Technopolis Innova, an office building located in the centre of Jyväskylä, Finland, is the first site in Finland to use energy piles, which exploit geothermal energy and were developed in collaboration between Uponor and Ruukki.

The steel energy piles are driven or drilled into the ground and they provide the building with both a steady foundation and a large amount of useable energy.

The steel piles that are used for the foundations act as both a supporting structure and an energy solution. The energy piles exploit free geothermal energy from beneath the building. They are particularly suited for use in commercial and office buildings such as Innova 2 where there is a significant need for heating and cooling.

The heating system uses the energy that is stored in the earth, while the low temperature of the ground is used for cooling. In the summer, the cooling system outputs excess heat, which is directed back into the ground, ensuring that the temperature level of the ground remains sufficient for energy generation. Using energy piles improves the energy efficiency of the building and reduces the carbon footprint.

A total of 181 piles were supplied, of which 38 were energy piles. The piles were approximately 30 metres in length and they were sunk into Uponor's PE-Xa U collection circuits using ground weights. The collection circuits were then connected to manifolds that were installed into the floor.

The pile and the manifold are connected by an insulated pipe, which minimises heat loss. The trunk lines from the manifolds are led into the heat distribution room via insulated pipes.