222 new Nordic Swan Ecolabelled owner-occupied homes at Sluseholmen

Elmeholmen, which comprises 222 owner-occupied homes, has just received the final Nordic Swan Ecolabel licence and can thus document, among other things, that it provides a good indoor climate and a reduced environmental and climate impact. The building meets a wide range of strict requirements for chemicals and materials, and, as part of the certification process, there has been extensive work on material review and documentation.

"Material review and documentation have taken up a lot of time. It has required a close dialogue with the manufacturers and Ecolabelling Denmark to get the necessary approvals in place before the products could be used in the construction," says Nicole Schnügger, Construction Manager at Nordstern.

The requirements do not stop at the construction site
When a housing project like Elmeholmen, with over 200 owner-occupied homes, is built according to the requirements of the Nordic Swan Ecolabel, the documentation work does not only affect contractors and consultants. The requirements also extend to manufacturers and suppliers.

For products to be used in a Nordic Swan Ecolabelled building, their content and properties must be documented.

"In order for us to be able to use the products in the homes, the manufacturers need to be able to document their content and properties. This creates a greater awareness of both the products they sell and the materials throughout the value chain," says Nicole Schnügger.

According to Frederik Gudi Sommer-Gleerup, Head of Certification at Ecolabelling Denmark, which is responsible for the Nordic Swan Ecolabel in Denmark, this development is part of a broader movement in the construction industry.

"Materials will increasingly have to be chosen on the basis of documented knowledge of their content and properties," he says.

The documentation can be valuable for many years to come
At Elmeholmen, all materials are registered and documented as part of the certification process. This may have an impact far into the future, says Frederik Gudi Sommer-Gleerup from Ecolabelling Denmark.

"The Nordic Swan Ecolabel sets strict requirements for substances that are harmful to the environment and health in both building materials and chemical products, while also requiring that a log is kept of which materials and products are included in the construction and where they have been used. This supports the possibility of recycling the materials at a later stage," he says.

For Nicole Schnügger, the value lies primarily in the basis the documentation provides when the homes eventually need to be maintained, rebuilt, or renovated.

"It is an advantage that the choice of materials is documented. This provides a better basis for operation and maintenance, as well as for the craftspeople who will be working in the buildings during future renovations," she says.