The construction of energy-saving buildings and passive buildings is increasing rapidly, in both the housing and office segments. In 2008, all regions in Sweden must commence proprietary construction of at least one residential project in the form of a passive building or an energy-saving building. Such buildings are heated using much less energy than normal. In a passive building, it is only necessary to supply external thermal energy during the very coldest days of the year. On other days, the building is primarily heated using the heat emitted by tenants, lighting, white goods and other appliances.
Denmark and Germany are also investing heavily in low-energy buildings. In Denmark, NCC is constructing single-family homes that are “Swan” ecolabeled, and in Germany, home buyers are offered energy-efficient alternatives as optional extras.
In Sweden, NCC has also introduced its own climate declaration from January 1, 2008. This goes further than the energy declaration required by the government, since it takes into account the entire lifecycle of the building. Climate declarations are prepared for all buildings constructed on a proprietary basis.
In terms of its office operations, NCC Property Development is affiliated to the EU’s Green Building concept. This means that the buildings covered by the concept use 25 percent less energy than the standard requires. To date, NCC has two Green Building certified office properties in Sweden – Kaggen in Malmö and Västerport in Stockholm.