Find Swedish best practice
Here we have gathered some of the best smart & sustainable city solutions from Sweden. All Best Practices are possible to visit by booking a visit to one of our offices.
Manufacture in Wood – Sustainable Wooden Design
‘Manufacture in wood’ is a gathering of forces from the wood construction industry and the wood-based interior design industry. The project will take advantage of the expertise available in production, automation and digital systems so that companies that work with wooden house construction, interior design and design can develop, with new solutions and smarter processes.
Near Infrared Sorting of Plastics from Household Waste Reduces Emissions by 75 %
This plant outside of Stockholm is the first of its kind in Sweden, using the Near-Infrared Technology to automatically sort out plastics from household waste. A total of 11,000 tonnes of plastic and 2,500 tonnes of metal are sorted out each year.
AstaZero – Future road safety systems
AstaZero is the world’s first full-scale independent test environment for future road safety.
The facility is unique since the different traffic environments make it possible to test advanced safety systems and their functions for all kinds of traffic and traffic situations including for example light and heavy vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists as well as ICT infrastructure and logistic solutions.
The Tricot factory – Timber on top to create a modern and sustainable office building
It is smart to use a circular business model where you can use existing buildings to create new buildings. Wood as a renewable building material plays a key role when existing buildings get new life with the help of wooden extensions.
The Multi Activity House – Sports, Activities, and Culture Under One Roof
A project is underway in the far north of Sweden to move and relocate the entire city of Gällivare. Public buildings are being replaced, creating a need for innovative, multi-purpose properties. The multi-activity building in the city centre will bring sport, activities and culture under one roof.
Last-Mile Delivery – Inner-City Distribution
Last-mile delivery is the final stage of an item’s journey, where it reaches the end customer. It’s also the most carbon-intensive stage. Growth in e-commerce is increasing both traffic congestion and CO2 emissions from delivery vehicles. Intensive work is underway in Gothenburg to test carbon-neutral concepts for last-mile deliveries.
Electromobility in Gothenburg Creates a Greener and Cleaner City
Fossil-based transport is a major contributor to cities’ CO2 emissions, as well as adding to noise and air pollution. By enabling all forms of transport to run on electricity, electromobility is key to making cities greener, cleaner and more pleasant to live in.
The Intelligent District Heating System – Makes Use of AI
In Karlshamn, a collaboration between several organisations has created a sustainable, intelligent district heating system. The system is controlled using the latest AI technology and is constantly evolving to create a future-proof sustainable energy supply.
Villazero – Building for the Future
Villazero is a development project run by Fiskarhedenvillan, Mondo Arkitekter and Structor Byggteknik Dalarna, together with support from Region Dalarna. The project’s purpose is to build a carbon-neutral detached house in Borlänge. It’s a unique opportunity to learn how to build zero-CO2 houses for a more sustainable future.
Hoppet – Sweden’s first fossil-free preschool
When Hoppet preschool in Gothenburg was due to be built, the City of Gothenburg wanted to set a challenge for the construction industry and encourage change. The city wanted the preschool to be built completely fossil free, with no carbon emissions throughout the building’s entire life cycle from construction to its future use.
Fossil-free steel demonstration plant in Vitåfors – direct reduction of iron ore pellets with hydrogen
HYBRIT’s demonstration plant in Vitåfors, northern Sweden, will demonstrate the value chain for fossil-free steel on an industrial scale. It includes production of hydrogen in order to manufacture sponge iron by direct reduction. The plant is due to open in 2026.
Haraholmen – a Green Industrial Park where Sustainability is Key
Haraholmen is an industrial park that brings together many sustainable initiatives and solutions to increase their positive impact. The site uses renewable energy, welcomes companies with a focus on environmental sustainability and is a hub for resource-efficient transport with access to roads, railways and a deepwater port.
Site East – a Climate-Neutral Construction Site
At Skellefteå Site East, close to Northvolt’s factory, one of the world’s most sustainable development projects has been conducted. Maximising the cutting-edge know-how of both Skellefteå Municipality and external partners, Site East is a source of inspiration for the industry. It has the boldness to adopt new approaches to sustainability and work with contractors towards a common vision.
