Specifications down to the minutest environmental detail

Customers that make explicit environmental and climate demands drive development towards a greener construction industry. The municipal general contractor Oslobygg KF is one such customer. Together with Peab the company is building the new retirement home Tåsenhjemmet in the capital – with specifications on everything from a fossil free workplace to several environmental standards.

Some of these demands are concrete with a lower carbon footprint, reused concrete, fossil free machines and equipment, and drilling energy wells. The project is a FutureBuilt ​project and will be built according to Nearly Zero Energy Buildings (NZEB) and BREEAM certified according to level Excellent. When Peab builds the new retirement home in Oslo the environmental aspects have been thoroughly considered and specified.

–We’re constantly trying to find the best way forward for the environment, even though sometimes it isn’t easy to get a clear-cut answer on what best meets environmental and climate demands. We have a lot of discussions in the project and Peab daily deliberates: Which product purchase generates the least carbon impact? How do we best manage waste? How do we get recycled steel in time to the construction site? However, we never waver from the goal and Peab is thoroughly engaged, says Ingrid Karlsen, Project Manager at Oslobygg KF.

Often a decision on one environmental matter has consequences for others. One example is drilling energy wells in the ground to reduce the need for electrical heating. To make sure the wells do not hurt the root systems of the many surrounding trees, an arborist is onsite to watch over the trees’ wellbeing. In addition, the city of Oslo requires that Peab replants a red listed plant previously found in the area. The city’s botanical garden will supply the right seeds. These are measures that contribute to improving the property’s ecologic value.

For Peab, building the retirement home Tåsenhjemmet is a good example of how customers that prioritize climate and environmental aspects challenge and provide us with new experiences, which can then be used for other customers and in other construction projects. This project shows how pioneers that lead the way can drive development forward and help other actors achieve their climate goals.

The new retirement home will be completed by the end of 2023.