A Copenhagen development called UN17 Village has been described as the “world’s most sustainable building project” because it will meet all of the UN’s sustainable development goals (SDGs). Companies working on the project include Norwegian designers Årstiderne Arkitekter and Lendager Group, together with consultant engineer Moe and real estate firm Nrep.
Lendager says the homes are “potentially self-sufficient”, and use amenities such as rooftop solar panels, communal laundry facilities using rainwater, and heating using geothermal power. They will be built out of upcycled waste such as concrete, wood and window glass.
The firm says the 400-home development marks the end of 25 years of work on Copenhagen’s Ørestad South district. Anders Lendager, the company founder, said: “With the UN17 Village, we wanted to create not only an iconic and sustainable building from recycled materials, but also the opportunity for a sustainable lifestyle.
“So far, the focus in sustainable buildings has mainly been on their operational carbon emissions. We are looking at the whole lifecycle of the building – including materials use, health and quality of life.
“We have developed a scalable process that brings all 169 milestones from the SDGs into focus. By translating these into concrete solutions, we have created a tool that makes it possible for everyone in the industry to implement the SDGs and to evaluate the result.”