Wood Safari – Experience how Creative Wood Ideas Turns in to Sustainable Living Environments
Advances in timber construction are attracting more and more attention from contractors and architects, who are discovering the benefits of using wood as a building material. In Skellefteå, you can experience a ‘wood safari’ to learn how creative ideas produce low-carbon, attractive living environments.
Skellefteå Airport – the First Fossil-Free Airport
As the global aviation sector faces increasing demands to get on a sustainable flightpath, one airport in northern Sweden has gained a head start. It aims to become Europe’s, and probably the world’s, first fossil-free airport. It is also preparing to become a test centre for electrically powered and vertical take-off aircraft.
Blue Green City Lab Evaluates Sustainable Solutions
At times of more extreme weather caused by climate change, the downside of dense cities with few green spaces and more paved surfaces is evident; extreme heat, flooding and reduced biodiversity. Blue Green City Lab is a test bed that evaluates new and proven ‘blue-green’ solutions to mitigate these effects.
Social and Environmental Investment in Vårsången: a Good Deal for Everyone
The renovation of the rundown area of Vårsången in Malmö has generated many positive effects. People previously moved to Vårsången because of a lack of other options. Today, they move there because it’s an attractive district where residents want to live. This has increased property values significantly, proving that social and environmental investment is a good deal in the long run.
DigIT Hub Helps Businesses and Public Sector Achieve Digitalisation Goals
There is broad consensus that we cannot continue with business as usual if we are to achieve both a sustainable and prosperous future. DigIT Hub is an initiative that helps companies and the public sector digitalise in a unique, collaborative way.
Ohboy, the Bicycle House – Built for a Sustainable, Cost-Effective Lifestyle
Ohboy the Bicycle House in Malmö is designed, built and owned by architects Hauschild + Siegel. Owning the process from drawing board to finished product has allowed the architects control the entire concept and ensure it meets their vision of a smarter way to live.
Augustenborg Botanical Roof Garden
With its 9500 sqm the Botanical Roof Garden of Augustenborg is an ever-evolving testbed of urban greening. Here you get to see more than 20 different solutions for greening a rooftop, from the most extensive green roofs to biosolar solutions and even a rooftop kitchen garden.
Evolution Road – the Next Generation Electric Roads
In the Evolution Road project, the next generation of ERS (Electric Road System) is being demonstrated and tested at a test site in Lund. ERS provides a charging infrastructure for all kinds of electric vehicles – with benefits such as longer driving range, seamless charging and reduced need for heavy batteries.
CoordiNet – Exploring the Possibilities of a Flexible Power Market
The CoordiNet project is exploring the benefits of creating a ‘power flexibility market’. When electricity demand is high, market participants can offer to reduce their electricity use or increase electricity production and sell excess power to the grid operator.
Sweden’s largest battery storage – a front-edge project to meet increasing electricity demand
Many cities around the world are growing rapidly, which increases the need for electricity. In the city of Uppsala, Sweden, a possible solution is being developed, piloting one of Sweden’s largest battery storages to meet the increased demand, enable continued expansion and mitigate increased capacity needs.
Vision Zero – Reducing Road Traffic Casualties and Injuries
When the concept of Vision Zero was introduced in 1997, it transformed the view of road safety work. Instead of trying to prevent all accidents, the goal is for no one to die or be seriously injured in a road accident. The initiative has led to a halving of deaths on Swedish roads.
MAX IV Combines High-Tech Laboratory with High-Tech Sustainability
MAX IV is a world-leading accelerator physics laboratory for research into synchrotron radiation. It is also unique in its ambitious sustainability aims. Its smart solutions in energy efficiency, biological diversity and waste management make it the first building to receive the BREEAM-SE environmental classification.
Digital Urban Planning Process Boosts Sustainability, Efficiency and Equality
Region Gotland has implemented a digital urban planning process to support case management, digital mailboxes and other aspects of administration. This is contributing to an open, gender-equal and sustainable planning and construction process.
Island of Gotland is Home to Sustainable Energy System Pilot Project
The island of Gotland has been chosen as a pilot region for Sweden’s transition to a future sustainable energy system. The main requirements for this transition are a safe, reliable energy supply that is both ecologically sustainable and economically competitive.
