Hospitals are known for having a major impact on the environment, with significant needs for resources such as water and energy. So how can you build a hospital today that is sustainable, not only for the planet but also for the patients and those who work there?In this episode, we take a closer look at an amazing project where the construction and design teams worked closely with the customer to complete a major expansion of the UVA University Hospital in Charlottesville, Virginia, in the USA. The expansion had to be built while the hospital continued operating without interruption. On top of that, the entire project was tested to the limit when the Covid-19 pandemic hit the region and the world.Our guests:

Mark Humbertson Construction Administration Manager, University of Virginia

Jon Penndorf, Associate Principal at multidisciplinary design firm Perkins&Will

John Calvin, Project Executive Vice President, Skanska USA Building

With its almost 700,000 inhabitants, Oslo capital of Norway has a vision: to be a smart, sustainable and inclusive city that thrives in all aspects: social, economic, and environmental. One important measure to minimize the city’s climate impact is to renovate buildings when possible, instead of demolishing them and building new ones with modern energy and accessibility standards. ​ 

In this episode, we look at how this renovation revolution is reshaping the Norwegian capital, and examine what other cities can learn from Oslo’s progress on renovating instead of demolishing. 

This episode’s guests: Heidi Sørensen, Director of Oslo City’s Climate Agency

Sara Zahl, District Manager in Oslo and a Skanska expert on renovation

In this episode, we take a closer look at how communities are protecting themselves from the increasing threat of flooding. What are the smart solutions being used today to save lives and reduce the impact of flooding?

Guests in this episode:

Anna Åkesson, Group Environmental Manager Skanska

Pedro Ribiero, Head of C40´s Water Program

The built environment accounts for almost 40 percent of global carbon emissions. But that big number represents a huge opportunity.

In this episode of Shaping Sustainable Places, we take a closer look at how turning buildings into intelligent, networked energy storage makes them more resilient, as well as improving the efficiency and reliability of the power grid as a whole.

Guests in this episode:

Henrik Ahnström, Director of Product, Process and Innovation within Skanska's commercial development arm in the Nordics.

Niklas Johansson, Commercial Product Manager for E.ON ectogrid™.

With circularity a key approach to reducing embodied carbon, how are companies creating the structures and ecosystem to make used materials a viable and economical alternative?

In this episode, we take a closer look at how materials that are commonly seen as waste can be turned into valuable resources and become an asset for businesses.

This episode’s guests:

Anders Lendager, founder of Lendager Group in Copenhagen, Denmark

Barbro Brattström Grujovic, Business Developer, Skanska Sweden, SIS

Concrete has been around for more than 2,000 years, and it remains  the construction material of choice for buildings, bridges, tunnels and more. But its popularity means it has a huge environmental impact. What role will concrete play in the future of construction?

In this episode we find out how leading companies are taking on one of our most pressing climate challenges and cutting the carbon emissions from concrete production.

Guests in this episode

Karin Comstedt Webb, Senior Vice President, Heidelberg Materials Sweden.

Doctor Wolfgang Dienemann, Director Global Research & Development, Heidelberg Materials.

Doctor Bob Slansky, Head of Technical Research and Innovations, Skanska Central Europe.

Recent years have been challenging for property investors, with high interest rates and volatile property values. At the same time, increasing demands for sustainability are adding new pressures. How can an investor today ensure they get the returns they need from their sustainable property portfolio? 

We talk with two experts who share their insights into the challenges and opportunities facing real estate investors right now, both in Europe and the United States. 

This episode’s guests:      

Cecilia Fasth, CEO of Stena Property, a major property investor in the Nordic and Central European markets. 

Murphy McCullough, Business Unit President for Skanska USA Commercial Development.

There are some successful building projects that highlight the global trend towards urban sustainability and the impact of sustainable building design. To find out what it takes to design, construct and operate such a building, we take a closer look at Hyllie Terrass in Malmö, one of the most sustainable office buildings in Sweden. And what have been the major trends in the sustainable project development construction space over the past year? As we look back over our first two seasons of the podcast, we brought back a favorite guest, Lena Hök, Executive Vice President for Sustainability and Innovation with Skanska Group. Lena Hök tells us about two key trends that are really impacting the industry right now.

Guest: Åsa Johansson, Project Developer, Skanska in Sweden.Guest: Lena Hök, Executive Vice President for Sustainability and Innovation with Skanska Group

For many office workers, the post-pandemic years have meant a major transition. The return to the office has meant reintegrating into the social sphere of colleagues and customers, commuting to work, and maybe retiring those very comfortable but not too fashionable track pants. But modern workplaces have raised their game. Picture yourself working in a space that’s constructed with your comfort in mind, with cleaner air than your own home, with biophilic design bringing nature indoors, healthy food options, a gym, parking for your bike and even tools for fixing it. In this episode of Shaping Sustainable Places, we take a closer look at what it takes to create an office like that, a workplace where you want to be.Guest: Wendy Feldman Block, Executive Manager Director at Savills Northern Virginia office, USA.Guest: Katarzyna Zawodna-Bijoch, Business Unit President for Skanska Commercial Development Europe

Roads haven’t changed much in the last few thousand years. The Romans had the basic idea—a large aggregate covered in smaller stones, topped with something smoother—that we still use today. But the rock used in base and subbase of today’s roads, as well as the concrete and asphalt used on the surface, has to be mined and hauled to wherever it’s needed. Both are costly and not environmentally friendly. But now researchers are looking into cheaper, more sustainable, and smarter ways to build streets and highways.

In this episode we will take a closer look at what the new asphalt can do for the environment and for the construction industry.

Guest: Christopher Elofsson, project manager at Vällsta asphalt plant. 

Guest: Abubeker Achmed, senior researcher working for the Swedish National Road and Transport Institute. 

Guest: Jiqing Zhu, senior researcher working for the Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute.