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Environment and climate

Our properties shall be safe, secure and healthy for both people and the environment. Our environmental performance is measured in relation to such areas as energy consumption, choice of materials, waste, water use and obviously our emissions, which cover a number of environmental aspects.

Build with care

Through our sustainability work, we take responsibility by minimising our use of resources and reducing our negative impact, and ensure that the properties are equipped for future climate change.

We make climate calculations in the early stages of our new production, which has a positive effect in the project development phase.

Climate strategy

Handling changing climate conditions is part of our preventive work and something we take into account in all areas, from acquisition to project development and management.

Our greatest climate impact is mainly through the energy our properties consume, through new construction and renovation projects, as well as the choice of materials and transports. Hemsö’s climate strategy includes reducing the climate impact of construction and investing in new technical solutions.

We have signed Fossil-free Sweden’s roadmap for the building and construction sector. Hemsö’s climate impact is monitored annually in a climate report in accordance with the GHG protocol.

Our objectives include:

  • Achieve net zero emissions throughout the value chain (scope 1, 2 and 3) by 2040.
  • All new production shall be environmentally certified.
  • In a comparable portfolio (Sweden), energy savings should amount to at least three per cent per year.
  • Reduce the total climate impact of new construction and major reconstruction projects.
  • Promote development in the area of climate-smart and sustainable buildings by investing in new technical solutions.

Energy efficiency and renewable energy

Hemsö has a high investment rate in actions aimed to reduce energy consumption and thus our environmental impact. All properties in Sweden are inventoried from an energy perspective, and the goal is to reduce energy consumption by 3 per cent per year in the comparable portfolio. We focus on renewable energy such as solar cells and geothermal energy.

  • A woman in orange shirt riding a yellow bike past Helsinki District Court, a property owned by Hemsö.

    Helsinki District Court

    Hemsö has done an extensive energy renovation of the Helsinki District Court building, which has improved both the building’s energy efficiency and indoor air quality.

    Carbon dioxide and temperature sensors have been installed in the building. They adapt the ventilation to the number of people in the premises, resulting in efficient energy use.

  • Early stage climate calculations

    An important part of Hemsö’s climate work is to reduce the climate impact of building materials. We collaborate with Plant, which has developed a tool that calculates and recommends the most climate-smart ways to construct a building at an early stage.

Environmental certifications

Hemsö uses environmental certification as a tool to ensure important qualities linked to both environmental and social sustainability in our buildings. This includes high requirements for energy performance and indoor environment, as well as material choices with consideration for the environment and health.

For new construction and major refurbishments or renovations, one of the following certification levels should be the minimum:

  • Miljöbyggnad Silver
  • Nordic Ecolabel Svanen
  • LEED Gold or better
  • BREEAM or BREEAM In Use Very good or better
  • DGNB Silver or better

Project

Sköndalsvillan in Tyresö

Hemsö has developed a new retirement home and short-stay home in the centre of Tyresö. Sköndalsvillan is Sweden’s first net Zero CO2 certified retirement home and is also certified according to Miljöbyggnad Gold.

Recycling lowers the carbon footprint

At Hemsö, we have implemented projects that focus on the reuse and recycling of building materials in refurbishment processes.

  • Campus Vasastan

    Campus Vasastan was completed in 2022 and is the first refurbishment project for which we carried out climate calculations. The project turned out to have a climate footprint equivalent to one third compared to new construction.

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  • Campus Polacksbacken

    University campus in central Uppsala that Hemsö is converting into a school campus. The project is being carried out in two phases, the first of which was completed in summer 2023. The goal is to achieve an even lower climate footprint than Campus Vasastan.

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  • The Stavsborg School

    The Stavsborg School in Nacka is a new construction project, completed by the summer of 2023, where, in collaboration with a local artist, we have preserved materials and memories of the former school.

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