/INS. At the Sustainable Building 2014 (SB14) world conference in Barcelona between the 28th and 30th of October, ten Swedish projects will be presented as examples of Sweden’s cutting edge sustainable construction offering.

The Swedish Research Council Formas, Sweden Green Building Council and The Swedish National Board of Housing, Building and Planning (Boverket) had a jury of researchers and experts in the field select the winners from among 50 nominees. Five new buildings, two rebuilds and three city district projects from various parts of the country will be presented at the conference, highlighting Sweden’s role as a world leader in sustainable construction.

The winning projects are all founded on a strong ideology of sustainability, on the will to use new technology to create green environments and innovative solutions that put the focus on the environment and people. The winners in the New Buildings category are Greenhouse Augustenborg in Malmö, the Backsippan daycare centre in Ronneby, the Väla Gård office building in Helsingborg, Herrestaskolan school in Järfälla and Masthusen Kvarter 11 in Malmö. The winners in the Rebuilds category were Rådhus Skåne in Kristianstad and Swecohuset in Stockholm. The winners in the City District category are Albano in Stockholm, Lagersberg in Eskilstuna and Brunnshög in Lund.

Three examples

• Herrestaskolan school in Järfälla to the north of Stockholm is a new daycare centre and school equipped with a sports facility. It has been granted Gold certification according to the Swedish Miljöbyggnad certification system, which evaluates energy efficiency, indoor climate and the choice of materials. The certificate has exceptionally high requirements in terms of energy savings, air quality, acoustics and the control of hazardous chemical substances. Another key focus area was damp-proofing. The building has low energy expenditure levels due to FTX (mechanical exhaust and supply) ventilation, among other things. Solar panels on the roof cover part of the building’s electricity needs. The building’s framework consists of cross-laminated timber and the roof is covered in green stonecrop. Waste from the school goes into an automated vacuum collection system and the school kitchen has waste grinders that enable food waste to be used in a biogas plant.

• Rådhus Skåne in Kristianstad, southern Sweden, is an office building for 700 people containing architecture from three centuries. The old building has been carefully rebuilt to make it a modern, ecological construction with a good indoor climate. Environmental and energy issues were part of the project from the very beginning with a strong focus on damp-proofing and building conservation issues. The building has an FTX ventilation system. During the summer the building is kept cool with the help of free cooling using groundwater. Rådhus Skåne has received the Miljöbyggnad Silver certification.

• Sköna Gröna Lagersberg is a rebuilt city district in Eskilstuna in central Sweden. The project especially highlights the challenges that exist in large residential areas from the 1960s and 1970s. It is an inspiring example of how sustainable cities can be created through small measures and with consideration for the residents. The project is characterised by social engagement and the view that the rebuild must be based on co-operation and communication with residents. The buildings are energy efficient and have solar thermal collectors for heating water and solar cells for electricity production. Green spaces and corridors were left connecting the residential area to surrounding forests and meadows.

“We want to show the world Sweden’s expertise in sustainable construction. Much of it results from Swedish investments in research and plays a significant role in meeting national and international environmental targets,” says Conny Rolén, Senior Research Officer, Formas.

SB14 in Barcelona from the 28th to the 30th of October is the world’s largest sustainable construction conference. The Swedish Research Council Formas, Sweden Green Building Council and The Swedish National Board of Housing, Building and Planning (Boverket) will present the winners at a stand at the conference and at a number of related events.

For more information on the winners and the jury’s reasoning go to http://sb14.sgbc.se and the brochure “Sweden builds for the future”.

Welcome to SB14 in Barcelona between 28 and 30 October 2014 to visit us at Formas/SGBC on the Exhibition Floor, stands 27–28
www.wsb14barcelona.org

Please contact us for further information:

Conny Rolén, Senior Research Officer, The Swedish Research Council for Environment, Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning, +46 70 492 06 27 or conny.rolen@formas.se

Bengt Wånggren, CEO, Sweden Green Building Council, +46 708 63 49 96 or bengt.wanggren@sgbc.se

Madeleine Hjortsberg, Head of Unit, The Swedish National Board of Housing, Building and Planning (Boverket) +46 701 85 32 10 or madeleine.hjortsberg@boverket.se

Caption 1: The recently completed Herrestaskolan school in Järfälla, to the north of Stockholm, was built from cross-laminated timber. The landscape and building form a whole that will act as a vital and vibrant centre for the new district. Illustration Liljewall Arkitekter © Formas

Caption 2:The rebuilt government building Rådhus Skåne in Kristianstad, southern Sweden, has offices with adaptable surfaces and a number of conference rooms. The block features architecture from three different periods. Photo Felix Gerlach © Formas

Caption 3:The rebuilt city district Lagersberg in Eskilstuna, central Sweden, has been provided with outdoor areas, such as cultivation allotments, where people can meet. When playgrounds and yards are redesigned, residents are invited to have their say in the projects. Photo Simon Allinggård © Formas

Notes to editors

The key organisers for Sweden’s participation in the SB14 conference are the Swedish Research Council Formas, The Swedish National Board of Housing, Building and Planning (Boverket) and the Sweden Green Building Council.

Formas is a central government authority with a mission to promote and support basic research and need-driven research in the areas of Environment, Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning.

Boverket is a central government authority with missions in the areas of town and country planning, building construction and management of the built environment.

Sweden Green Building Council is a non-profit organisation that promotes green construction and the development of environmental and sustainability work within the sector.