Pilot projects pave the way for climate-neutral construction

The pilot projects hold significant potential for scalability, providing small and medium-sized companies participating in the initiatives with the opportunity to develop market-driven products and processes. The goal is to engage a wider range of stakeholders, entrepreneurs, and material producers in the Gothenburg region while inspiring others to follow suit and contribute to a more sustainable construction industry.

Framtiden Byggutveckling and the Kvarteret Återbruket Project

Framtiden Byggutveckling initiates, develops, and produces housing throughout Gothenburg with a focus on creating a sustainable society for the future. Their pilot project, Kvarteret Återbruket in Selma Stad, aims to construct apartments where at least half of the building materials are reused.
The project seeks to foster a local market for reused materials, particularly focusing on materials with a high climate impact that would otherwise be newly produced. Through this initiative, Framtiden Byggutveckling is exploring how large-scale reuse can be achieved.

"It would be great if more people recognized the business potential of reuse. If more products become available through existing material producers or new players specializing in upcycling, we will have made significant progress," says Cecilia Johannison, Quality and Environmental Manager at Framtiden Byggutveckling.

Framtiden Byggutveckling is funding all investment costs for the project independently and does not receive support from the EU's regional fund. Instead, they serve as a driving force for developing new solutions and business models within the Gothenburg region.

The City of Gothenburg's property administration and the Lerumsvägen Preschool

The City of Gothenburg's property administration creates environments where life can thrive by planning, building, leasing, managing, and developing premises and outdoor areas to support the city's operations and foster growth for both people and society.

The preschool at Lerumsvägen 31 in Olofstorp, built in the 1970s, is in urgent need of renovation. Its building materials have reached their technical lifespan, and the pilot project aims to modernize the facilities for at least another 20 years of continued use. A key focus is on reusing technical installations and construction materials. The insights gained from this project will be used as a model for future renovations of similar properties managed by The City of Gothenburg's property administration.

"One of our hopes is that the tests conducted at Lerumsvägen 31 will help us identify effective reuse methods that can be replicated in other projects with similar conditions, ultimately reducing the climate impact of our renovations," says Hanna Holmstedt, Project Manager at The City of Gothenburg's property administration, Göteborgs Stad.

Vasakronan Properties and Kaj 16

Vasakronan is dedicated to building vibrant urban spaces that foster thriving businesses and communities. The company is at the forefront of efforts to reduce material use, increase reuse, and utilize renewable and recycled materials on a large scale.
Through the Kaj 16 project, one of Sweden's largest office buildings constructed from wood, Vasakronan aims to establish new business models and partnerships to enable large-scale reuse in new construction. Kaj 16 builds upon the Kromet reuse project—a property formerly located on the quay near the new Hisingsbron bridge, in central Gothenburg. Originally built in the early 1980s, the building was dismantled due to new planning requirements for the area. Its materials have been repurposed in Kaj 16 and other projects.

The vision for Kaj 16 is to create an open space with a strong sustainability profile, attracting businesses, innovators, and visitors. The building, with 12 of its 16 floors constructed from wood, will incorporate as much reused material as possible, including façade panels and foundation elements from the dismantled Kromet property. Concrete from the original structure was also recycled as part of the new building’s foundation.

"Through the Kaj 16 project, we see an opportunity to drive and develop new markets and business models for reuse and circular processes. We will participate in roundtable discussions and leverage the network connected to BRG to identify key challenges and solutions that support large-scale reuse marketplaces," says Magnus Tengberg, Head of Urban and Property Development for Gothenburg, Malmö, and Uppsala at Vasakronan.

The project emphasizes high ambitions for environmental and reuse work, with a focus on digitalization and process efficiency. Vasakronan actively contributes to enhancing the construction industry's capacity for large-scale reuse.

Steptura and Näst Innovation Destination Torslanda

Steptura, founded by Next Step Group, Balder, and Vectura Properties, brings together expertise in urban planning, real estate development, culture, and community building to create innovation destinations and ecosystems in western Sweden.
Steptura will contribute a pilot project as part of the urban development initiative Näst Innovation Destination Torslanda. More details about this project will be released soon.
 

Information

The pilot projects are part of the Living Lab for Climate-Neutral Construction, a component of Gothenburg's platform for climate-neutral construction. The project is managed by Business Region Göteborg in partnership with The public housing company Framtiden, Mölndal City, and the Center for Management in the Construction Sector (CMB) at Chalmers. The pilot projects are led by Framtiden Byggutveckling, Vasakronan Fastigheter, Steptura, and The City of Gothenburg's property administration.