Innovative projects

Read selected examples of how we act as a partner for sustainable change for our clients in their transition towards more sustainable solutions.

In Copenhagen, Ramboll helped redevelop Remiseparken, an overlooked urban space that now integrates climate adaptation design elements, lush nature, and outdoor activities into the community.

Offshore wind powers ahead

Ramboll has designed more than two-thirds of offshore wind foundations globally. We continue that tradition by providing foundation design for the Mayflower and Windanker wind farms in the US and Germany. Both the US and German governments have committed to building 30 GW offshore wind each by 2030.

The Mayflower wind farm in Massachusetts has the potential to generate up to 2,4 GW low-cost clean energy, making it the second largest in US waters. The project will power 800,000 homes in Massachusetts and avoid 13 million tonnes of greenhouse gases during its lifetime, according to developer Mayflower Wind.

“Windanker builds on the lessons learned from Baltic Eagle. By sharing knowledge in the project team, and with the fabricator and client, we ensure a challenge in one project becomes an opportunity to optimise in the next,” says Jens Kalin, head of offshore wind for Ramboll in Germany.

Both the US and German governments have committed to building 30 GW offshore wind each by 2030.

“The US is an exciting market for offshore wind and it’s truly in motion,” says Tim Fischer, global director for offshore wind services at Ramboll. “The US energy transition will be less about new technologies and more about developing the infrastructure and local supply chain needed to enable the green transition. Offshore wind is a good example, as much of the know-how is still concentrated in Europe,” he adds.

Roughly 6,000 kilometres away, the Windanker farm in the German Baltic Sea will provide 300 MW energy. Ramboll designed the foundations for the wind farm’s 21 turbines on behalf of our client Iberdrola. This comes shortly after Ramboll designed foundations for 50 turbines at Iberdrola’s Baltic Eagle wind farm.

: 13mn

tonnes greenhouse gases avoided in the lifetime of the Mayflower offshore wind farm

Nature-based solutions for New York and Copenhagen

A consequence of our warming planet is that communities worldwide will face more extreme weather events in the future. Ramboll partners with cities around the world to demonstrate the effectiveness of nature-based solutions for climate adaption. Three examples stand out.

Nature-based solutions not only help protect and restore natural ecosystems and biodiversity, they offer benefits like green jobs, resiliency against natural disasters, and better public health.

In Copenhagen, we helped redevelop Remiseparken, an overlooked urban space that now integrates climate adaptation design elements, lush nature, and outdoor activities into the community. The 35,000 square meter area includes a natural-appearing retention basin to support biodiversity and collect excess water during cloudbursts, and is part of the Danish capital’s Cloudburst Masterplan. Among its striking features is a 2,000 cubic metre capacity trench running the length of the park with an elevated walking path for visitors, and a skate park.

: 35000

square meters park with natural-appearing retention basin to support biodiversity and collect excess water during cloudbursts

Rainwater drainage system in disguise

Nature-based solutions not only help protect and restore natural ecosystems and biodiversity, they offer benefits like green jobs, resiliency against natural disasters, and better public health.

In nearby Høje Taastrup, in Denmark’s capital region, our experts not only created beautiful recreational spaces, they helped disguise the area’s rainwater drainage system as the world’s longest skatepark. Rainwater travels through bioretention facilities, the skatepark, and onward to a pond. The collected rainwater then irrigates the surrounding park. During heavy rains, excess rainwater is led from the pond to the skatepark which acts as a detention pond for future community water management.

Meanwhile across the Atlantic, in New York City, Ramboll led construction management on the 700m-long Living Breakwaters Project to prevent erosion and protect Staten Island’s coastline from storm damage, large waves, and flooding.

The breakwaters are designed with an outer layer of ecologically enhanced concrete armour units that improve water quality and restore habitats for marine flora and fauna species, including the once native oysters that have disappeared due to environmental degradation. The oysters filter water and increase water quality, while holding the breakwaters in place. The project is also a step forward for the community after the 2012 Hurricane Sandy damaged the Staten Island shoreline, businesses, homes, and lives.

“Green infrastructure projects are more effective and typically cheaper to construct than traditional grey infrastructure projects, so it is just a matter of time before they become the norm,” says Kevin Smith, senior construction manager for Living Breakwaters.

“By the end of the decade we will start seeing many more projects like this one come to fruition. The benefits of a project like this will speak for themselves and certainly inspire other local governments to engage in similar nature-based solutions,” he adds.