Sensors and AI Technology Provide Smarter Power Grid Maintenance and Troubleshooting
In 2018, the electricity grid around Malå, Sweden, was fitted with a Smart Grid Surveillance system that detects and locates faults and deviations in the grid. The solution enables much more efficient and proactive maintenance, saving time and money.
Fossil-Free Battery Factory Accelerates Transition to Electric with 100% Green Energy
Northvolt in Skellefteå is the greenest battery plant in Europe, providing sustainable replacement of fossil fuels through the large-scale manufacture of batteries for the electrification of transport and vehicles. What’s more, the plant uses 100% green energy.
Stockholm Innovates District Heating with New Solutions and Renewable Sources
In central Stockholm, you find one of Europe’s largest district heating and cooling systems. Close to 90% of the city’s buildings are connected to the district heating network, which uses several innovative energy sources, such as excess heat and wastewater.
Bioenergy Plant Is Among World’s First to Use Carbon Capture and Storage
In the journey towards a carbon-negative energy production, Sweden’s first bioenergy carbon capture and storage pilot plant was commissioned in 2019. This project is a part of Stockholm’s target towards a positive carbon footprint by 2040.
ReTuna: The World’s First Recycling Mall
ReTuna Återbruksgalleria is the world’s first recycling mall, marking the start of a low-carbon shopping revolution. Old items are given new life through repair and upcycling. Everything sold is either recycled or reused, or has been produced organically or sustainably.
Pioneering Technology Adapts Electric Buses to Cold Climate
A major challenge for electric vehicles in northern Europe is adapting them to the cold climate to improve their operation, as well as their passenger and driver comfort. In Umeå, the company Hybricon has solved this problem with an advanced system for air heating and cooling.
Sara Cultural Centre – One of the World’s Tallest Timber Buildings
Sara Cultural Centre, one of the world’s tallest timber buildings, is located in Skellefteå, just below the artic circle in the north of Sweden. The building houses venues for arts, performances and meetings as well as a hotel, and has been constructed with the latest energy solutions.
Smart Living Lab: Innovation Hub Helping Make Umeå a Smart City
Umeå is a fast-growing, environmentally conscious city in Northern Sweden that’s aiming to continue growing based on ecological, economic and social sustainability. The Smart Living Lab is a central hub for innovations and ideas to achieve this vision.
Gender Equality and Inclusiveness in Urban Planning
As segregation and inequality are increasing in many parts of the world , inclusiveness in the planning process of cities and communities is becoming even more important. The city of Umeå in northern Sweden is working hard to create an inclusive, safe environment for all.
Innovative Plant Shows How to Use Turbines and Hydrogen to Produce Zero-Emissions Energy
The Zero Emission Hydrogen Turbine Centre aims to change the future of energy systems. A demonstration plant is conducting tests to show how hydrogen turbines, renewable-energy production and energy storage can work together to produce energy with zero greenhouse gas emissions, and help phase out coal from the power sector.
Logistics Cluster Serves as Model for Collaborating on Smart Sustainable Logistics
Logistics Cluster Östergötland is an arena and network for innovation and development in logistics solutions. It allows both businesses and municipalities to engage with a variety of challenges and new ideas for smarter and more sustainable logistics.
Smart Mobility Solutions in Östergötland
Smart mobility solutions are key to sustainable cities. The Swedish region of Östergötland has become a hot spot for a number of innovative solutions, such as city district design for sustainable transport, car and bike fleets, intelligent traffic safety systems and much more.
Circular Water Solutions in Southern Gotland
The Swedish island of Gotland has experienced a severe water crisis in recent years, negatively affecting tourism and local businesses. To address this problem, innovative circular water solutions are being tested and evaluated in the area of Storsudret in southern Gotland.
Preschool Takes Holistic Approach to Sustainable and Circular Thinking
Ronneby municipality is investing in Cradle to Cradle® as a method to achieve a circular economy, healthy materials, diversity and renewable energy. The method has been implemented in Hulta preschool, creating an environment of conscious material choices together with a stimulating outdoor environment and teaching.
Stormwater Management Makes Stockholm Royal Seaport a Resilient Model
Stockholm Royal Seaport (Norra Djurgårdsstaden) has developed a comprehensive, integrated stormwater system that purifies and slows storm water and meltwater before it is released into the sea.
