On a shopping trip to a stall made of reclaimed wood – A reclaimed wood stall was handmade in a garage in Mikkeli

In the summer courtyard of Mikkeli's Prisma, you can shop at a carbon-neutral circular economy kiosk.

All structures of the Viherpiha sales stand, except for the doors, roofing plywood and waterproofing membrane, are reused. The glued laminated timber structures come from a demolition site in southern Finland.

Spolia Design Ltd. resawed the trees in Janakkala and built the stall by hand in a garage in Mikkeli. The structure was moved to the Prisma summer yard in April.

Glulam stores carbon

Glulam is a durable and workable structural material that also acts as a carbon store. It retains the carbon dioxide that the tree has absorbed over its lifetime for up to over a hundred years, as long as it is not burned or allowed to rot.

According to the Ministry of the Environment, the carbon footprint of the reused materials is 0 kgCO₂e, so the overall emissions of the booth remained remarkably low. The building was also cost-effective and cheaper than a similar new structure.

Spolia Design Oy, which specializes in the reuse of building components, was responsible for implementing the carbon-neutral booth.

The booth was ordered from Spolia by Osuuskauppa Suur-Savo, who wanted a solution for their summer yard that supports both business and environmental responsibility.

The location of the building in Prisma's summer courtyard was no coincidence: Viherpiha's customers can buy plants that support biodiversity.

The KIELO project has promoted the circular economy in construction

The stall is a unique pilot experiment in the reuse of demolition materials. It provides inspiration for future projects where the value of demolition materials is seen as an opportunity rather than waste.

The project was created as part of a collaboration between Miksei Oy and Southeastern Finland University of Applied Sciences. KIELO project, whose goal has been to find concrete uses for demolition materials and promote a circular economy in the construction industry.

“This is an excellent example of how demolition materials can serve a new purpose aesthetically and functionally,” says the project manager. Jenina Luotolampi Miksei Oy, a Mikkeli development company.

The KIELO project, which is nearing completion, has received European Union co-funding from the South Savo Ely Centre.

Text: Elina Saarinen/ Uusiouutiset-magazine

Photo: Sami Marttinen. A Viherpiha customer ends up shopping at a circular economy pilot kiosk in Mikkeli.