Shaping Sustainable Places – Development and Construction of a Low-Carbon Built Environment

Digital tech and artificial intelligence are shaking up the construction and property sectors. Two leading figures in Nordic property – Daniel Kjørberg Siraj, CEO of OBOS Group, and Christoffer Hernæs, Chief Digital Officer with Skanska Norway – discuss how they are partnering with startups to drive efficiency, improve safety, reduce costs and lower carbon emissions in an industry seen as traditionally slow to adopt new technologies.

In this episode, we take you on an inspiring journey to the outskirts of Prague, where a historic industrial site along the banks of the Vltava River has undergone a remarkable transformation. Join us as we explore Modřanský Cukrovar, formerly a sugar refinery dating back to the 1800s, which has blossomed into an attractive residential neighborhood rich in public spaces, modern amenities, and homes that integrate the latest in sustainable solutions.Guests in this episode:Ondřej Mundl: Architect, Design Director at Chybik + Kristof Architects https://www.chybik-kristof.com/ Ondřej Flanderka: Sustainability Manager at Skanska Residential Czech Republic.Petr Dušta: Senior Project Manager at Skanska Residential Europe.Host: John Ambrose

In this insightful episode of Shaping Sustainable Places, we delve into the evolving concept of the modern office and its crucial role in fostering employee well-being and productivity. With the backdrop of a shifting work landscape where flexibility is key, the discussion explores the New Era of Work – a paradigm that moves beyond where we work to focus on how the work environment supports our overall health and enables us to thrive.Guests in this episode:Dr Whitney Austin Gray, Senior Vice President at the International WELL Building Institute.Myrrh Caplan, Senior Vice President for Sustainability at Skanska USA Building.

Mass timber is driving a significant shift in how we build. It’s renewable, low in carbon, efficient to build with, and it looks and even smells great. It’s becoming a truly disruptive force in the construction industry.    So why aren’t more building projects using mass timber? How Cn we overcome the biggest obstacles to accelerating the use of mass timber globally?   In this episode, we get the inside running from last week’s International Mass Timber Conference in Portland, Oregon, the largest gathering of mass timber experts in the world, focusing on the entire industry supply chain.   Our guests:  Stewart Germain, Skanska USA Commercial Development’s Innovation and Sustainability Director Erica Spiritos, mass timber specialist and Director of the Washington Mass Timber Accelerator, who is working to grow mass timber regional ecosystems.

Hospitals are known for having a major impact on the environment, with significant needs for resources such as water and energy. So how can you build a hospital today that is sustainable, not only for the planet but also for the patients and those who work there?In this episode, we take a closer look at an amazing project where the construction and design teams worked closely with the customer to complete a major expansion of the UVA University Hospital in Charlottesville, Virginia, in the USA. The expansion had to be built while the hospital continued operating without interruption. On top of that, the entire project was tested to the limit when the Covid-19 pandemic hit the region and the world.Our guests:Mark Humbertson Construction Administration Manager, University of VirginiaJon Penndorf, Associate Principal at multidisciplinary design firm Perkins&WillJohn Calvin, Project Executive Vice President, Skanska USA Building

With its almost 700,000 inhabitants, Oslo capital of Norway has a vision: to be a smart, sustainable and inclusive city that thrives in all aspects: social, economic, and environmental. One important measure to minimize the city’s climate impact is to renovate buildings when possible, instead of demolishing them and building new ones with modern energy and accessibility standards. ​ In this episode, we look at how this renovation revolution is reshaping the Norwegian capital, and examine what other cities can learn from Oslo’s progress on renovating instead of demolishing. This episode’s guests: Heidi Sørensen, Director of Oslo City’s Climate AgencySara Zahl, District Manager in Oslo and a Skanska expert on renovation

In this episode, we take a closer look at how communities are protecting themselves from the increasing threat of flooding. What are the smart solutions being used today to save lives and reduce the impact of flooding? Guests in this episode:Anna Åkesson, Group Environmental Manager SkanskaPedro Ribiero, Head of C40´s Water Program

The built environment accounts for almost 40 percent of global carbon emissions. But that big number represents a huge opportunity.In this episode of Shaping Sustainable Places, we take a closer look at how turning buildings into intelligent, networked energy storage makes them more resilient, as well as improving the efficiency and reliability of the power grid as a whole.Guests in this episode:Henrik Ahnström, Director of Product, Process and Innovation within Skanska's commercial development arm in the Nordics.Niklas Johansson, Commercial Product Manager for E.ON ectogrid™.

