The Nordic Region wants to lead the way in sustainable construction
14th of August 2024
The Nordic construction and housing ministers met in Gothenburg on 13 August. The agenda included ways to use the existing building stock and to simplify the regulatory framework to facilitate climate-friendly construction.
“The Nordic countries face similar challenges in the housing sector, and one of the topics discussed at the meeting was ways to simplify regulations in the construction and property sector. Since all of the Nordic countries have started to simplify building regulations, we can now share with each other what we have learned at national level,” says Andreas Carlson, the Swedish Minister of Infrastructure and Housing, who hosted the meeting.
Strong results
At the meeting, the ministers were presented with the results of the programme Nordic Sustainable Construction, which was launched in 2020 to establish the region as a leader in sustainable and competitive construction. The work included examining the barriers to greater recycling of building materials, taking a closer look at how to make building sites emission-free and focusing on Nordic harmonisation of life cycle assessments in the construction industry.
The programme draws to a close at the end of the year, and the ministers indicated they would like to see a continuation under the Nordic Council of Ministers for Sustainable Growth (MR-VÆKST), which is headed up by the ministers for business, energy and regional policy. The ministers for construction and housing recommend that the new sustainable construction programme focus on the climate, circularity, digitalisation and the EU.
I am delighted to note that Nordic co-operation on creating a sustainable construction sector strengthens the region internally and that our experience and analyses are sought after in the EU and the rest of the world.
Leading the way in the EU
The meeting also presented the results of the recently completed project under the Finnish Presidency Nordic Network for Circular Construction, which pointed out that the Nordic countries are in a position to take the lead and set an example in the EU in legislation on circular construction.
“I would like to thank the ministers and national representatives for constructive discussions today, and I am delighted to note that Nordic co-operation on creating a sustainable construction sector strengthens the region internally and that our experience and analyses are sought after in the EU and the rest of the world,” says Karen Ellemann, Secretary General of the Nordic Council of Ministers.
We, the Nordic ministers responsible for construction and housing affirm our commitment to fight climate change by facilitating reductions in emissions from the built environment. Further, we state our commitment to work towards making the Nordic construction sector the most sustainable in the world.
