Niclas Ihrén’s Post

9 weeks into living in Sweden and 5 weeks into working at Anthesis Sverige, and being part of the Swedish Sustainability space I thought I'd share some reflections. These are just that – my reflections - they may not all be correct, and they may change as time goes by but it is interesting to shift market and see how a different locations shifts the norm. - The Built Environment market, but also the wider approach to meeting net zero targets and driving the sustainability agenda, is driven largely by national and European agencies in Sweden. This is compared to a market in Australia where goals and targets within private organisations can often trump state or national targets. As a result, how we work and who the key stakeholders are looks very different in the Swedish market. - As expected, the extent of integrated energy networks is at a completely different scale in Sweden. Every project needs to consider the available networks, and there is room for a lot of innovation around utilization of low-grade heat or maximising heat exchange before the energy even reaches the building. Energy supply efficiency coupled with strong building regulations is a great ground for a sustainable outcome. - Architects have much less influence in Sweden! Can you believe it? In Sweden, projects (that I have seen) are more often driven by the client, the agencies and the engineering groups with architects to support the development and documentation of the project. It does not mean they do not have a role – it is just different! - There is a significant difference in building codes across all sectors, but particularly in the residential market. There is no such thing as single glazed windows, and double glazed is low standard – triple glazed is the norm. In saying that my reflection is that as a result there is a stronger reliance and confidence in if we are just meeting code, we will be fine in Sweden. I do however think the dial is shifting across Europe and even Sweden needs to look for best practice around the world to stay aligned with the development. - And (almost) everyone likes coffee regardless of where they come from. This unites and brings people together in most office environments. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this and really how can we learn from the differences and apply what is best from each part of the world. #AnthesisSverige #reflections #sustainaiblity

🏗️ Luxembourg Drives Innovation in the Built Environment at Sustainable Places Conference 🌍 Organized by LIST, Luxinnovation GIE, and Neobuild GIE, the Luxembourg session showcased groundbreaking projects, including the REGEN program, which allocates €2.6M to local partners for sustainable urban regeneration. Key stakeholders discussed the potential of European funding to drive innovation aligned with the EU's Building Performance Directive, Fit for 55, and the New European #Bauhaus. 💡 LIST’s contributions emphasized the role of digital innovations, such as #AI and #DigitalTwins, in shaping construction practices, optimizing resources, and driving performance efficiency. #SustainablePlaces2024 is Europe's first destination for EU research collaboration and market opportunities. Read more 👉 https://lnkd.in/eajH-j9v Sylvain Kubicki Sanna Alaranta Régis Decorme Luc Meyer R2M Solution Luxembourg National Research Fund (FNR) European Commission Built4People

How much space will Amsterdam need for the circular economy to thrive over the next 10-20 years? What are the preferred locations for a thriving circular economy in the city of Amsterdam? Those are the questions Metabolic and PosadMaxwan are working to answer in collaboration with Gemeente Amsterdam. 🚀 With ambitious targets—a 50% reduction in primary raw material use by 2030 and a fully circular system by 2050—the city faces a complex challenge. Space is limited, and material flows are intricate. Translating Amsterdam’s bold strategies into spatial plans that work for the circular economy is critical. This is where we step in. Our mission: to bridge the gap between high-level goals and real-world solutions. We are excited to announce that we kicked off the first phase, conducting expert interviews to map the spatial needs for this transition. Our goal: ensure the circular economy is integrated into future spatial-economic plans and infrastructure strategies. 🌍 🔄 Stay tuned for updates as we help shape Amsterdam’s sustainable future! Josine Lambert, Thomas Rieff, Dafni Vlachou, Jorrit Vervoordeldonk and Gerard Roemers #CircularEconomy #SpatialPlanning #CircularCities #UrbanDevelopment

𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧’𝐬 𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞: 𝐀 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 After spending the last few days in Bremen with my family, I saw how this city is becoming a template for sustainable, high-tech investment. 𝟏. 𝐑𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐄𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲: Fraunhofer IWES’s rotor blade test rig is advancing wind tech to new levels, showing a commitment to clean energy that attracts long-term investment. 𝟐. 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐏𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬: Bremerhaven is transforming into a climate-neutral port with a vision for hydrogen-fuelled shipping and digitised, eco-friendly operations. This reflects a broader market push for green infrastructure that’s both forward-looking and profitable. 𝟑. 𝐀𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Bremen’ hosts Europe’s Space Tech Expo; the city is a hub for ventures in satellites and space-based climate solutions, aligning with family office trends in impact and innovation. Bremen’s model combines tech with sustainability—a powerful approach for family offices considering next-generation investments. 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲’𝐬 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲? 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐈 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫? 

