Innovating to cut embodied carbon in transformation projects

Uppsala Municipality and Ramboll have developed a circular building process that will contribute to the Municipality’s goal of reducing CO2 emissions by 12-14% per year until 2030 by lowering embodied carbon through maximum reuse of entire buildings.
Ulleråker in Uppsala Circular Constrcution Project
Credits : Mandaworks and Warm in the Winter
To support Uppsala Municipality’s efforts to become climate positive by 2050, Ramboll has undertaken a new groundbreaking construction project. Innovative circular building processes have been developed with the ambition of drastically reducing embodied carbon, waste, extraction of new materials and new production and thus preventing the loss of biodiversity. The project is a collaboration with the EU initiative NetZeroCity for climate-neutral neighbourhoods.  
Urban scale match-making process
Significantly lowering embodied carbon in the project has entailed an urban scale match-making process. The extracted materials from four dismantled donator buildings in Ulleråker, Uppsala are to be used in three receiving buildings in three areas in the Uppsala region, Östra Sala Backe, Rosendals Torg and Ulleråker.
In the match-making process, the materials of entire buildings are evaluated, categorised and sold. Everything from load-bearing structures, insulation materials to individual bricks have been carefully scrutinised.

“There are many pioneering aspects to this project.  We have created new value and business models, and new collaborations across the entire value chain from real estate owners to manufacturers. The goal has been to maximise resource flows and keep existing materials at their highest value. Our role has been to guide the client in their transformation from linear to circular economy in the building sector.”

Jelena Mijanovic
Manager Circular Economy, Ramboll
Circular business models and navigating risks
Identifying circular business models for sales and allocation of materials to different stakeholders along the value chain is a prominent part of Ramboll’s work. Creating new strategies and processes for circular resource flows and issuing recommendations for reuse and recycling of different materials, inventory methods, data collection, quality assurance, and disassembly methods have also been developed.  
To help the client navigate potential risks, Ramboll is offering guidance on handling laws, regulations, and guarantees related to the reuse of materials in line with the SDG:s (UN Sustainable Development Goals). CO2 calculations and cost and climate comparisons of new and reused material have also been undertaken.

“Ramboll has been an important partner in supporting us with the challenges and complexities that have emerged along the way in this project. They have provided the right basis to move forward in the process and supported us in making wise decisions. With Ramboll’s leadership we have been able to reach the project's ambitious goals and at the same time keep to a tight schedule. We have an open, transparent and flexible collaboration and a strong drive to lead the project in the right direction.”

Emma Carmelid
Project lead, Property Development, Uppsala Municipality

Want to know more?

  • Jelena Mijanovic

    Manager, Circular Economy

    +46 76 855 15 64

    Jelena Mijanovic