piste machine driver enters his ob-servations in the vehicle computer and can also communicate continu-ously with his supervisor. The company Bracke Systems has developed a unique computer system for fleets of vehicles where straightforward communications save both time and money.

BY PER TROSTEMO PHOTO GÖRAN STRAND


THE INGENIOUS SYSTEM has quickly added new application areas. Among others on the ski slopes where many piste machines are equipped with PisteGIS, so%ware developed by Bracke Systems in partnership with Skistar Åre, the largest alpine operator in Sweden.

“Skistar needed a system that could manage a large number of vehicles, several supervisors, com-munications between users and a demanding work-ing environment. "ey also needed certain special system features, for example the driver should continuously enter comments about observations during the working day. "ere can be problems with safety devices, blown down signs, hazardous patches of ice or other things that need to be recti-!ed,” says Mats.

THE SUPERVISOR at the ski center can enter or update instructions and the drivers acknowledge these simply by using a touch screen once the work has been completed; this is then automatically reported to the supervisor. PisteGIS enhances the quality of the pistes and saves energy and time, which increases pro!tability for the ski center. "e piste machines have also been equipped with snow depth gauges, which give more opportunities to make large savings.

“Yes, this means you can see exactly where the snow cannons needs to spray snow. It is a major advantage that arti!cial snow comes in the right place directly, instead of having to push it back-ward and forward with the machines. "ere are great amounts of money to be made for the ski centers and from an environment standpoint it is a major dividend. "e snow cannons are used more e$ciently, which saves energy and the amount of water needed for snow production is less.

MATS HOLGÉN SEES an increased demand for the company’s system in the future, for example, cross-country skiing arrangers and centers are showing great interest.

Bracke Systems is a good example of how a small company with the right expertise and innova-tive creativity can go far with its business mission. "e good growth climate for environment-friendly technical solutions has of course played its part. ■

“ It is a major advantage that artificial snow comes in the right place directly, instead of having to push it backward and forward with the machines.

BRACKE SYSTEMS


system provides long-term use and good interior climate.Sick houses is the worst nightmare of a house-owner, but with Koljern™-technique you avoid future pro-blems. Your house will be a healthy and sound dream house with a good indoor environment. The com-bination of the technical advantages in the koljern method, and the long-term profits seen out of a life-cycle, perspective makes winners out of both consultants, contractors and house owners. The first price is non-problem ground construction in the future. The Koljern™-technology is proved to be energy efficient, damp proof, fireproof, flexible and durable. The Koljern™-technology can be used as supporting or non-supporting elements, in small, large and heavy buildings.

Pittsburgh Corning Scandinavia ABHällebergsvägen 7, SE-443 60 Stenkullen, SverigeTel. +46 (0)302 378 56, Fax +46 (0)302 378 57, E-mail [email protected] / www.koljern.se

Give up Bad Construction for Good!Ecology & Economy in One

Koljern annons ny.indd 4 09-12-04 13.08.25


ÅRE – A SUSTAINABLE GREEN DESTINATION WITH 2020 VISION

ECOTOURISM – ÅRE VISION 2020


“Å re has always had a good supply of motivated entrepreneurs and innovators. Determined peo-ple who have understood Åre’s potential and wanted to further

development,” says Lars-Börje ‘Bulan’ Eriksson. As the managing director of Åreföretagarna, Åre’s business group, he has a key role in implementing the vision for 2020.

Åreföretagarna has more than 200 members who have one thing in common: they need tour-ism to run their businesses. "ey have formu-lated a common vision in which ‘environmental responsibility’ will be one of three focus areas for the destination in the next decade. "e other two are ‘unique experiences, year round’ and ‘Åre’s welcome knows no bounds’.

“In order to meet our target, we must be clear down to the level of the individual. We have to communicate correctly all the way out to our guests,” says Eriksson. "ere has been no lack of ideas in work on this vision. ‘Taste Åre’ is an estab-lished concept that is within the framework of the vision’s environmental focus.

“WE WANT TO connect local farmers with our service companies. In the best of worlds, we would only consume locally produced foodstu#s and avoid diversions that cost time and carbon emis-sions,” says Eriksson. He believes that cooperation can be signi!cantly better than it is at present, the dialogue between restaurants and farmers can be both clearer and create greater pro!tability than it does today.

