New report: Key outcomes from Nordic Climate Forum for Construction 2024

Nordic Climate Forum for Construction 2024: Compiled Input for Harmonised Nordic Climate Regulations

Publiceret 31-10-2024

In a just launched report, Boverket together with the other Nordic countries' authorites presents the results of the roundtables discussions that brought together more than 60 actors from all of the Nordic construction value chain on the topic of Nordic harmonisation of climate regulations. The report delves into forum discussions, questionnaire results and the diverse perspectives shaping the future of sustainable construction in the Nordics.

Collaborating to Meet Future Climate Requirements

The Nordic Climate Forum for Construction in September 2024 in Malmö clearly highlighted how the Nordic region is strengthening internal collaboration in meeting future climate related requirements. A new report from Boverket who hosted the forum summarises the most important results from the discussions.

The Nordic countries, Estonia and the EU Commission all shared the latest news and lessons learned on how to regulate the climate impact from new constructions. Nordic authorities and industry stakeholders also presented and discussed how new climate requirements effects the industry.

This year the focus was on LCA (Life Cycle Assessments) and how the Nordic countries and the EU can work together to ensure compatible methods and reliable data and results.

What is Nordic Climate Forum for Construction?

Nordic Climate Forum for Construction is an annual conference where authorities and stakeholders from the Nordic construction sector meet to discuss relevant topics related to the sustainable transformation of the sector.

Read our news article and watch recordings from this year’s forum here

Questionnaire: What Is Important to Harmonise?

The agenda for the forum included presentations in the morning and roundtable discussions in the afternoon. During the roundtable discussions, the participants were asked to fill out a questionnaire with their opinions on what aspects of the LCA calculations were most important to be specific about from the European Commission or harmonise where possible.

All the alternatives have been chosen as important to harmonise. But the following three categories was highlighted in the survey as the most important: Same definitions of building elements, same modules in the life cycle stages and same Global Warming Potential indicator (GWP).

Chart with answers on what to prioritise harmonising

What was included in the questionnaire?

The participants at Nordic Climate Forum for Construction answered a questionnaire, which included the following questions:

Is it important to have the same conservative methodology for setting generic data?
Do you think that the Nordic countries should use the same GWP indicator?
Which of the following is the most important to achieve increased digitalisation in Nordic harmonisation of regulation about climate impact (in near future)?
Should legislators in the Member States have the possibility to decide which modules to include in the regulation according to EN 15978, based on a cost-benefit analysis and other national conditions?
Limit value – Which modules are important to include when Member States introduce limit values for climate impact?
Is it important to declare the climate impact divided into different building elements in the climate declaration?
How should you handle data gaps for the building elements and technical equipment (construction products) that cannot be calculated?
What level of control of the calculation of GWP should be done by the authorities, including when limit values are applied?
Should we have a unified labelling of building elements and technical systems of a building (classification system) within the EU?

See all the answers in the report from Boverket (link at the end of this article).

Highlights

Some highlights from the discussions and questionnaire are:

Integration into Regulations

LCA is being integrated into national building regulations, requiring projects to demonstrate their environmental performance throughout the entire life cycle, from material extraction to demolition. The Nordic countries and Estonia are amongst the front-runners on this area and the knowledge created in the process can help and serve as inspiration in other countries in EU and beyond.

Standardisation and Harmonisation

There is a need towards standardising LCA methodologies to ensure consistency and comparability of results. This includes developing common guidelines and benchmarks, where it is possible, or being able to translate the results between countries with varying methods.

Digital Tools and Databases

There is a need for better digital tools and comprehensive databases to support accurate and efficient LCA. This includes the development of national and regional databases for environmental data. At the same time, it is important to ensure the quality of the data available to make sure that the results reflects reality.

Industry Adoption

While the construction industry is generally supportive of LCA, there are challenges related to the complexity and cost of conducting thorough assessments. The survey points to a need for more training and resources to help industry professionals effectively implement LCA.

Report Summarising the Forum

The report from Boverket contains a summary of the questionnaire and the round table discussions at the Forum. The results are also commented shortly by the authorities.

Read the full report here