We help people to use sustainable building methods and organisations to implement circular economy principles
ELVA Hållbara AB is run by Erik and Laura Vidje. We're passionate about sharing sustainable solutions for healthy building and helping organisations implement circular economy principles. We have applied our knowledge in a practical way with our own self build sustainable home, Rundbalshuset.
Our self-build house just outside the city of Umeå in northern Sweden is designed to have a low impact and use local healthy building materials, like wood, clay and straw. We started planning in 2014, the build started in 2017 and we will move in during 2021 - for us it's all about the journey and doing as much as we can ourselves. The project has been well documented by us and others over the years and we run courses on site and make resources available online for anyone else who is interested in building their own sustainable home.
Circular economy is a vision for designing, creating and using things within the planetary boundaries. It is based on the principles of eliminating waste and emissions, preserving the highest value of products & materials, and regenerating natural systems. These are principles which we've built in to the design of Rundbalshuset and which can be adopted by organisations, e.g. with circular business models to create a positive impact. Only then can we create a thriving economy that can benefit everyone within the limits of our planet.
Consultancy
Laura has worked for many years both within municipalities and as a consultant with a focus on promoting sustainable and healthy construction and changing business models to adopt circular economy principles. She can help your organisation in the public or private sector to learn more about the transition to a circular economy - both through education, presentations, mapping and consultation. Laura has also been involved in sustainable building certifications, and gives consultation on, for example, healthy building materials.