“Meanwhile, there are local businesses that have already taken this one step further. "e Fjäll-bete company has removed supplementary feed like cattle cake and produces meat solely by letting the animals graze in Åre’s green valleys.

To complete the cycle, the next stage – on paper – is to use waste and convert by-products to energy.

“Our challenge is to create the carbon neutral destination and we have just come into contact with a supplier to provide us with a web-based tool that we can use for real time measurement of carbon emissions. It is highly probable that the destination absorbs carbon during the summer, while the results are worse in the winter. If we can visualise the challenge in this way, I think we have started on the right road. We are not just talking about a technological challenge, but also a !nan-cial one.” ■

Åre has been a tourist destination for a century and is now an experienced 100-year-old that is aiming for 2020 with a vision that gives a central role to responsibility for the environment.

BY PETRA JÄRNBERT

“ Our challenge is to create the carbon neutral destination.

Lars-Börje ‘Bulan’ Eriksson. The managing director of Åreföretagarna,

Åre’s business group.


HOLIDAY CLUB ÅRE IS ECO-CERTIFIEDA year ago, Holiday Club Åre was the only mountain hotel in Sweden to fulfil the environmental demands of the Nordic environmental certification, Swan. “We are now a modern, environmentally friendly meeting place,” says Jukka Pekka Pajunen, MD of Holiday Club Åre.

BY PETRA JÄRNBERT

T he conference industry is very environmentally aware; it is not unusual for bookings to rise and fall depending on whether a

hotel is environmentally certi!ed or not.“"e Swan certi!cation allows us to

show our guests that we actively work towards minimising our environmental impact. Furthermore, our e#orts are also part of Åre’s environmental work as a destination,” says Jukka Pekka Pajunen.

"e Nordic environmental certi!ca-tion, Swan, has a number of demands that

a hotel must ful!l to be Swan certi!ed. In practice, this means that the hotel must reduce its energy and water consumption, reduce the use of environmentally hazard-ous chemicals, sort and reduce waste, have a documented environmental manage-ment system and adapt transports.

“WE ARE EXTREMELY pleased to be able to o#er an environmentally adapted conference concept. It is possible to take the train to Åre, walk across the railway, attend a conference and stay at the Swan certi!ed Holiday Club. We o#er a whole

concept that allows us and our guests to have a good conscience,” says Anna Nor-rga, sales manager at Holiday Club Åre.

From the time it opened, Holiday Club Åre has been environmentally sound, with heat recycling in the swim-ming pools, time-controlled showers and low-&ow toilets, but we want to do more in partnership with our guests.

“In 2009 we have worked even harder on reducing our water consumption and increasing the number of eco products,” says Maria Ganmark Åkerblad, environ-mental manager at Holiday Club Åre. ■

ECOTOURISM – ÅRE VISION 2020


”TAKING YOU FROM KNOW-HOW TO SHOW-HOW”

WORLDERGY

2010

"ere is a growing concern that success of the green marketplace won’t come from consumer demand, since consumers have proven themselves wishy-washy on their willingness to make good. Recent studies on energy meter interaction show that people are more likely to act on the need to control their costs, rather than to save the planet. To understand how consum-ers make these choices about the environ-ment, we have to start understanding the drivers of human behaviour. In recent ethnographic research in northern Swe-den it was discovered that people have become colour-blind to “green” marketing arguments, and that many people believe our society is somewhat hypocritical by promoting conservation and consump-tion at the same time.

"e challenge is to provide people with solutions that wont compromise convenience, but that carry an holistic consideration of sustainable aspects throughout its life cycle. Companies can meet this challenge through an early integration of a people perspective that is aligned with there corporate culture sustainability principles.

”Companies don’t have to be rocket scientists to analyse this, in fact it is very easy to hire a designer to make a proto-type to test peoples reactions. Killing green assumptions is one big step towards true sustainability. Listening to your customers will ensure that you know the right “what” and “why” to share with them.” says Martin Willers, Sustainable Design Strategist at PEOPLEPEOPLE.se

COLOR BLIND CONSUMERS

IN SHORT


F ood is the theme that runs all the way through Fia Gulliksson’s life. Not just food for cooking, but food from every perspective there is. Fia Gulliksson eats, dreams, travels and lives for food. She talks food. "e ongoing conversations about food with which she !lls

her days and nights are just as much conversations about global and local development, about lifestyle and health and about social and economic justice. "e conversations are not least about a love of Jämtland.

