Sweden - Smart Built Environment Technologies Energy-Efficient Construction Sweden
The Swedish construction industry has an approximate annual turnover of USD 80 billion and the estimated value of the real estate stock is USD 780 billion, excluding the value of infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, railway, harbors, and airports. According to the Swedish Construction Federation, the sector employs 340,000 people and in 2018 the investments amounted to USD 55 billion, which accounts for 9 percent of GDP.
The civil engineering/urban development sector (real estate companies, construction material companies, architects and consultants) has an annual turnover of USD 140 billion and employs 500,000 people, which equals 11 percent of the total work force in Sweden.
The U.S. share of the market is currently 3 percent, mainly in the form of building automation and control systems and highly specialized design services, such as data center construction.
Sweden has ambitious plans to become fossil fuel free by 2045 and the built environment is one of the key areas in this plan. There are several government programs on energy efficient and smart construction and the National Housing Board also provides recommendations and statutes for both new construction and for renovation and retrofit. These programs and recommendations aim to reduce the built environment sector’s environmental impact, shorten planning and construction times, reduce total construction costs, and facilitate new business models for the sector.
Smart built environment is a wide sector ranging from sustainable construction technologies to digital services. Some of the leading sub-sectors include:
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Low- and plus-energy energy construction methods;
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Energy efficient retrofit technologies and windows, doors, and insulation materials;
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Energy efficient building supplies and materials;
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Innovative HVAC solutions and heat recovery ventilation system;
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Building performance measurement systems for energy and water use;
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Building automation and service integration solutions for connected, smart homes and offices and connected construction sites
Sweden stands in the forefront of smart and energy-efficient construction in the EU, and there are several national and municipal public-private sector strategic innovation projects in place across the country, ranging from awareness creation to digitalization.
Smart Built Environment Program is a 12-year strategic research and innovation program 2016-2028, aiming to create new knowledge, skills, services, and products through the integration of Building Information Modeling and Industrialized Construction. Opportunities exist for U.S. companies providing BIM and GIS solutions and digitalization of the construction sites.
The municipal project Royal Seaport is a climate positive, fossil fuel free suburb with carbon dioxide emissions less than 1.5 tons per person. The apartments are interactive and provide the tenants tools to manage every aspect of their living. The construction started in 2011 and is due to finish in 2030. Opportunities exist for U.S. companies providing innovative building materials, digital services and sensor technologies.
The Million Homes Retrofit Program is the government’s modernization and renovation of the suburban public housing stock from 1960s-1970s. The retrofit includes reducing water use, installing garbage disposals for converting waste to biogas, improving insulation, replacing windows and doors to decrease energy use, and installing geo-thermal heating. Opportunities exist for U.S. companies providing sustainable and energy efficient building materials.
Byggmaterialindustrierna
National Board of Housing, Building & Planning
Stockholm Royal Seaport
Swedish Construction Federation
Swedish Green Building Council
Trade Events
The Nordic Architecture Fair, October 14-15, 2019, Gothenburg
Nordbygg, Building & Construction Fair, April 21-24, 2020, Stockholm
Local Commercial Specialist: Tuula Ahlstrom, tuula.ahlstrom@trade.gov