Security buildings using timber and bio-based materials 2.0

The building and real estate sector accounts for nearly a quarter of Sweden’s greenhouse gas emissions. In the coming years, construction of correctional facilities (prisons) and other high-security properties operated by the state will increase. Specialfastigheter builds, owns, and manages many of the country’s most secure properties. They face the challenge of constructing buildings that meet high security requirements while also aligning with Sweden’s goals for reduced greenhouse gas emissions. One potential approach is to make greater use of timber and bio‑based materials. The Swedish Prison and Probation Service is a government agency and a tenant.

The project is a continuation of a hypothesis-driven study within BioInnovation that explored whether wood could replace materials such as steel and concrete in more complex buildings and contribute to reducing the sector’s climate impact.

The aim with the project is to demonstrate that a wooden building with bio‑based structural solutions can meet the requirements for security buildings, thereby facilitating procurement and design of sustainable alternatives and contributing to the development of bio‑based business models.

To address this, technical solutions, test performance, environmental footprint, and market-related requirements are evaluated. Improvements and innovations are developed in the form of prototypes, culminating in a “mock‑up” to demonstrate alternative solutions for Specialfastigheter’s customers and Kriminalvården.

In addition to Specialfastigheter, the project involves RISE, the Swedish Prison and Probation Service, NCC Building Sweden, SSC Klingan, Podcomp, IsoTimber, Setra, Lindbäcks Bygg, and the industry association TMF.