“We have fantastic cuisine in Jämtland. Jämtland can boast the most culinary cra%smen in northern Europe. More than 70 percent of our farmers are organic which is due to increased awareness and

Fia Gulliksson knows that she makes a difference – in the Food in Action event company, in the Brunkullan AB tea company and as a rural developer, she uses gastronomy as a force for promoting development. “The relationship between what happens in the world and what is placed on the table is of the utmost importance,” says Fia Gulliksson.

BY PETRA JÄRNBERT PHOTOS TINA STAFRÉN

GASTRONOMY FOR DEVELOPMENT

ECOTOURISM – FOOD IN ACTION

»


“ I know that I can make a difference. A holistic approach to food, life and business gives real profits that make a difference.

ECOTOURISM – FOOD IN ACTION

THREE MILESTONES IN FIA GULLIKSSON’S LIFE:

1. The search for excellent raw ingredients started early. Fia Gul-liksson has a tongue that is very sensitive to tastes. Even when she was a little girl, she helped her mother, a teamaker, to blend the prize-winning Brunkullan tea. “Brunkullan AB now sells 16 tons of tasty, pure fair trade tea each year, and that’s one way to make a difference.”

2. In the middle of the 1980s, Fia Gulliksson worked as a chef in the family-run “Brunkullans krog” in Östersund. “I looked at the mountain of waste we could create during a single day and felt bad. I thought – oh my, where does all this come from and what do we eat, really?” “Brunkullans krog” would be the

north of the river Dalälven. “Apart from starting to look for locally produced food, we also started to recycle using eleven fractions, and we even had three pigs as part of the cycle.”

3. At the start of the 2000s, Fia came into contact with the Slow Food movement and Terra Madre in Italy. It was now that the idea was born, that of using gastronomy holistically, as a force for global, regional and local development. Since 2007, Fia has also worked as a crea-tive gastronomist at Jämtlands Institut för landsbygdsutveckling (Jämtland’s Institute for Rural Development).

of the whole in business and regional development, where the environment, health and culture

Who pays when we don’t? Often it is the environment or people in developing countries.”

natural conditions. Producing goat’s cheese has been an uninter-rupted tradition for the last 2000 years and you can add Sami cul-ture to that. "ere are around 70,000 people who live around Lake Storsjön and we can drink its water!” says Fia.

It wasn’t by chance that Fia Gulliksson was recently named one of the year’s best role models for a sustainable lifestyle. Inspiring people to think more holistically was the basic idea when she started the Food in Action AB event company in 2001. At that time she had just heard about the Slow Food movement in Italy and come to realise that food and genuine gastronomy can be used as means of developing a sustainable society.

FOOD IN ACTION has worked with royal lunches and NATO conferences, and during a Slow Food meeting in Turin in Italy, Fia was contracted as a moderator for 1000 chefs.

“I know that I can make a di#erence. A holistic approach to food, life and business gives real pro!ts that make a di#erence,” says Fia. And pro!t is not just !nancial, when Fia describes her wealth. “I have healthy children, my family and I live in an amazing area and I live on dreams that have come true. "at’s more than enough.” ■


Östersund is

GREENBook your stay in Östersund with us!

We arrange your accommodation,

transports, guides and visits to

climate smart facilities as well as

other attractions.

EUROPEISKA UNIONEN

Europeiska regionala utvecklingsfonden

www.turist.ostersund.se

Jessica Thylin +46 (0)63 14 43 75

[email protected]

Arctura - an accumulator tank

which stores heat from the

power station in the form of

26 million litres of warm water.

Foto: Roger Strandberg


ECOTOURISM – CAMP ÅRE

Åre’s largest activity and adventure company – Camp Åre – has Scandinavian’s largest Zipline park and is the only company in Europe to link the Zipline activity with an Ecotour. “There are many ways to make people aware of how we impact on the environment, it is just a question of taking the opportu-nity,” says Tony Wallin, owner and founder of Camp Åre.