With circularity a key approach to reducing embodied carbon, how are companies creating the structures and ecosystem to make used materials a viable and economical alternative?In this episode, we take a closer look at how materials that are commonly seen as waste can be turned into valuable resources and become an asset for businesses.This episode’s guests:Anders Lendager, founder of Lendager Group in Copenhagen, DenmarkBarbro Brattström Grujovic, Business Developer, Skanska Sweden, SIS

Concrete has been around for more than 2,000 years, and it remains  the construction material of choice for buildings, bridges, tunnels and more. But its popularity means it has a huge environmental impact. What role will concrete play in the future of construction?In this episode we find out how leading companies are taking on one of our most pressing climate challenges and cutting the carbon emissions from concrete production.Guests in this episodeKarin Comstedt Webb, Senior Vice President, Heidelberg Materials Sweden.Doctor Wolfgang Dienemann, Director Global Research & Development, Heidelberg Materials.Doctor Bob Slansky, Head of Technical Research and Innovations, Skanska Central Europe.

Recent years have been challenging for property investors, with high interest rates and volatile property values. At the same time, increasing demands for sustainability are adding new pressures. How can an investor today ensure they get the returns they need from their sustainable property portfolio?   We talk with two experts who share their insights into the challenges and opportunities facing real estate investors right now, both in Europe and the United States.  This episode’s guests:      Cecilia Fasth, CEO of Stena Property, a major property investor in the Nordic and Central European markets.  Murphy McCullough, Business Unit President for Skanska USA Commercial Development.

There are some successful building projects that highlight the global trend towards urban sustainability and the impact of sustainable building design. To find out what it takes to design, construct and operate such a building, we take a closer look at Hyllie Terrass in Malmö, one of the most sustainable office buildings in Sweden. And what have been the major trends in the sustainable project development construction space over the past year? As we look back over our first two seasons of the podcast, we brought back a favorite guest, Lena Hök, Executive Vice President for Sustainability and Innovation with Skanska Group. Lena Hök tells us about two key trends that are really impacting the industry right now.Guest: Åsa Johansson, Project Developer, Skanska in Sweden.Guest: Lena Hök, Executive Vice President for Sustainability and Innovation with Skanska Group

For many office workers, the post-pandemic years have meant a major transition. The return to the office has meant reintegrating into the social sphere of colleagues and customers, commuting to work, and maybe retiring those very comfortable but not too fashionable track pants. But modern workplaces have raised their game. Picture yourself working in a space that’s constructed with your comfort in mind, with cleaner air than your own home, with biophilic design bringing nature indoors, healthy food options, a gym, parking for your bike and even tools for fixing it. In this episode of Shaping Sustainable Places, we take a closer look at what it takes to create an office like that, a workplace where you want to be.Guest: Wendy Feldman Block, Executive Manager Director at Savills Northern Virginia office, USA.Guest: Katarzyna Zawodna-Bijoch, Business Unit President for Skanska Commercial Development Europe

Roads haven’t changed much in the last few thousand years. The Romans had the basic idea—a large aggregate covered in smaller stones, topped with something smoother—that we still use today. But the rock used in base and subbase of today’s roads, as well as the concrete and asphalt used on the surface, has to be mined and hauled to wherever it’s needed. Both are costly and not environmentally friendly. But now researchers are looking into cheaper, more sustainable, and smarter ways to build streets and highways. In this episode we will take a closer look at what the new asphalt can do for the environment and for the construction industry.  Guest: Christopher Elofsson, project manager at Vällsta asphalt plant.  Guest: Abubeker Achmed, senior researcher working for the Swedish National Road and Transport Institute.  Guest: Jiqing Zhu, senior researcher working for the Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute.

Amongst the most epic structures found on this planet, bridges are the giants. But even these marvels of engineering need a little tender loving care, so that they can serve their communities for decades or centuries to come. In this episode, we explore two exciting bridge projects.Skanska is renovating the George Washington Bridge in New York City, the world’s busiest road bridge with 300,000 vehicles crossing every day. We visit the bridge to find out what the challenges are in such a major renovation project.And with a major investment in solar energy, the Öresund Bridge, connecting Denmark and Sweden, has taken the next step in an ambitious plan to become the world's most sustainable bridge. How far off are they from their goal?This episode’s guests: Jen Billand, senior project manager, Skanska USA CivilBengt Hergart, Property Director with the Öresund Bridge Consortium.