Going Circular - Circular Economy within Construction Industry in the Kingdom of Denmark

Ole Bellen, Chief Construction Manager/Project Manager, Sweco

Introduction to World's Most Ambitious Climate Legislation, Minus 70 Percent C0₂ Reduction

The Danish Government on 2019-12-06 passed “Klimalov”, the most ambitious target for greenhouse gasses reduction in the world. Denmark will reduce them by 70 percent within 2030 compared to 1990s-emission as per Paris-agreement, with an intermediate goal reduction, passed on 2021-05-07, of 50-54 percent within 2025. It will be a challenge, but yes, I can.

In Denmark we are proud to be a pioneer country, and it will enforce our export of green energy solutions, as our wind energy history shows.

State of the Art – Danish Case

Increasing focus on building sector and its use of resources are already clear looking the Danish building regulations over time.

Source: SWECO DK – Sustainability Department

On top of that, Denmark is involved in a huge electrification development, due to wind energy availability and low prices; housing, industry, transportation, and rail infrastructure projects are raising all over the country.

Low price of green electricity and stricter requirements are the reasons, why the importance of the embodied carbon (CO₂ emissions associated with the materials from extraction production) is increasing compared to the operational carbon (CO₂ emissions associated with the operation of the building) in the construction and building sector.

We have to abandon the traditional approach take, make, use, and dispose and move on to a more circular one. Circular approach that furthermore will also answer to UN Sustainable Development Goals: 11^th sustainable cities and communities, 12^th responsible consumption and production and 13^th climate action.

Source: SWECO DK – Sustainability Department 

Here is, where the life cycle assessments are getting more and more relevant, think of Breeam certification in UK and DGNB and Svanemærk in Denmark, where Sweco DK is a leading actor.

Some Examples: Projects and Technology

Circle House-project, world´s first circular public housing project

source: SWECO DK – Building Division East/Jutland

Lejebo will execute world´s first circular housing project in Lisbjerg, near Aarhus (Jutland). The design will be performed by the winning team consisting of Torntoft & Mortensen, RUM og Sweco, and the construction will be finalized in spring 2023.

The project consists of two 5-storeys buildings, a 3-storeys house and 4 terraced houses of 2 and 3 storeys, - for a total of 5,467 m².

The idea is to execute a scalable project, that will increase the circular knowledge in the Danish construction industry, thanks to the visionary ambitions of the client, Lejerbo. The buildings parts can be disassembled and reused. Used of concrete will be optimize, saving a lot of CO2-emissions.

“The answer to construction industry dilemma is reuse and recycle, and a flexible design that will allow the building to adapt to future uses and needs” as per Christian Corydon, chef for Building Division East at Sweco, own statement. More than 60 partners have been involved in all the value chains to ensure the project feasibility.