🌍 Day 6 of our sustainability delegation to Copenhagen: day trip to Malmo, Sweden. Today, we ventured across the Øresund Bridge to discover the sustainability initiatives of one of Sweden’s leading sustainability cities. From smart energy grids to innovative materials, our day was packed with inspiring visits and engaging conversations. We kicked off the day with a presentation from E.ON about smart energy grids. Through advanced grid technologies, automation, and digital solutions, EON optimizes energy efficiency, empowers consumers, and paves the way for a sustainable energy future.⚡️ Next, Varvsstaden welcomed us to explore their cutting-edge "Material Bank," a dynamic database showcasing the site's materials while highlighting the environmental benefits of recycling and reuse. In the quest for circular construction, Varvsstaden identified the treasure trove within existing buildings, paving the way for large-scale recycling initiatives. They shared insights into the meticulous process of inventorying, dismantling, and storing materials, ensuring every step towards sustainability is transparent and accessible. 🏛 Hearing from Lazar Rajovic about the city’s internal circular economy building initiatives was very inspiring. They have an impressive system to catalog reusable materials from buildings across their real estate portfolio and utilize an online marketplace and multiple warehouse to internally reuse and publicly sell materials. The results are sizable GHG reduction and cost savings versus purchasing virgin materials. Every major city should be doing this. 🏗 At Malmö Citadellsgymnasium, we glimpsed the future of sustainable education. This newly established school offers students the chance to shape a greener tomorrow while building traditions that stand the test of time. Brinks and other materials were reused in the construction. 🏫 Our visit to Form/Design Center was an incredibly experience. Form/Design Center is the leading platform for architecture, design, and crafts in southern Sweden. Designated by the government as a national node for designing living environments, sustainability is built into the core of much of their existing work. We received a wonderful presentation from the Director, Dorte Bo Bojesen, and a great tour of some of the current exhibits, including "Planetary Boundaries" from the Royal Danish Academy. If you're feeling FOMO, there's still time to apply for our next delegation to Munich this October. Apply today! 😀 https://lnkd.in/gtA6KpyZ 🌟 #Malmo #UrbanSustainability #Delegation #CircularEconomy

We are pleased to present the most promising solutions of the #CircularCityChallenge 2023, starting with the “#BuildEnvironment”. This area is all about leveraging local resources, accessing secondary raw materials, and engaging circular building experts, while optimizing construction waste management and monitoring materials based on economic and emission values throughout the building life cycle, and finding innovative solutions for existing materials during redesign and renovation. The four solutions selected by our jury are: ⭕ Concular The digital ecosystem for circular construction prioritizes the #reuse of high-quality building materials, aiming to significantly #reduce waste and CO2 emissions. https://concular.de/ ⭕ BuildSystems Evaluate recycling and reusing scenarios, along with incorporating secondary raw materials using smart sustainability roadmaps. Operate the "Circular Component Creator," a web-based open-source tool for selecting, creating, analyzing, and comparing components and building systems early in the building planning phase. https://buildsystems.de/ ⭕ #Reunit - ernten statt wegwerfen Transforming construction into a resource- and climate-friendly practice, Re:unit delivers reusable building products through a meticulous harvesting process and a materials licensing system. https://re-unit.com/ ⭕ Fraunhofer IPK The Automated Feedback of Building Models from Optical Scan Data (ARGOS) automatically generates building models, documenting construction status in an automated and processable manner. https://lnkd.in/ds-WS6JK 👉You can find out more about these projects here: https://lnkd.in/dd_v6rDH Thanks to all network partners and our funding partners Stuttgarter Klima-Innovationsfonds, Berlin Partner für Wirtschaft und Technologie GmbH and Projektmensch. materialkreislauf. Studio für Material- und Kreislaufwirtschaft , Circonnact - Regenerative Circularity, Circular Black Forest, Creative Climate Cities, Fab City Hamburg e.V. , Circular Berlin, Circular Munich Ⓜ️♾ #CircularCityChallenge #CircularCity #CircularEconomy #Berlin #Stuttgart #Vienna #Munich #KreisLippe #Zeuthen #BusinessChallenge #StartupChallenge #Innovation #circularcities

