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Last spring the City of Vantaa launched an Innovation Competition to develop the city. The themes of the competition included everyday services, thriving city centres and combating climate change.
Tapojärvi’s associated company ECOnsulting Oy entered the competition with Geofix, a geopolymer asphalt patching material.
“This new innovation can be used to improve road safety, reduce tyre and rim damages, make road maintenance more cost-efficient as well as reduce the carbon footprint of pothole patching”, says Tapojärvi’s Development Manager Juha Koskinen. Koskinen is also the CEO of ECOnsulting. The City of Vantaa aims to become carbon neutral by 2030.
“In cold weather conditions, cold asphalt has traditionally been used in asphalt patching. It is an affordable method but not ecological, durable or cost-efficient”.
ECOnsulting’s geopolymer patching material utilises new technology. It is more ecological, durable and cost-efficient than cold asphalt. Altogether 174 ideas were entered into the Innovation Competition of which 15 winning ideas will receive funding by the end of 2023. ECOnsulting’s asphalt patching material was selected as one of the winners.
“It is important to utilise circular economy products in public infrastructure. Next year, our innovation will be used to improve road conditions in Vantaa in a cost-efficient and low-carbon manner. We hope that other municipalities will follow Vantaa’s example”, Koskinen says, and points out that a society which functions efficiently benefits everyone:
“Geofix is one of the solutions that can improve cost-efficiency. It can make asphalt road maintenance more cost-efficient, leaving more funds for other important issues in our society. That’s the way I see it”.
Why choose geopolymer asphalt patching material?
The amount of money used for asphalt paving has decreased, and winters have become warmer due to climate change, leading to increased patching of roads. Potholes in asphalt cause dangerous situations in traffic and damage car tyres and rims.
The inorganic geopolymer material doesn’t contain oil-based raw materials, which makes it more environmentally friendly than traditional asphalt patching products.
The geopolymer patching material is as easy to use but considerably more durable with better adhesion qualities than cold asphalt. Geofix patches are many times more durable and thus reduce the need for road repairs as well as the overall expenses of repairs and maintenance.