The system connects green roofs and rooftop gardens with ponds, open storm drain water, surface water drains and urban greenery.
Stormwater Research Centre Is Brimming with New Ideas
‘Drizzle’ is a centre of excellence committed to high-quality R&D in pioneering stormwater solutions that address several challenges: minimising pollution loads on receiving waters; minimising the risk of urban flooding; and taking advantage of the opportunities offered by stormwater run-off.
Developing Cutting-Edge Fossil-Free District Heating at a Lower Temperature
The new district of Brunnshög in the city of Lund will be home to the world’s largest LTDH network (low-temperature district heating). The heating network is based almost entirely on fossil-free surplus heat recovered from MAX IV, another of Lund’s many innovative facilities.
KTH Live-In Lab – Sustainable Urban Development and Digitalisation
KTH Live-In Lab is a platform for accelerated innovation in the real-estate sector with a focus on digitalisation and sustainability. The purpose of KTH Live-In Lab is to reduce lead times between research results and market introduction.
BRF Viva – Housing with Minimum Climate Footprint
Brf Viva was Sweden’s most sustainable and innovative housing project when it was built. Its many smart solutions in energy efficiency and building materials, as well as pioneering trialling of new ideas, make Viva an instructive and inspirational sustainable-living housing development.
Vallastaden – a Model for Sustainable Planning of Cities and Districts
Vallastaden is an unusual city district whose new model for planning and building has led to an urban environment centred around the residents. With its strong focus on social, ecological and economic sustainability, Vallastaden is an inspiring example for future urban development.
Urban ICT Arena – Testbeds for digitalisation in an urban environment
Urban ICT Arena is a co-creation hub in Kista Science City, one of the world’s leading ICT clusters, that believes in the importance of cooperation in meeting the goals set out in the UN’s Agenda 2030. Urban ICT Arena provides tools for ICT companies and the public sector to overcome tomorrow’s challenges today.
H22 City Expo Showcases Big Ambitions for Building a Smarter City
Helsingborg’s international H22 City Expo in 2022, along with its preparatory work, is an ambitious investment that aims to lead the way to smarter, more sustainable urban life and planning. The goal is for Helsingborg to be one of Europe’s most innovative cities in 2022.
Drottninghög – Creating an Attractive and Sustainable Neighbourhood
In the Drottninghög neighbourhood of Helsingborg in southern Sweden a transformation is underway, from a run-down district to an attractive, sustainable part of the city. This change is based on close dialogue between residents, real-estate companies and the City of Helsingborg.
Geofencing Helps Increase Safety and Reduce Environmental Impact from Transport
Geofencing is a virtual geographical perimeter that helps create green zones where vehicles have their speed limited digitally and automatically switch to electric drive where appropriate. This technology is being trialled in Gothenburg as part of a more sustainable transport system.
Remediation Project Turns Polluted Sites into Toxin-Free Environment
In Kristianstad, one of the most polluted areas in southern Sweden has been decontaminated as part of a project to achieve a toxin-free environment. Toxins were reduced by 99.9% and the area is now the development site for a new residential district.
Extended Producer Responsibility in Sweden: Towards better waste management
Extended Producer responsibility (EPR) is a governmental policy and a Swedish law that aims to better waste management and collection. The Swedish system shifts the waste management cost or physical collection fully from local governments to producers. The policy applies to different goods such as packaging, newsprint, electronic products, batteries, tires, end-of-life vehicles, pharmaceutical waste, stray radioactive products and radioactive sources.
RecoLab – Pilot Recovery Plant for Sustainable Management of Waste Water and Food Waste
The new city district of Oceanhamnen in Helsingborg has created a solution for separating and recovering different kinds of waste water and food waste at source. This leads to sustainable reuse of resources through Sweden’s first recovery plant, Reco Lab.
Augustenborg -Turning a Troubled District into an Attractive, Resilient Eco-City
The Augustenborg district in Malmö was ambitiously rebuilt to manage flooding problems and socioeconomic challenges. As a result of solutions based on ecosystem services, the area is now an attractive neighbourhood and an example of a successful sustainable makeover of an urban district.
National Geodata Strategy Aims to Ensure a More Robust, Efficient and Sustainable Society
Sweden’s National Geodata Strategy is based around five societal challenges that geodata – geographic data and information – will help to solve. Key elements of the strategy are: increasing collaboration; harmonising geodata standards; and making them open and available for both the public and private sectors.