🌿 Charting the Course for Sustainable Construction at the Sustainable Economy Summit 🏗️ I was listening the panel: “Low-carbon construction and real estate,” at the Sustainable Economy Summit in Warsaw, Poland. We’re exploring the avenues of sustainable building with an eye on the horizon. Key insights can share: Insulating existing buildings in Poland is identified as the most impactful measure for carbon footprint reduction. The path to decarbonization is difficult, costly, and challenging, but it’s a journey we must undertake. It’s not only crucial for our environmental future but also a regulatory necessity in the coming years. Existing systems present the greatest carbon reduction challenges. Their transformation is not just necessary; it’s urgent. This step is crucial, despite the conflict of interests among different stakeholders. Green energy is not just good for the planet; it also increases business value. For instance, initiatives by Google and Microsoft in the Netherlands have led to a 10 percent increase in company value. Yet, the market’s awareness is still evolving. A heartfelt thanks to the panelists for their profound insights: Bartosz Zamara, PhD from Trebbi Polska Arne Bongenaar from ACTEEUM Anna Duchnowska from @Invesco Real Estate Maciej Korbasiewicz from BOLIX SA Ocieplenia, Tynki, Farby, Kleje. BOLIX: ETICS, Plasters, Paints, Adhesives Dariusz Pawlukowicz from ROBYG S.A. Bartosz Tokarski from EIB SA Their expertise is invaluable as we tackle the complexities of sustainable development in the construction sector. Also many thanks to Beata Radomska, CEO of @executiveclubpoland to make this event happening👏 Let’s forge ahead for a sustainable and valuable future. 🌱 #SustainableEconomySummit #Decarbonization #SustainableConstruction #RealEstate #BuildingGreen #GreenEnergy #BusinessValue #TrebbiPolska #ActeeumGroup #InvescoRealEstate #Bolix #ROBYG #EIB #Google #Microsoft #executiveclubpoland

🚀 𝐒𝐏𝟑 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞: 𝐄𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲-𝐄𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐑𝐄𝐒 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 🚀 🌐 ASCEND partners from #Porto, #Munich, #Lyon, #Budapest, and #Prague exchanged strategies for integrating circular approaches into energy-efficient buildings and onsite renewable energy sources (RES). The session, facilitated by Rosalía Simón de Lama and Jonatan Viejo from CARTIF, explored how cities can implement circular economy practices in their built environments. 🔍 Challenges: • Circularity vs. Regulations: Building and insurance standards can conflict with circular construction practices. • Procurement Barriers: Public procurement processes need adaptation to prioritize circular materials and practices. 📌 Takeaways: • Circularity from Design: Circular economy principles must be integrated from the early design phase to ensure sustainable building practices. • Leading Examples: Porto already requires 10% recycled materials in public tenders, setting a precedent for circular procurement. 💬 QUOTE: “It was inspiring to collectively brainstorm with ASCEND cities on innovative solutions that can be implemented within the cities’ project locations... The potential role of having green public procurement can offer a high impact via standardising application requirements of circular approaches.” – Almos Papp, Budapest 📄 For more details, see the attached document. #ASCEND #EnergyEfficientBuildings #CircularEconomy #OnsiteRES #CommunityOfPractice #SustainableDevelopment #Innovation #Collaboration #CityDevelopment #CommunitiesOfPractice #SP3 🚀 Eduardo Blanco, Sebastián Oviedo, Energy Cities, Baptiste Mougeot, Etienne Vignali, Andreas Baernreuther, Dr. Stefan Synek, Selina Lorenz, Laura Dieguez, Michal Kuzmic, Jana Vanicka Civinova, Denisa Pevná, Ana Isabel Silva, Adeeb Sidani, Kinga Lőcsei-Tóth, Philippe Fournand, Veronika Cerna, BKK - Budapesti Közlekedési Központ, Czech Technical University in Prague, OICT, Pražská developerská společnost, LYON CONFLUENCE, Métropole de Lyon, Urban Practices, Stadtwerke München GmbH, Technical University of Munich, Isarwatt eG, AVANCIS GmbH, Spectrum Mobil GmbH, UnternehmerTUM, AdEPorto - Agência de Energia do Porto, Águas do Porto, EM, Porto Digital

Reflecting on recent events and my experience in Austria, I have taken some time to reconnect with my surroundings and regroup thoughts and ideas. My current thoughts focus on the future of sustainable initiatives “in the now” and how individual effectiveness is impacting the environment. It’s amazing to construct, manage and develop sustainable designs that inspire and influence culture- however, if the understanding behind “why” and “how?” these developments and methods are necessary, the idea of sustaining anything becomes lost. Think of who understands many of these concepts and ideas and how effective are the measures that are taken to influence “sustainable culture” Just a few thoughts. That’s it. Jae Richardson #regrouping #justathought #sustainability #effectiveness #sustainablemeasures #sustainablearchitecture #sustainabledevelopment #sustainabledesign #sustainableconstruction #sustainableculture

🌐 #CircularMinds: #Kreislaufstadt – Boosting Resilience and Value Creation in Hamburg In the quest for a #CircularEconomy, Hamburg is leading the way as a pilot city in the #Kreislaufstadt project. Recently, 50+ key actors from Hamburg’s circular economy scene convened at the #PopUpCircularHub to deliberate objectives and essential measures for the city’s circular economy strategy. 🎥 Watch the video: Sandra Wagner-Endres from Deutsches Institut für Urbanistik (Difu) succinctly outlines the project’s core aspects, emphasizing the role of local and regional resilience and value creation. 🌱🔄 #CircularEconomy #Sustainability #Hamburg #CircularCities4ALL