Ev0: The future of zero carbon offices

The Ev0 building in Manchester, UK, is set to become the UK’s lowest carbon new build office development. At the heart of Ev0 is a timber frame that stores carbon from the atmosphere, helping the finished building secure net zero carbon in construction and operations. As the structural and civil engineers, Ramboll is collaborating with the client, Bruntwood, and architects Sheppard Robson to deliver the project, setting a new standard for offices of the future. Designed in accordance with the UK Green Building Council framework, Ev0 is expected to be one of the most operationally efficient office buildings in the UK, culminating in running costs 58% cheaper than a traditional new build.

: 94%

of Ev0’s energy demand will be generated on site

Nature-based solutions

At the heart of Ev0 is a timber frame that stores carbon from the atmosphere.

Bruntwood

Extensive use of timber in the building structure helps store approximately 4,000 tons CO2e.

Bruntwood

In the Ev0 building, upfront embodied carbon has been reduced to circa 500 kg CO2e/m2 through use of low carbon concrete and a timber frame. Credit: Bruntwood

“The idea of using a timber frame to reduce the carbon impacts of concrete and steel is going to be transformational. We show that it can be done in a commercial setting, encouraging others to do the same,” Bev Taylor, director of energy and environment, Bruntwood

Liveable cities: from Toronto to Espoo

When it comes to urban regeneration, we aim to develop inclusive communities that support more sustainable lifestyles. This means urban residents can easily walk, cycle, or take public transport from their homes to essential places such as workplaces, shopping and healthcare.

A standout example is Quayside in downtown Toronto, Canada. Henning Larsen, along with partners Adjaye Associates, Alison Brooks Architects and SLA are co-leading the master plan and design of the 12-acre (4.9 hectare) waterfront site transformation.

15-minute city

Considered a “complete city” or a “15-minute city,” the project includes 800 new affordable housing units; as well as an urban farm atop one of Canada’s largest residential mass timber buildings, a world-class art venue, co-working spaces, healthcare amenities, and a two-acre forest at its heart.

Our designs create a visually striking focal point on Toronto’s waterfront and ensure exemplary low-carbon development to make Quayside the first all-electric, zero-carbon community at this scale.

Meanwhile, in Espoo, Finland, we are transforming an old industrial and logistics area with the City of Espoo into a 14,000-person urban centre, oriented around walking and cycling. Located next to an existing rail connection, the aim of the Kera community is to halve its carbon dioxide emissions compared to ordinary city districts.

“The possibilities of Kera as a model example of sustainable urban planning are based on its exceptional scale. Urban development sites this large are rarely available,” says Rosa Väisänen, specialist at City of Espoo.

We have contributed to Kera’s development over many years and in 2022 were selected for the construction planning of street areas and municipal engineering for the district, including four railway lines and three pedestrian bridges. The designs support connections between Kera’s new day-care centres and schools, sports, and recreation services, as well as both new and reused buildings for housing

“The possibilities of Kera as a model example of sustainable urban planning are based on its exceptional scale. Urban development sites this large are rarely available,” Rosa Väisänen, specialist at City of Espoo.

Circular approaches to building community spaces

Materials account for up to 80% of the overall CO2 climate footprint in new buildings across their full lifetime, according to the World Green Building Council. That is why it is crucial to focus on reducing carbon emissions from building materials.

Together with the renowned Danish furniture manufacturer Fritz Hansen, we designed a pavilion celebrating the company’s 150th birthday. Located in the garden of Denmark’s Design Museum, in the Danish capital Copenhagen, the pavilion is designed for natural daylight and built in solid wood.

The pavilion is built according to the principles of circular design Inspired by the surrounding garden as a hybrid space with fluid transitions between inside and outside. It can be disassembled, and its materials can be recycled for use elsewhere to create minimal waste. As a community space, it has provided a platform for summer schools, exhibitions, and workshops.

“We wanted to celebrate Fritz Hansen’s past as we looked to the future,” says Christian Andresen, Creative Experience Director at Fritz Hansen. “Henning Larsen has a strong portfolio as a sustainability-minded design studio. We both have a holistic approach to design and share tastes in materials and creative expression, so our collaboration felt very natural.”

Over in Kanalbyen, a recently developed neighbourhood in Fredericia, Denmark, we’re collaborating on a demo project showing CO2-efficient concrete construction. Our goal is to build a 150 m2 community house with a CO2 footprint less than 5 kg CO2/m2/year for building components and operations combined. Innovatively, we are producing 3D printed concrete bearing columns, so they are hollow instead of solid. With a thickness as little as 5 cm, the thin and hollow columns can support a double-curved roof construction, reducing the concrete materials used.

The demo project is a collaboration between Ramboll, AP Pension, Henning Larsen Architects, the Danish Technological Institute and Aalborg Portland.

: 80%

Share of climate footprint of materials in lifecycle of new buildings.