Articles and blog posts on build environment

Sweden's food supply system has been designed for efficiency, not crisis management. However, climate change, pandemics and geopolitical unrest have exposed the fragility of the system. It is not only a question of what we will eat if the worst happens, but also of whether we are prepared to deal w…

On match days at Eleda Stadium, huge volumes of people, food and drink move efficiently through the stadium. Malmö FF is now the first football club in Sweden to receive environmental certification.

Climate change is making heatwaves more frequent and intense, even in cold countries like those in the Nordic region. This creates new challenges for our buildings, which are designed to retain heat rather than release it. RISE is addressing this pressing issue from several angles.

With the help of common guidelines, known as industry recommendations, contractors, designers, and builders can ensure that they meet the functional requirements of the Swedish National Board of Housing, Building and Planning's new building regulations. As an independent third party, RISE has devel…

How do we secure energy supply in times of crisis? In Grums, Sweden, a battery storage system is now being tested to keep schools, preschools, and other vital public services running—even if the national power grid goes down. The project could become a key to a more resilient electricity system.

Innovation doesn’t happen by itself. To go all the way from idea to business opportunity and success requires leadership and organization. Now, companies and organizations have the opportunity to set a new standard and lead the way for future innovation efforts with ISO 56001 through RISE. The ques…

What happens when the next crisis hits – and who does what? The Prepare Sweden initiative aims to strengthen society's preparedness. The concept: common approaches, clearer responsibilities. And the technical ability to act quickly.

Nuclear power is coming back into focus as an important long-term piece of the puzzle for climate change, resilience and competitiveness. But in addition to investment in the construction of new nuclear activities, investment is also needed to build skills and confidence.

Adapting our cities to be better prepared for the future is perhaps one of the most challenging tasks we face. No one knows for sure how the future will unfold. It requires innovation from everyone involved, especially in cities and municipalities. But how should one proceed and where should one st…

Sweden's largest initiative for sustainable cities, Climate Neutral Cities 2030, is stepping up. 48 of Sweden's 290 municipalities are coming together to tackle the climate crisis. In just five years, the original nine cities in the initiative have now become 48. According to Lars Johansson, change…

Energy communities are a smart way to produce, recycle and share energy between homes, industries and other types of buildings. Since the beginning of the year, energy sharing between residential buildings has been authorized, opening up new possibilities.

Requirements to reduce the environmental impact of buildings are becoming increasingly stringent, including the EU's EPBD directive. One challenge will be to have a complete picture in order to implement the right measures at the right time.

Most of us take clean drinking water for granted, but the fact is that Sweden's water treatment and distribution infrastructure is neglected. With its type approval, SST Slitskyddsteknik can help to future-proof this important social function.

Cities rank high in quality of life surveys. Unemployment is low and access to higher education is good. At the same time, they have renewable energy, metals and minerals that are crucial to the development of green technology. It's all about the north of Sweden, of course. Several top politicians …

Every year, thousands of organizations – both Swedish and foreign – turn to RISE for help in taking their product, process or entire business to the next level and meeting new demands and expectations from customers and citizens.

Can brain research be used to design and build cities in ways that improve human well-being? A major step forward is now being taken in the fields of neuroarchitecture and neurodesign, which could help make cities around the world healthier places to live in.

Many Swedish buildings were built in a different era. Today, extreme weather conditions are becoming more frequent. This puts new stresses on buildings that can be difficult to withstand. But who is responsible for preventing damage and protecting buildings? The answer is not simple. – For example…

Paritet-K has identified Swedish hunters and target shooters as an important new customer base. After a somewhat unusual process with RISE, the company's gun safes are now certified to Swedish safety standards. This will enable the Ukrainian company to expand its business and contribute to the reco…

Antibiotics are essential to our health and modern healthcare. At the same time, antimicrobial resistance is a serious global health challenge, killing at least 35,000 people in EU countries every year, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). For antibiotics to c…

When building with combustible materials such as wood, extra care must be taken in both design and construction to achieve robust fire protection, details must be properly executed and fire protection systems must work over time. Robust fire protection is an important component for increasing the u…

How can housing in crisis areas, where infrastructure and buildings are lacking, be created with more sustainable solutions than the tents and reinforced tents often used today? Can concepts of blocks of wooden cabins be developed based on prefabricated small blocks with wooden frames?

Digital twins have the potential to be the next big step in the development of the digitalised society. A digital twin is a replica of something real. The technology is used to visualise data, make simulations and monitor what is being mirrored. The benefits are clear for municipalities, property o…

Digitalisation, electrification, globalisation, green transition. Megatrends are no longer just words in a PowerPoint presentation about the challenges of the future. They are here - and they are putting pressure on communities, governments and businesses to change. The solution lies in a radical s…

The consequences of climate change, such as wildfires, torrential rain, and floods, can be very costly. The possibility is now being investigated of introducing so-called climate resilience certificates, a system that shows the climate risks linked to a property, and which can help property owners …

Reducing carbon emissions is important to efforts to stop climate change, but at least as important is identifying and creating carbon sinks. RISE researcher Tora Råberg and her colleagues have helped the City of Malmö identify what they can do to reach net-zero emissions.

Skellefteå Municipality is in the midst of a social transformation few Swedish municipalities have experienced. Thanks to the municipal leaders’ participation in RISE’s Academy for Lifelong Learning (AfLL), they have changed their way of thinking, take on challenges and learn together.

FairSHARE is a method that helps those who work with societal development to integrate human rights into planning. Certification for equality by a third party ensures that municipalities achieve their set goals in terms of equality in urban planning. The first public space to be certified is P…

The new technological, demographic, social and political changes in society can present both major problems and fantastic opportunities. Are you seeing all the opportunities, risks and consequences that come in the wake of the changes and new requirements? Are you aware of what new decisions, plans…

The energy transition will require huge investments in grids and production over the next few decades. As new stakeholders establish themselves, the existing energy companies need to understand their roles, many of which are new to them. – “As an energy company, we have to be involved in push…

Trade, communications, contracts and finances; all rely fundamentally on quality-assured measurements. RISE has initiated the development of same level quality assured measures for climate and as we already have for the meter and kilogram.