BY PETRA JÄRNBERT »

ECOTOUR CREATES ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS


ZIPLINE

Zipline is a kind of cableway where par-ticipants, secured in a harness, swish down a cable from e.g. a moun-tain. It feels like flying.


B oth Zipline and Ecotours are popu-lar activities in the USA, Canada and New Zeeland.

When Tony Wallin heard about the phenomenon a few years ago he

made a study trip to the Canadian Whistler.“I have taken the best of the concept and devel-

oped it for our terrain. It’s all about the sensation in your stomach, you move rapidly and at great heights. At the same time it is a much appreciated Ecotour where the guides share their knowledge of Åre’s environment, fauna and history. Storytelling has actually shown itself to be a calming factor in the otherwise adrenaline rush experience,” relates Tony Wallin.

TODAY THEY HAVE supplemented nearly all their activities with an Ecotour. Irrespective of whether participants choose to walk, ride, climb, ride a scooter, dog teaming or to go cross-country skiing they receive a little local knowledge.

Interest in the environment is immense Camp Åre has noticed a de!nite increase in their custom-

ers’ environmental awareness, especially when it comes to companies.

“It is not unusual for a company !rst to call and book an activity for its employees and then to decline the o#er when we suggest a scooter safari on account of their environment policy. However, when we explain that due to environmental con-siderations, we only use four-strokes and green fuel they o%en ask if they can call back and frequently it ends with them making a booking,” recounts Tony Wallin.

CAMP ÅRE HAS 200 pairs of scooter shoes made of recycled PET bottles to rent.

“We have stopped our four wheel safari; it impacts too much on the environment. Another important element is that we only serve locally produced food and all disposable materials have been banned,” says Tony Wallin.

"e food is catering from the magni!cent Holiday Club complex, which lies wall-to-wall with Camp Åre.

“When Holiday Club opened its doors in 2004 we became partners, today we own all their outdoor activities for groups and conferences and together with our partners in the Åre region we can o#er activities all year round,” says Toy Wallin. ■

ECOTOURISM – CAMP ÅRE

“ Camp Åre has 200 pairs of scooter shoes made of recycled PET bottles to rent.

Camp Åre have supplement-ed nearly all their activities with an Ecotour. Including kayaking on Ånnsjön.


Managing tomorrow’s energy supply in an environmentally sustainable way is a global challenge. Efficient use of energy, clean low-carbon production and cost-effective distribution are some of the local challenges.

FVB has decades of experience in sustainable and integrated energy solutions – combining engineering expertise with a sound understanding of profitability and the need to reduce our environmental footprint.

www.fvb.se

Cooling - Heating - Combined Heat and Power - Processes

The Challenge ofGlobal Warming...

Everybody talks about saving the world.

– FVB walks that talk.


trälyftetTrälyftet is Setra’s industrial building system for multi-storey buildings made of wood. Through Trälyftet, we offer a climate-friendly solution for sustainable construction and housing.Read more on www.setragroup.com.

wood for life


When High Coast was added to Unesco’s World Heritage List in 2000, ecotourism in the area received a clear boost. At the time Jonas Vestin had just invested in ten or more Icelandic horses to expand his visitor-based operations.

BY PETRA JÄRNBERT PHOTO HÅKAN NORDSTRÖM

ECOTOURISM – HIGH COAST

“A s a livestock farmer I had operated ecological farming for some time at the High Coast and the horse riding business naturally became a part of the same ideology of a

sustainable community. We do not wear out the nature or the horses. And riding is not the focal point in the experience we promote, it is the na-ture,” says Jonas Vestin.

In order to describe the spectacular phenom-enon of the High Coast, we take a winding journey back to the last ice age. "e ice presses down the crust of the earth with a tremendous force – it now springs back and creates the world’s largest eleva-tion of land.

TODAY THE ELEVATION of land amounts to 285 meters above the current sea level.

Scienti!c studies of the High Coast consider the area a globally signi!cant key area for interpre-tation of the geological, biological and culture-his-torical e#ects of the large inland ice and elevations of land.

"e tours which start out from the “Hästgård Höga Kusten” involve a great deal of dizzy climb-

ing along the strongly undulating coast where the land constantly rises out of the Gulf of Bothnia.

