A centre for the future bioeconomy

RISE Pilot hall for biorefinery

Sweco has helped to realise RISE’s vision of a new pilot hall for biorefinery, an important part of Sweden’s commitment to a green transition through bioeconomy and sustainable innovation. Here, research and industry converge to develop and scale up the use of biomass. With its timber frame, solid wood facade, the building demonstrates that sustainable construction and innovation go hand in hand.

Evening image of the facade of a three-storey industrial building entirely made of untreated light wood with a centrally placed entrance.

Facts about the project

  • Client

    RISE, NCC

  • Place

    Örnsköldsvik, Sweden

  • Photographer

    Tim Meier

Yard with grass and partially paved areas, along with bike racks with a roof in front of a wooden building in various sections of light untreated wood.
Close-up of a wooden facade made of light untreated wood with smaller window areas and a tree with red foliage in front.

A key to sustainable solutions

To achieve global climate goals, new biobased products that can replace fossil alternatives are needed. Biomass as a raw material enables the creation of everything from paint and toothpaste to fossil-free electricity and aviation fuel – green solutions that replace previously fossil-based products.

At RISE, groundbreaking methods are being developed to maximise the utilisation of biomass, including resources that have previously not been tapped, within the forestry and food industries. Their investment in a modern biorefinery is central to the green transition. By enabling the testing and scaling of sustainable processes, conditions are created to commercialise new solutions within a circular bioeconomy. Sweco has supported RISE’s vision by designing the building that can house this prominent work.

Solid wood for a beautiful and sustainable building

The pilot hall stands out due to its use of solid wood in both its structure and facade – an unusual solution for an industrial building that results in a sustainable, functional, and beautiful construction. The building’s beautiful design has been developed with careful consideration of both function and environment, where Sweco’s wide range of expertise has been crucial to the successful outcome.

 

  • Wooden building of light untreated wood in three storeys with an entrance featuring the company logo with large text above and greenary in the foreground.
  • Backside of the industrial wooden building with a logo on the facade and foliage from trees in the foreground.
  • Gable of the industrial building in light wood with smaller windows and lush surroundings.
  • Interior image of the industrial building with high ceilings and several large metal pipes.
  • Person walking in a walkway between buildings with large glazed areas and angled wooden details.
  • Canteen with round tables in light wood and fixed wooden benches with cushions along the outer wall.
1 / 6

Environmental certification

Sweco has contributed with its full range of services, from architecture and landscape architecture to building service systems design and water and wastewater planning. The building is certified by the Swedish Green Building Council as an Environmental Building of the silver level and serves as a model for sustainable industrial construction.

More projects

The Ecohelix Production Facility

Sweden | Architecture

Visualization showing a winter scene of an industrial building in light wood with gray silos on the left. A lower section with windows extends along the long side of the building. In front of the building, there is a road with a few birch trees on the side.

Epiroc’s heat treatment facility

Sweden | Architecture

Live Vocational College

Finland | Architecture

See all projects