Competences for Reuse in Construction and Programme Secretariat

This work package entails the project 'Competences for Reuse in Construction', which seeks to strengthen students' hands-on competences to reuse construction materials at vocational educations across the Nordics.

The Secretariat is also responsible for the overall external and internal communication of the knowledge created in the programme and establishing partnerships with key stakeholders in the Nordic construction industry and beyond.

The work package is lead by Helle Redder Momsen from the Danish Authority of Social Services and Housing.

Infographic on the organisation of work package 5

Competences for Reuse in Construction

This work package is developing teaching materials for vocational institutions across the Nordic countries to strengthen students' hands-on competences to reuse construction materials.

Background

A recent mapping has shown a clear lack of educational materials to reuse construction materials.

View the mapping of educational materials here

The work package has also published a report on policies enabling the reuse of construction materials in the Nordic countries

Read the report on policies in reuse here

Skills4Reuse

The result is the brand new educational material Skills4Reuse that gives practical skills for building with reused construction materials as well as general knowledge of sustainability.

The material is free and available in all Nordic languages and English.

Enter the Skills4Reuse universe here

Creating Links and Engaging Stakeholders

To anchor the knowledge and experience gained in the program, work package 5 has focused extensively on creating networks and raising awareness of the program through conferences, debates, presentations, etc., thus ensuring the best conditions to make a positive impact on the built environment and construction and to be at the forefront of upcoming EU legislation.

Nordic collaboration on harmonisation and a green optimisation of the national annexes to the Eurocodes

The Nordic Steering Group for Harmonisation, which consists of representatives from all the Nordic construction authorities, has identified the update of the national annexes to the Eurocodes as a significant window of opportunity to reduce the negative climate- and resource impact from construction and at the same time, where feasible, seek Nordic harmonisation.

To motivate such a transition, Nordic Sustainable Construction has taken the initiative to gather Nordic authorities and Eurocode experts in order to define what to focus on in such a green check of the national annexes to the Eurocodes and further strengthen the cross country collaboration in this field. This has resulted in a Nordic priority paper identifying where to focus the efforts.

This paper will be share to the existing groups working hard to update the national annexes and later in 2024, indicative results will be shared pointing to how much potential there is both for decreasing the negative impact and also to harmonise.

Read the Nordic priority paper here

What are Eurocodes?

Eurocodes are a series of European standards which, together with the associated national annexes containing technical requirements, determine the safety level for load-bearing structures. Eurocodes are used for the design of construction, roads and bridges.

The use of Eurocodes also contributes to strengthening the single market in the field of construction in Europe.

The national annexes to Eurocodes are a series of supplements in which each country can determine the safety level or values and methods that take into account building practices or special national geological and climatic conditions.

Revision of Eurocodes and national annexes

Eurocodes are being revised at European level. The European work is expected to be completed in approx. 2025, and the result is expected to be implemented in the national building regulations in 2026/2027.

In connection with the revision of Eurocodes, the various parts of the national annexes must be revised. The work also includes an evaluation and adjustment of the total safety level, as well as a review of the individual rules in Eurocodes and associated national annexes. The Nordic collaboration motivate that this is done with the aim that the rules do not unnecessarily prevent measures to reduce the climate- and resource impact or unnecessarily increase the cost of construction.

Events

As a part of creating links and communicating about the results of the programme, the secretariat arranges and participates in relevant events with stakeholders from across the Nordics

Here are some highligts:

Panel session at COP28: Is the Construction Sector Becoming Sustainable?

At COP28, Nordic Sustainable Construction facilitated a panel session with actors providing deep insight from different parts of the value chain in the construction sector. The discussion revealed transitions taking place in the sector, and the panel peaked into what the built environment might look like in year 2040.

High Level Construction Forum

More than 100 people gathered in Bruxelles to get a fresh update on, which actions had been taken to contribute to the construction sector’s transition. Several Nordic stakeholders contributed with examples and ideas including Nordic Sustainable Construction.

Net-Zero Built Environment 2024

The conference Net-Zero Built Environment: Innovations, Materials, Structures and Management in Oslo took place this week. The aim was to create knowledge and inspire a new generation of engineers and researchers to minimise carbon footprints in the built environment. Nordic Sustainable Construction were honored to be invited as a keynote speaker to share what the Collaborative Efforts of Nordic Countries to Reduce Climate and Environmental Impact from construction.

Programme Secretariat

The main task of the programme secretariat is to ensure progress, professional coordination and knowledge sharing as well as to handle cross-country tasks between the specific projects under each work package.

The secretariat also ensures anchoring of project results through strategic collaborations with relevant partners. One of them through our communication partnership.

Communication Partnerships

The Secretariat has developed strategic communication partnerships with key stakeholders in the Nordic construction industry to entrench the results of the project in the industry. These partnerships ensures that the knowledge created in the programme is widely spread and that experiences and approaches are shared amongst the Nordic stakeholders. An example of the outcome is an overview of the Nordic sector initiatives to accelerate the sustainable transition of the construction sector.

See an overview of Nordic sector initiatives here

Knowledge Centre

Dive into Competences for Reuse in our knowledge centre