Meet the nominated candidates for the Building Component Award 2025
Large-scale straw elements
Lars Keller, Director of EcoCocon Denmark and Simon Ingvartsen, Design Director at Henning Larsen Architects, have achieved a breakthrough in large-scale construction using straw elements.
Lars Keller has been the driving force behind the commercialisation of straw elements in Denmark and in close collaboration with Magnus Reffs Kramhøft and Peter Tegner Matz from Henning Larsen Architects, he helped develop the extension to Feldballe Friskole – the first major project to truly put straw and timber external wall elements on the map in Denmark.
Simon Ingvartsen is passionate about designing and executing the architecture of the future on a large scale, incorporating biogenic materials that benefit both the environment and
indoor climate. He identified the opportunity to use straw elements in Bestseller’s logistics centre in the Netherlands.
Thanks to a visionary and ambitious client, construction of the world’s largest timber and straw building is now well underway. Groundbreaking took place in January 2025. The project has been developed with lifecycle assessments for all material components, and product-specific Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) have been used for the biogenic
materials.
The dream has been to promote the use of straw elements in construction – even in large-scale projects.”
Lars Keller
“EcoCocon delivers the components from their new fully automated factory with great precision. The company is genuinely committed to making knowledge accessible to support the adoption of this brilliant building component.”
Simon Ingvartsen
Based on EcoCocon and Henning Larsen’s new large-scale project and the wealth of experience gained, straw components are now ready to be widely integrated into our construction
industry. As a building component, the straw element will make a substantial contribution to reducing the environmental footprint of construction.
Mette Tony, Chair of the Jury
Renovation of Wastewater Pipes
Søren Dallov Ibsen has developed techniques for lining wastewater pipes, focusing on preserving and improving existing building components on a large scale. The wastewater pipe in particular is a commonly overlooked yet widespread element in our buildings.
With over 15 years of experience working with lining wastewater and water pipes, Søren Dallov Ibsen has demonstrated that innovative techniques for renovating and extending the lifespan of building components in our existing building stock deserve significant attention.
With a background as a plumber and building engineer, Søren Dallov Ibsen has developed his own robot-controlled coating machines and a specially adapted polyurethane material that ensures long durability and high quality. The process is fast, odourless and minimises disruption for residents.
Greenpipe estimates a CO₂ saving of over 60% per flat compared to replacement with new pipes. The company was recognised as a Gazelle business in both 2022 and 2023.
“We can deliver consistently high quality to our customers because we have 100% operational reliability with our machines, which are tailored specifically for relining wastewater pipes.”
Søren Dallov Ibsen
In 2022, Greenpipe was acquired by Spolargruppen. Søren Dallov Ibsen remains affiliated with Greenpipe as an advisor. He continues to be passionate about innovation in the construction industry and is working, among other things, to prevent accidents in the sector by making safety instructions easier to understand through video translations.
Never before have we had so many metres of piping in the world—pipes that need maintenance and must be strengthened for the future. This hidden and growing challenge calls for sustainable solutions that avoid major demolition of existing building stock. That is why Søren Ibsen’s efforts are commendable and vital to a sustainable transition.
Mette Tony, Chair of the Jury
Upcycling of building components
Thomas Nygaard Hamann has created a scalable business utilising upcycled, circular building components on a large scale.
He has served as CEO of a:gain since its founding in 2021. Under his leadership, a:gain develops and manufactures building components made from waste and by-products – such as façade windows, internal glass partitions and flooring solutions.
Thomas Nygaard Hamann holds a Master’s degree in biotechnology and a PhD in biochemistry, with a professional background at McKinsey, Novo Nordisk, and Ørsted. Drawing on this broad experience, he has driven change in the construction industry by developing a business concept for the widespread adoption of circular building materials at scale.
a:gain represents an approach to building components where materials are sourced from waste, offcuts, systematic demolition and similar sources. These are then processed into new, fully documented products with guarantees, capable of replacing existing products on the market. From the original design idea developed by architect Anders Lendager, the concept has been scaled and commercialised at a:gain under the skilled leadership of Thomas Nygaard Hamann.
“a:gain has saved 2,142,441 kg of construction waste.”
Thomas Nygaard Hamann
a:gain aims to transform the way the construction industry thinks, encouraging all stakeholders to start with components that already exist. The company will shift our worldview and contribute to a new aesthetic era.
Mette Tony, Chair of the Jury
