Bæredygtighedsklassen: a new measure to decarbonise construction in Denmark

Denmark has set a national target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in all sectors by 70% compared to 1990 levels by 2030. As a significant contributor to the country’s overall emissions, the construction sector has a clear responsibility to ensure that this target is met. To help the construction industry transition to more sustainable practices, Bolig- og Planstyrelsen, the Danish Agency for Housing and Planning, has introduced Bæredygtighedsklassen or the sustainability class. Find out how this will work in practical terms here.
About the Sustainability Class or Bæredygtighedsklassen
- Environmental: the impact on nature, the environment, the climate and natural resources
- Social: relating to impacts on human health and wellbeing
- Economic: maintaining a balance between construction cost and quality
Although currently voluntary, where requirements of the Sustainability Class have not been met, it will be necessary to provide the relevant documentation and an accompanying commentary to explain why. After an initial two-year voluntary introductory phase, in 2023, the Sustainability Class requirements are expected to become a mandatory part of Danish national building regulations.
LCA for new buildings
The Sustainability Class requires that the LCA is performed and submitted twice:
- An initial LCA should be submitted when applying for a building permit.
- Once the project is completed and final decisions have been made, the assessment should be revised and the final LCA submitted when completing building registration.
The LCA guidance provided by the Danish Agency for Housing and Planning makes it clear that specific product data provided via Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) is preferred over generic data. In addition the potential for reuse, recycling and recovery should also be included in the LCA.
Calculations consider a 50 year calculation period and the assessment includes A1-A5, B4, B6, C3, C4, and D stages.
By the end of 2023, stricter impact thresholds will be defined based on the data collected during the introductory period and new limits will apply from 2025. A similar revision is scheduled to take place in 2027 and be implemented in 2029.
How can One Click LCA help you comply with Bæredygtighedsklassen?
One Click LCA enables project teams to work with carbon optioneering in early design stages and boost efficiency through integration with BIM.
La One Click LCA database provides access to all construction product EPDs and benchmarks that help users identify the top performing materials. If a specific product EPD is not available, the One Click LCA platform enables users to contact product manufacturers directly to request an EPD.
As the carbon limit thresholds come into force from 2023 onwards, One Click LCA tools can help teams to identify and reduce areas of high impact from an early stage of the process.
One Click LCA has previously been verified by the Danish Building Research Institute (SBi) for the DGNB-DK certification. A new One Click LCA tool that will comply with the Bæredygtighedsklassen requirements will be launched during 2021.
Construction carbon regulation across the Nordics
The Bæredygtighedsklassen joins other measures taken by Nordic countries to reduce the carbon footprint of construction, as summarised below.
Suède |
Denmark |
la Finlande |
Norway |
Iceland |
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Climate Declaration mandatory from 2022 | Calculation mandatory from 2023 | Direct introduction of carbon footprint limits | Mandatory for public buildings since 2018 | Regulations under consideration |
Limit values for carbon footprint from 2027 | Limits for >1000 m2 from 2023, rest 2025 | Scheduled by 2025 | Cities are introducing requirements as well | |
Method: Boverket | Method: TBST | Method: Min. Env. | Method: NS 3720 | |
Supported in One Click LCA |
Compliant tool coming soon | Supported in One Click LCA | Supported in One Click LCA |
Not currently supported in One Click LCA |
DEMANDER UNE DÉMONSTRATION | Pour en savoir plus | Pour en savoir plus |
Ebook
Guide en 7 étapes de l'Analyse du Cycle de Vie des Bâtiments
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