Advancing Sustainability in the Construction Sector
During the spring of 2023, Ragn-Sells invited stakeholders to participate in a series of roundtable discussions on the construction sector. These six roundtables took place in major cities of Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Estonia.
15 Jun 2023Recently, the Global Alliance for Building and Construction's 2022 global status report, hosted by UN-Environment, revealed that the construction sector is responsible for approximately 37 percent of energy and process-related CO2 emissions and over 34 percent of global energy demand.
- If we are serious about creating a sustainable society, we have to use the raw materials we have already extracted, over and over again, and only by synergy we can do that, says Eli Jacobsen Head of Innovation Management at Ragn-Sells and coordinator of the roundtables.
Within the framework of Ragn-Sells Group's strategy and commitment to reducing CO2 emissions, the construction sector was chosen as the focus area for 2023, to contribute to the long-term goal of decarbonisation by 2050.
The primary objective of the roundtables on construction was to discuss business development, resource efficiency, and sustainable consumption within three core components of innovation, finance and policy.
The roundtable meetings provided a platform for policymakers, business-oriented companies, and civil society to present the challenges they identified in the construction sector. The discussions revolved around enhancing resource efficiency and exploring methods to monitor progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The aim was to collectively address these challenges and work towards a more sustainable and circular construction industry.
- The lack of collaboration across the value chain becomes clear during our work. At the six roundtables, we invited the full material flow to each session and realised that many had not met before. In a circular economy, we need to collaborate to create circular flows. Therefore, it is essential for us to come together, generate synergies, and co-create the future, says Pär Larshans, Director of Sustainability at Ragn-Sells.
As a result of all the roundtable discussions, Ragn-Sells will present a report in June outlining the opportunities and insights collected for promoting sustainable construction in the Nordic region and Estonia.
