ByggaFEL! – Learning from Mistakes for Sustainable Construction

Errors and deficiencies in the construction process lead to significant costs, unnecessary resource use, and increased climate impact. Through the ByggaFEL! project, RISE is developing a digital knowledge platform that helps stakeholders across the construction sector learn from common mistakes and thereby make better decisions in planning, construction, and building management.

The construction and real estate sector accounts for a significant share of Sweden’s energy and resource consumption. At the same time, many mistakes are repeatedly made throughout the construction process, despite the fact that the necessary knowledge and experience already exist. Deficiencies in design, construction, and coordination lead to rework, increased costs, and unnecessary greenhouse gas emissions.

Traditional information materials focusing on “how to do things right” do not always reach their intended audience. Experience shows, however, that there is strong interest in learning from concrete examples of what went wrong and how those mistakes could have been avoided.

As part of the ByggaFEL! project, RISE is developing a digital knowledge platform based on real-world and commonly occurring mistakes in the construction process. The platform demonstrates:

• what went wrong
• the consequences for areas such as energy performance, moisture safety, indoor environmental quality, and climate impact
• why the error occurred
• how similar mistakes can be avoided in the future

By presenting practical examples and lessons learned, the platform aims to support more informed decision-making and contribute to a more sustainable, resource-efficient, and resilient built environment.

The content is presented in short, visual, and easily accessible formats. Information is structured across multiple levels, ranging from a high-level overview to more in-depth content for those who want to explore a topic in greater detail.

The platform is designed for stakeholders across the entire construction and real estate sector, including:

• developers and property owners
• project managers and consultants
• contractors and technical specialists

By tailoring content to different roles and needs, the platform makes knowledge relevant and actionable throughout the entire building lifecycle, from early planning and design stages to construction, operation, and maintenance.

The project is being carried out in close collaboration with stakeholders across the construction industry. Throughout its development, the platform’s content is tested, evaluated, and refined together with users through workshops, pilot studies, and ongoing dialogue. This collaborative approach helps ensure that the platform remains relevant, credible, and practically useful for its intended audience.

RISE brings together knowledge and experience from research, investigations, and previous projects, and transforms it into practical, accessible formats that are easy to understand and apply in everyday work.

By highlighting common mistakes and sharing knowledge on how to avoid them, the project contributes to:

• reduced resource and energy consumption
• lower climate impact
• fewer costly rework activities
• improved quality and sustainability in the built environment

In the longer term, ByggaFEL! is expected to promote a more systematic approach to learning across the construction sector and accelerate the transfer of research-based knowledge into practical application.