85 percent of all new construction in Denmark will in the future be built in a more climate-friendly manner, according to a new political agreement. The Ministry of Social Affairs, Housing, and the Elderly has stated that the new rules are designed to promote green transition in the construction industry, which is expected to reduce Denmark’s CO2 emissions by half a million tons. This amount corresponds to one percent of Denmark’s consumption-based CO2 emissions in 2025. Social Affairs, Housing, and Elderly Minister Pernille Rosenkrantz-Theil (Socialdemokratiet) acknowledges that the new requirements will mean a significant change for the industry, but she sees it as a positive challenge that can create more jobs. “Unlike many other countries, green transition and economic growth are not mutually exclusive. We get jobs from the green transition,” she says. She adds that the construction industry has generally reacted positively to the new requirements.
The new rules, which are set to take effect from July 2025, involve tightening the CO2 limit values for new construction and expanding the share of construction that must comply with these limit values. This is why 85 percent of new construction must be changed. The limit values will vary depending on the type of building, but some buildings, such as prisons, waterworks, military buildings, hospitals, and unheated buildings under 50 square meters, will be exempt from the new requirements. Rosenkrantz-Theil explains that it can be difficult for these types of buildings to meet the CO2 limit values, as they often require special building materials and technologies. “If it is not necessary, you can voluntarily comply with it,” she says. She emphasizes that even though all buildings built greener contribute to CO2 savings, the socially critical buildings make up only a small part of the total construction in Denmark.
Furthermore, it would involve a lot of bureaucracy if one had to apply for exemptions for each individual building. This initiative builds on an agreement on sustainable construction reached in 2021. With the new agreement, the government hopes to take another step towards a more sustainable future for Denmark.