Sustainability: A Scandinavian Tradition

Scandinavian design is renowned for its functionality, simplicity, and balance with nature. These traits are inherently linked to sustainability - so it’s no wonder that Scandinavian countries are always at the top of environmental and sustainability performance rankings! 

This is also relevant for the design of buildings, because buildings are responsible for one third of all global greenhouse gas emissions and represent a huge opportunity to reduce environmental impact. We can look to the built environment to see how the Scandinavian tradition of sustainability is intrinsically linked with their unique design philosophy and is leading the way towards better, smarter, more sustainable buildings. Throughout this article we’ll specifically look to Hausmanns Hus as an example of a truly smart building that embodies the Scandinavian sustainability traditions. 

Quality

Durability is one of the key drivers of sustainability. The tradition of quality also ties in with social responsibility: design should be functional for the long-term greater public good and with the purpose of improving day-to-day living. In Scandinavian design, there is a long-standing tradition of long-lasting, locally-sourced and eco-friendly materials. The idea that things should be made to last a long time, and not be disposable/replaced is linked to the “timeless” style of many Scandinavian designs. This also extends to buildings when, for example, an old building is refurbished or renovated, rather than simply torn down and a new building established in its place. Refurbished buildings can have a lower environmental impact in particular through the re-use or re-purposing of existing materials like wood, concrete and windows. Hausmanns Hus is a repurposed building that takes longevity one step further: this smart building was designed to be modular, allowing for each space, each floor, or the entire building to be repurposed if needed without reconstruction or new materials. This flexibility to adjust and reconfigure the spaces means this building is truly futureproof.

Natural materials

A passion for nature and spending time outdoors is a huge part of Scandinavian culture. Outdoor activities are the norm here, recognized for their benefits to mental health and work-life balance. This love of nature also translates to design with nature in mind, including incorporating natural elements into indoor spaces (biophilic design) and building with natural and bio-based materials. 

In buildings, a large part of greenhouse gas emissions are so-called “embodied carbon”, derived from emissions embedded in the construction materials used to create the buildings (like concrete, metals and glass). As energy efficiency advances and buildings use less energy while in operation, embodied emissions are becoming more and more dominant in the life cycle calculations of a building’s impact. One of the leaders in this area is Norway, whose Green Building Council is working to prioritize building materials with lower emissions and have been working towards lowering embodied carbon in buildings for over 10 years (reference: World Green Building Council, Status Report, June 2021). This can include initiatives to use (or re-use) more eco-friendly, local and bio-based materials for floors, walls, facades, and roofs.

Hausmanns Hus incorporates nature in a few ways: natural light permeates the entire space (managed with smart functionality) and the central court in the building embraces nature and integrates the building space with the outside world.