The Living Lab Shaping the Housing of Tomorrow
What will future, sustainable housing look like? HSB Living Lab is a research and demonstration arena, consisting of real homes for students and guest researchers. This exciting project innovates on site, enhancing the sustainability and quality of present and future homes and buildings.
Gothenburg Takes District Heating to a New Level of Sustainability
Some 90 percent of Gothenburg’s apartment buildings are connected to the district heating network, a well-proven solution with a number of environmental benefits. But the district heating system has now been further improved using new technology to enable storage of heat for fluctuating needs.
Energy, Heat and Steam Generated from 99% Renewable Fuels
Hörneborgsverket, a biofuel-based cogeneration plant, is at the heart of Övik Energi’s energy production. Hörneborgsverket produces roughly equal amounts of district heating, steam, and electricity. Some 99% of the fuels used at the plant are renewable, and the steam is distributed to local industries.
World-Class Biorefinery for Sustainable Cellulose Production
Domsjö Fabriker is part of the Aditya Birla Group, the world’s largest of viscose fibre producer. This cutting-edge biorefinery is developing the textiles of the future for the world’s catwalks, from northern spruce trees. This is creating a sustainable bioeconomy that uses the forest’s unique renewable resources.
Processum – Biorefinery Development for a Fossil-free Future
Processum is an international research- and innovation partner in biorefinery. In their unique research environment, Processum can test new ideas and products all the way from laboratory to demo scale. The aim is to develop methods for converting all kinds of biomass into useful materials such as proteins and chemicals and into bioenergy to replace fossil based raw materials.
Unique Swedish Solution Improves Water Purification
A new water purification system uses floating walls, or baffles, to improve purification. The solution has been developed by a Swedish company and can be used in all kinds of dams, for surface or storm water, leachate, industrial water and sewerage water.
From Table to Soil – a Holistic Approach to Waste Management
The municipality-owned waste plant NSR works with developing all stages of waste management for six municipalities in southern Sweden. NSR refers to its holistic approach to waste management as ‘from table to soil’, which incorporates various aspects of recycling, from smart kerbside waste collection to turning food waste into fuel and biofertilizer.
Älvrummet – a Showcase of Gothenburg’s Urban Development Strategy
The Älvrummet exhibition is a public space created by the city of Gothenburg to provide residents and other stakeholders with a comprehensive picture of the plans and progress of Älvstaden, one of the largest urban development projects in Scandinavia.
Gästrike Återvinnare Leads the Way on Waste Management and Recycling
Do you have a waste management problem and need ideas about how to handle it? And do you want to generate a profit in the process? You can learn from Sweden’s Gävle region, where you’ll find pioneering waste management sites, biogas plants, compost plants and waste management experts.
High Voltage Valley Walk: a Tour of Discovery at the Cutting Edge of Sustainable Energy
Experience a unique hub for research, innovation and new technology in electrical power engineering, with a focus on smart grids. In Ludvika, a leading centre in sustainable energy supply, you can take an inspiring walk that will provide new insights into cutting-edge projects to power the future.
Last mile delivery – city distribution
Last mile delivery is the final stage in a good’s journey, where it is delivered to the end customer – the most carbon intensive stage. The growth of e-commerce is leading to increased traffic congestion and CO2-emissions from delivery vehicles. Carbon-neutral alternatives for last mile deliveries are currently being explored and some of the concepts being trialed in Gothenburg.
Umeå’s Most Important Environmental Facility Is Its Water Treatment Plant
Umeå Municipality has a total of 19 wastewater treatment plants. The largest handles waste water from households and various companies in the area. Every year, it receives about 13 million cubic metres of waste water, containing 3,000 tonnes of organic material and 80 tonnes of phosphorus. And every day it produces 23,000 kWh of biogas.
Umeå Neighbourhood Integrates All Aspects of Sustainable Urban Development
Sustainable Ålidhem in Umeå is a unique urban development project, encompassing the social, technical, environmental and economic aspects of sustainability. The objective of the project is to reduce energy usage, create a safer and more comfortable environment and transform Ålidhem into a sustainable neighbourhood.
