5.11.2024
- The tower, made of technologically processed wood, supports mobile antennas and other telecommunications equipment
- Ecopols are designed with a focus on safety, including fire resistance and additional protection for embedded cables
- Each tower can carry equipment for up to four different telecoms, and Hrvatski Telekom was the first to install antennas on the tower in Gradići
Hrvatski Telekom and Markoja introduce Ecopol, an innovative wooden telecommunications tower
Anto Stojanović (Project Manager, HT), Krunoslav Smoljak (Head of Construction Sector, HT), Marko Zokić (Project Manager, Markoja), Boris Markoja (Director and Founder, Markoja), Boris Drilo (Member of the Management Board and CTIO, HT), Goran Toplek (Director of Mobile Network Planning, HT), Luka Aralica (Business Development Manager, Markoja), Ivan Volarić (TVZ), Dean Čizmar (TVZ)
Hrvatski Telekom and Markoja inaugurated the innovative wooden telecommunications tower – Ecopol in the settlement of Gradići, municipality of Velika Gorica. It is a freestanding, 40-meter-high conical tower made of technologically processed wood that supports mobile antennas and other telecommunications equipment. This innovative material ensures flexibility and long-term durability with minimal environmental impact. Ecopols are designed with a focus on safety, including fire resistance and additional protection for embedded cables.
Each tower can carry equipment for up to four different telecoms, and Hrvatski Telekom was the first to install antennas on the tower in Gradići, paving the way for other operators. Ecopols emit half as much carbon dioxide as traditional steel towers, and the materials used are fully recyclable.
Boris Drilo, a member of the Management Board at Hrvatski Telekom responsible for technology and information technology, emphasized: "The Ecopol project represents an innovative step towards sustainable infrastructure, important for the development of the 5G network in Croatia. Wooden telecommunications towers, such as Ecopol in Gradići, reduce CO₂ emissions by half compared to traditional steel towers and provide long-lasting durability and more security for cables integrated within the structure. Recyclable materials and innovative fire-resistant wooden elements make it applicable in natural and tourist areas that require aesthetic and environmental compliance."
"We are proud that Hrvatski Telekom, as the first national operator, recognized the value of our Ecopol and installed its antennas on this innovative communication tower, thereby opening a new chapter in the development of sustainable telecommunications infrastructure in Croatia," stated Boris Markoja, founder and director of Markoja. "This project perfectly reflects our commitment to the '5E' values – energy, ecology, economy, aesthetics, and ethics. Ecopol provides top-notch support for modern 5G technology with a significant reduction in CO₂ emissions, demonstrating that technology and ecology can go hand in hand. Our goal is to lay the foundations for the future development of smart communities, all in accordance with sustainable business practices that contribute to the local population and the environment."
In July of this year, Markoja became a significant minority owner of the Finnish company Ecotelligent, further strengthening its commitment to sustainability and innovation. Ecotelligent develops and builds passive telecommunications infrastructure from engineered wood (LVL), and Markoja is the exclusive distributor of these towers in Croatia and the region. So far, two Ecopols have been erected, one in Gradići and another in Podcrkavlje in Slavonia, while a third is currently under construction near Daruvar.
Markoja and Ecotelligent plan to expand the network of Ecopol towers across Europe, particularly under-covered areas and tourist centers, in collaboration with local communities and state telecommunications and infrastructure operators.