UPB Group is one of the largest industrial groups in the Baltic countries, providing engineering, construction, energy & machinery services, and specializes in the production of glazed, steel and precast building structures, design & build projects, and energy and machinery solutions. Over the past decade, the company has dedicated substantial resources to enhance the sustainability of its operations, production, and construction practices. By leveraging One Click LCA, UBP translated environmental product declaration (EPD) data into real-world carbon reductions — achieving 25% improvement in environmental performance for its reinforced concrete products. This case study explores how data-driven decision-making helped UBP minimize it's carbon footprint and maximize sustainability for a more greener future.

How UPB Group uses EPDs to track sustainable progress and improve client collaboration
There are projects we wouldn’t even be considered for without EPDs. Investing in this documentation is essential to stay competitive, especially in Nordic countries and Western Europe, where clients expect verified EPDs for our products and often use the EPDs in their BREEAM and LEED certification schemes.
— Ernests Ozoliņš, Product Manager, Precast Concrete at UPB Group
UPB Group is one of the leading industrial holdings in the Baltic States, specializing in integrated design-and-build solutions for both the Latvian and international markets. With over 30 years of experience and a team of more than 2,000 employees, UPB Group comprises over 20 companies covering diverse business areas, including design and engineering, construction, technical services, energy, and machinery, as well as the production of glass, steel, and concrete structures.
UPB's path to carbon neutrality
UPB Group began its journey to carbon neutrality in 2015 by creating its first environmental product declarations (EPDs). Since then, UPB has steadily reduced emissions across operations, starting with utilizing green energy in its production in 2017, minimizing steel waste through implementing a steel mesh welding machine in 2018 and restructuring its concrete research center in 2019.
In 2020, UPB began using One Click LCA to create in-house EPDs, allowing the team to better understand and analyze the carbon footprint of their products. This led to significantly better results.
— Ernests Ozoliņš, Product Manager, Precast Concrete at UPB Group
By using One Click LCA Pre-verified EPD Generator to evaluate each stage of the product life cycle — from raw material sourcing and manufacturing to logistics, construction, and end-of-life impact, UPB was able to identify and implement improvements early in product development, leading to enhanced environmental performance across its offerings.
A simple guide to EPD: Learn what are environmental product declarations and how do they benefit manufacturers.
Measuring sustainability improvements with EPDs
In 2023, UPB published EPDs showing that its range of precast concrete products achieved a 25% reduction in embodied carbon when compared to its 2021 figures. This improvement was driven by several factors: sourcing local raw materials from responsible suppliers, optimizing concrete mixes with more sustainable materials, and implementing a concrete and wastewater recycling system.
From 2015 to 2020, UPB updated its EPDs once every five years. Since 2020, however, the cycle has been shortened to once every three years to better capture and reflect its progress in decarbonization efforts. Looking ahead, UPB anticipates even shorter intervals between updates as the group achieves more measurable progress through its net-zero strategy, which focuses on minimizing waste, maximizing efficiency, and optimizing material use, particularly in concrete.
Hylliee Terrass: A climate-neutral office building in Malmö, Sweden
One of UPB Group’s most sustainable projects, Hyllie Terrass, is a climate-neutral office building in Malmö, Sweden. The project was part of the Sweden Green Building Council's NollCO2 certification pilot. The building spans twelve floors high with a total area of 14,000 m². UPB experts collaborated with SKANSKA from the early stages, leveraging EPDs through One Click LCA to evaluate and optimize materials and strategies for concrete and steel structures to meet strict carbon targets. This analysis enabled UPB to propose and implement targeted improvements in design, manufacturing, and logistics, achieving a 33% reduction in embodied carbon for concrete and a 53% reduction for steel structures.
6600 m2
of three-layer sandwich walls with already pre-installed windows façade delivered — leaving a smaller imprint, and becoming one of the first NollCO2 certified building in Sweden
In addition to NollCO2 certification, Hyllie Terrass is also on track to achieve LEED and WELL certifications, highlighting UPB's commitment to comprehensive sustainability in building design and construction. Construction began in 2020, with the building inaugurated in 2023.
Gaining a competitive advantage using One Click LCA
I believe there’s a strong return on investment in exploring ways to reduce emissions. There are several projects where clients wouldn’t even consider us if we didn’t have EPDs or effective emissions reduction strategies. Without ongoing investment of time and resources in these areas, there’s no way we can remain competitive in the market.
— Ernests Ozoliņš, Product Manager, Precast Concrete at UPB Group
One Click LCA's EPD Generator provides UPB with valuable insights into the CO₂ emissions associated with each material used in its products. It allows the group to identify key areas for improvement, such as reducing steel content, which directly contributes to lowering emissions. Additionally, the tool helps assess supply chain impacts, showing when sourcing materials locally is more beneficial than using distant suppliers, even if the latter have lower CO₂ emissions.
One Click LCA Materials Compass: Find and compare low-carbon materials from around the world
By using One Click LCA to optimize multiple factors — from material selection to transportation — UPB can make more informed, sustainable decisions, helping the group stay ahead in a competitive market while meeting the growing demand for eco-friendly solutions.
UPB, together with One Click LCA began conducting life-cycle assessments and CO₂ calculations for precast concrete and steel products several years ago and has recently expanded the range of products to include ready-mixed concrete and aluminum glazed structures. UPB has a long-standing, positive cooperation with the One Click team, benefiting from professional advice, operational and effective support services, and scientifically based insights from LCA experts. Working together to continue on the path of sustainable construction.
— Sanda Palapa, Environmental manager at UPB Group
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