Monopines provide connectivity, minimize environmental impact

Monopines provide connectivity, minimize environmental impact

In a national park, it’s very aesthetically driven. That’s why we have this product that fits seamlessly with the natural landscape. We want to connect people but minimize the impact of having these structures in the environment. - David Tweed, EMEA Telecom Director Even in a tranquil national park, people want to enjoy the security of remaining connected. In an emergency, park personnel also need quick access to the outside world. Yet, no one wants to see pristine woods disrupted by the poles supporting the mobile network operators’ service. When “Play” wanted to improve connectivity in Krempna, Poland, retaining the pristine beauty of the nearly 77-mile2 (roughly 200-kilometer2) Magura National Park was paramount. Working with the Valmont team in Arizona, Valmont’s Poland team custom designed three poles camouflaged as roughly 150-foot (or 48-meter) high monopines. The team first had to retool its design. “The way the equipment, the radio, and the antennas are installed onto a communication structure is much different than in the US,” said general manager Mark Schmidt. The specifications also needed adjustment to metric and the product had to accommodate a much wider external climb system. When our Poland factory fabricated the poles, we adapted to the additional challenge of installing in a remote area. To cut environmental impact, Valmont provided the poles in sections that could be assembled onsite with only a small crane. Now, park staff and visitors as well as residents of nearby communities benefit from enhanced connectivity. Meanwhile Play met requirements for preserving the park while benefitting from a sustainable product that comes with an environmental product declaration (EPD), which required an independent life-cycle assessment to evaluate efforts to minimize the product’s environmental footprint. Vice President of Sales Artur Grynkiewicz said he’s proud to have reduced visual pollution while also enacting Valmont’s purpose of conserving resources and improving life. “If you look at the larger picture, we played an important part in a project that can help people to feel more comfortable and safer.”