Makes it easier to sell used building materials
– To achieve Norway’s climate and environmental goals, we must go from being a “use-and-throw” society to having a circular economy based on the idea that the least possible resources should be wasted. Therefore, we are now simplifying the regulations to make it easier to use building materials again, says Minister of Local Government and District Affairs Sigbjørn Gjelsvik (Sp).
– The production of new building materials generates large emissions, and the construction industry also creates large amounts of waste. The industry is therefore important for Norway to achieve its climate and environmental goals. One of the government’s four initiatives for an active housing and building policy is to ensure that we have a climate-friendly construction industry, says Gjelsvik.
More focus on reuse
In recent years, there has been an increasing focus on reusing building materials to reduce both waste and greenhouse gas emissions. The high construction product prices that we have set recently also make it relevant to look at how to use construction products more efficiently in the future.
However, the construction industry has experienced as a requirement for documentation when selling building materials, has been a barrier to increased reuse. The requirements have been adapted to new but not used building materials.
This has made it difficult and expensive to sell or give away used building materials so that they can be bought and reused. It has been cheaper and simpler to throw them away.
– Many want to use used building materials to a greater extent in their construction projects, and several companies, including smaller start-up companies, focus on buying and selling used building materials, but have experienced that the regulations have been a barrier. That is not how we can have it if we are to achieve value creation, more efficient use of resources and achieve the climate goals through green growth, says Gjelsvik.
New rules open up for green growth
The government is now adopting new rules in regulations on documentation of construction products (DOK) which will make it easier to sell used construction products. The change in the regulations involves that the national documentation requirements that are directed at the person who is to sell the building product are mainly removed.
Today’s requirements for documentation of construction products often presuppose that you have knowledge of the production process. one has e.g. built and possess steel or concrete elements, but you do not have to use the documentation requirements for new building materials, so you can now sell them to someone who needs them.
Norwegian requirements for documentation of used building materials have so far been stricter than the Danish and Swedish ones. The proposal involves that the Norwegian requirements are at the same level as the Swedish ones. At the same time, the documentation requirements in the building regulations (TEK17), which are aimed at the user of the product, are fast. This means that the requirements for health, environment and safety in construction apply in the same way as today.
In practice, the proposal by the documentation can be produced in other links in the value chain, than by the one who tears and builds and must sell the used building product for the first time. These can be developers who need building materials, or actors who pass on used building materials.
The proposal also includes that the properties of the building product can be documented in ways that are better adapted to used building materials.
– The regulatory change that we are now adopting must open up for green growth in the market for used building materials. I the construction industry will use the leeway we now give them to show that they are a future-oriented industry, and that they are part of the solution when Norway must achieve the climate goals, says Gjelsvik.
There are already examples that illustrate the potential for reuse. At Eikeli School, choosing recycled bricks over new bricks has saved the environment 106 tonnes of waste and as much as 26.5 tonnes of CO2. This is equivalent to driving from Oslo to Copenhagen 265 times by petrol car.
Several measures to ensure a climate-friendly construction industry
Working to stimulate more reuse of building materials in construction processes is one of several initiatives that are set out in the Hurdal platform, and which must ensure a more climate-friendly construction industry. Among other things, the government will tighten the climate requirements for the construction industry while keeping construction costs as low as possible, establish a development program for wooden buildings and climate-friendly renewal of construction, and use public procurement to set high environmental requirements.
– I think adopting this regulatory change is a good start. This government will work hard in the future to facilitate a climate-friendly construction industry and follow up on the goals and ambitions that we have set out in the Hurdal platform, says Gjelsvik.
The amendment to the regulations will enter into force on 1 July 2022.
Ministry of Local Government and District Affairs’ press telephone: 22 24 25 00.