Wihlborgs’ office building in Hyllie obtains the most demanding sustainability certification in the industry

The Kvartetten office building (Pulpeten 5) has been pre-certified under NollCO₂, which means that the property will achieve a net zero climate impact over its lifetime according to current calculation models. Wihlborgs is now focusing on having additional properties certified, meaning that more climate neutral products and solutions will thereby become a reality.

The NollCO₂ certification has been established by the Sweden Green Building Council (SGBC). In order for a building to be certified, it must have a net zero climate impact for its entire life cycle of 50 years, from raw material extraction to final disposal of the building materials. This is a highly demanding standard that will be part of the path towards Sweden’s goal of climate neutrality by 2045.

Kvartetten will be completed in Hyllie in 2023 and has had very high climate and environmental goals from the very beginning. Under the framework of LFM30, a local initiative for operating and developing climate neutral construction and engineering sectors in Malmö, focus was placed on reducing climate impact, for example, by taking measures in the design of buildings, with green alternatives of concrete and reinforcement steel replacing traditional products.

“The process of having the Kvartetten NollCO₂ certified has taken a bit of detective work where we, our suppliers and subcontractors have done our utmost to identify alternatives with a lower climate impact in every detail. As a result, new efficient systems and climate neutral products have been developed. These are measures that help the property and construction industries to reduce their climate impact,” says Rickard Berlin, project manager at Wihlborgs.
Apart from Kvartetten, Wihlborgs has two registered NollCO₂ projects and another in the planning stage.

“Sustainability certification is a highly sought after mark of quality. Just over four of five Swedes call themselves environmentally and climate conscious, and many want to both live and work in a certified building. SGBC is delighted by this partnership with Wihlborgs. We share an important role in the effort towards a more climate-neutral construction and property sector,” says Lotta Werner Flyborg, CEO of Sweden Green Building Council.

“Setting requirements for procurement and other purchases is a key governance mechanism for achieving change. Although we have far to go to achieve the overall objectives of climate neutrality, we need to work harder to make a difference in every small step we take. The climate calculations and balances we are implementing in such processes as these will help Wihlborgs, contractors and our customers take better decisions in future projects,” says Ulrika Hallengren, CEO of Wihlborgs.