Jonas Vestin never grows tired of sharing his High Coast. He was born and grew up here and has been riding since he was ten when grandpa gave him a Gotland pony to help earth up potatoes on the farm.

“Most of our guests are novices to riding and above all they wish to experience something of the High Coast and usually become overwhelmed by the beautiful scenery,” says Jonas Vestin.

COMPLETELY IN LINE with the ecotourism association’s philosophy he defends tourism that conserves and takes responsibility for the fragile nature and culture. All the horses are out everyday of the year and have free access to feed. "e aim is to recreate the horses’ natural environment on Iceland.

“It goes without saying that we only serve lo-cally produced food during both our day tours and three day tours and local entrepreneurs cooperate to give a comprehensive experience over and above the usual,” says Jonas Vestin. ■

BREATHTAKING CLIMBING ALONG THE COAST THAT RISES FROM THE SEA


‐theEnergyHubofMidsweden

Wecooperateandlookforpartnershipinthefieldofrenewableenergy,clean

technology,energyefficiency.

Welcometocontactus

call+46(0)620‐682770|[email protected]|www.efokus.se

ADC

Med

ia ©

Pho

to: w

ww

.ingr

ampu

blis

hing

.com


CLEANTECH MARKET IN 2020 33 TRILLION

2010

»SWEDEN A GLOBAL KEY PLAYERPOVERTY CAN´T HELP THE CLIMATE – TECHNOLOGY CANA KING WITH PASSION FOR CLIMATEMOBILE MONSTER MAKES GREEN ROADS

VOL.2

FINAL WORDS

TAKE ACTION NOW!...and create a sustainable, green future together – and the time has come to prove it.

I n this magazine you have just sampled and read about the good, pro!table green solutions, products and services from Sweden. "ere are no excuses. Together we can construct and create a sustainable and pro!table society if we want.

"e aim of this magazine is to provide inspiration and to encourage you to get started – so what are you waiting for? Let’s start to think positively about success and sustainability.

"e magazine is also available on the Internet at www.cleantechregion.com. You can read and download it, and there is also a presentation and information about CleanTech Region.

"e website also includes all the clever products and solutions you have read about in this magazine and how you can !nd out more about them. It also includes our reference facilities and how to book visits to see them in action.

For more information about Green Solutions from Sweden, please contact CleanTech Region Solutions, your partner in green sustainable business.

www.cleantechregion.com [email protected] + 46 70 299 40 41

Welcome to Green Solutions from Sweden

EDITORIAL STAFFSUCCES THROUGH CLEAN TECH – GREEN SOLUTIONS FROM SWEDENis published by:

CleanTech RegionMidChamber of CommerceKyrkogatan 26, SE-852 32 SundsvallWeb: www.cleantechregion.com

Project Manager:Lars LingCleanTech RegionPhone: +46(0)70 299 40 41Email: [email protected] Web: www.midchamber.se

Editor:Gunnar AnderssonDynamo PressKungsgatan 49, SE-903 26 UmeåEmail: [email protected]

Design and production:Magnus WermeSyreStortorget 8, SE-831 31 ÖstersundEmail: [email protected]

Text:ADC MediaJärnvägsgatan 12, SE-88130 SollefteåEmail: [email protected]

SyreStortorget 8, SE-831 31 ÖstersundEmail: [email protected]

Dynamo PressKungsgatan 49, SE-903 26 UmeåEmail: [email protected]

Circulation: 20,000 ex

Language: English


annons.indd 1 2009-12-01 15:03:17


WE ARE

YOU.YOU ARE WE. Cleantech is the name we’ve given to solutions and products that are conducive to a sustainable society and a better environment. At ssg, we work on the industrial aspects of a number of projects and ideas that lie at the cutting edge of development.

Everything we do is aimed at reducing environmental impact and the waste of resources. Our unique services help to optimise resources and this in turn leads to more efficient production. Together we can make things greener. WE ARE ALL TOGETHER.

W W W. SS G . SE

green solutions from sweden vol 2 magazine (english)

Documents

waste heat

sundsvall energi

district heating network

expansion of district

green solutions

heating system

green roadsvol

cheaper heat