Climate impact analysis of a detailed development plan

The climate impact of building materials has been increasingly recognised, and the National Board of Housing, Building and Planning has introduced requirements for climate calculations for buildings. However, the climate impact of an entire detailed development plan or various construction components has not been studied to the same extent.

A climate analysis of a detailed development plan provides insight into how different elements, such as buildings and facilities, affect the total climate impact through choice of materials. By identifying key construction components that contribute to the climate impact, the analysis enables prioritisation of measures to reduce the carbon footprint of the detailed development plan.

In Stockholm Royal Seaport, climate calculations have been tested for individual infrastructure projects within public open spaces. Since 2012, developers have been required to perform climate calculations for buildings. The aim has been to gather knowledge and develop clearer requirements for reducing climate impact. The results have varied, and no comprehensive analysis has been conducted to assess how different elements within a detailed development plan contribute to climate impact.

To gain a clearer understanding of where significant climate-impacting activities will occur and what savings can be achieved, a climate analysis has been conducted for the Kolkajen detailed development plan. Kolkajen includes plans for 1,300 new homes, two preschools, and 7,000 m² of commercial space, as well as parks, squares, quays, and a public bathing facility. Buildings will be situated both on existing land and on new land created by extending the quay line. Since the detailed development plan is still in its early stages, there is an opportunity to influence its climate impact by using the results to prioritise measures in the forthcoming design phase.

Purpose and goals

The purpose of the climate analysis for the detailed development plan is to put various building and construction components into context and identify what drives climate impact. The analysis provides an essential basis for continued work to reduce climate impact, where climate measures with the greatest effect will be prioritised.

The goal is to develop a method for early climate impact analysis at the detailed planning stage that can be scaled up for future projects within the City of Stockholm.

Results and experiences

As planning work for Kolkajen has been underway for several years, the climate analysis is based on assumptions from planning documents, reference values, and projected contracts with quantity calculations. This means the results are general rather than exact. Despite this, the analysis has provided valuable knowledge.

The large infrastructure components in public spaces that contribute significantly to climate impact are the creation of new land by moving the quay line outwards and the remediation and stabilisation of old infilled land. The climate analysis shows that for this detailed development plan, the establishment of public spaces accounts for two-thirds of the climate impact. It also shows that with Stockholm Royal Seaport's ambitions and sustainability requirements, climate impact can be reduced by approximately 60 per cent or 100,000 tonnes CO₂e. The most significant contribution to this reduction is a construction solution in land reclamation that minimises concrete usage – changing from placing the land reclamation on a pile deck to geometrically altering the development – from a detached island to moving the entire quay line – and changing the construction method by using crushed material behind a sheet pile screen. The choice of this construction solution has provided multiple benefits beyond reduced climate impact. The investment cost for land reclamation is estimated to decrease by approximately 500 million, maintenance costs are minimised, and the technical lifespan is extended. Work to reduce climate impact will continue in upcoming design phases.

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