Green Zone – a Unique Model for Circular Management of Waste, Water and Energy
Green Zone is a unique pioneering project, proving that it’s possible to create an almost waste-free environment even when building and operating services like a car wash and petrol station. The synergy-based solutions for air, light, energy and water make Green Zone a centre for learning about circular sustainability.
Umeå’s CHP Plant Sets New Standard in Turning Waste into Power
The generation of both district heating and electricity almost entirely from waste makes the Dåva CHP (combined heat and power) plant extremely energy efficient and environmentally sustainable. Its renewable sources include sorted waste and forest industry residues.
Älvsbacka Bridge – Building a Sustainable Future with Timber
The Älvsbacka Bridge in Skellefteå is one of many pedestrian bridges constructed by Martinsons since the late 1980s and an innovative example of wood construction. It takes advantage of the environmental and other benefits from greater use of wood in building projects.
Industrial Symbiosis at Händelö Eco Industrial Park
The small island of Händelö, which is part of the City of Norrköping in eastern Sweden, is home to a remarkable industrial symbiosis in which by-products from one company are used as input for neighbouring companies Everything at the site is based around using green energy.
Lomma Harbour – an industrial harbour transformed into an attractive residential area
Over the past 15-20 years, Lomma Hamn has been transformed from an industrial harbor into an attractive, appreciated, and accessible residential area. Lomma municipality has not only taken care of an environmental debt and created a well-known brand but also experienced a 30 percent increase in population compared to before the redevelopment.
Filborna Combined Heat- and Power Plant
The Filborna plant is a waste-to-energy plant which combusts sorted waste from the nearby region. It supplies approximately 40 percent of Helsingborg’s heating demand. The plant features a state-of-the art, combined flue gas cleaning and condensation system to ensure high efficiency whilst meeting stringent emission requirements.
The Environmentally Sustainable City of Tomorrow in Malmö’s Western Harbour
Malmö’s Western Harbour, previously a run-down shipyard and industrial area covering 187 hectares, is now a vibrant ‘city within a city’, with a university, around 10,000 residents and more than 16,000 people working there (figure from 2016). The area has its own systems for managing its energy supply and waste treatment, and car traffic in the area has been minimised as an environmentally sustainable approach to urban planning and mobility.
Campus Lindholmen – a Development Centre for Optimised Waste Collection
At Campus Lindholmen, low-speed electric vehicles combine with specially designed trucks to collect sorted waste and distribute goods to a variety of recipients. The result is an 80–90 percent reduction in heavy-vehicle traffic.
Gårdsten – Turning a Troubled District into a Sustainable Model
Gårdsten in Gothenburg shows how innovation, persistence, commitment, cooperation and participation can turn things around in a troubled urban district. Since Gårdstensbostäder was founded in 1997, crime has halved and 1,500 new homes with various forms of tenure are being built.
Turning Waste into Energy at Högdalenverket
Högdalenverket is one of Europe’s most modern facilities for extracting energy from waste, producing electricity and heat from Stockholm’s combustible household waste and industry waste. This makes Högdalenverket an important component in the district heating network of southern Stockholm.
Successful Renewal from Industrial Area to a Model Sustainable District
In the early 1990s, Hammarby Sjöstad had a reputation for being a run-down, polluted and unsafe industrial and residential area. Today, Hammarby Sjöstad is one of Stockholm’s most attractive residential districts and a model of successful urban renewal.
Käppala – Turning Wastewater into Fuel and Heat
Käppalaverket is one of the world’s most efficient wastewater treatment plants, treating wastewater from more than 500,000 inhabitants in Stockholm. Here, the purification proess is turning waste to new resources, in the shape of biogas fuel as well as heat.
Underground waste: Vacuum System Takes Waste Management to a New Level
A new, smart solution for waste management reduces the need for road transport and minimises other environmental impacts. The solution is stationary pneumatic refuse collection, using a vacuum to transport waste through underground pipes, separating different types of waste into different containers.
SWIC – a unique R&D facility for wastewater treatment technologies
Sjöstadsverket Water Innovation Centre (SWIC) is Sweden’s leading and internationally known R&D facility in water purification technology. Different mobile devices and purification steps can be connected to the various water treatment lines to compare and develop future technologies.