Today, the built environment accounts for approximately 40% of global CO2 emissions. In a time of need for increased construction, this is an unsustainable situation. In the description of this year's theme, the prize committee places special emphasis on the conditions that we pass on to future generations.
This year, the Nordic Council's environmental award honors sustainable construction with a particular focus on rethink, regenative and reuse. The three "Rs" truly resonnates with Bornekes circularity work in the Swedish construction sector.
Amanda Borneke is a specialist in circular economy at Sweco Sweden. She describes herself as a powerhouse and a personal trainer in sustainability: “You hire me when your project needs a climate diet.”
Selected circular work
Circular city transformation
Borneke wanted to create a guide for city planners on how to transform cities. To clarify the opportunities, challenges and actions with circular city planning, this report showcases projects and suggests five pathways for the circular transition: mindset shift, ecological resilience, track, trace and connect, governance measures and systemic thinking. We’ve also provided 15 concrete actions to take. Borneke wanted the checklist of the action to be free and you can still download it without any cost at the website. Read more
Circulent of the baltic region
Borneke is a certificed circluar leader by Regeneration 2030, and got selected representative for the leadership programme in 2022. As a catalyst for change, her lecture was aired on on Finnish public television to tell the story about going from consumer to circulent. Read more
Roots from circular demolition
Or maybe deconstruction? Because Borneke has her career based on demolition work in the west parts of Sweden, and that's where her passion for reuse actually began. She has been part of over 114 projects, showing how building products can be repurposed and reused. Now she acts as one of Sweden's most prominent reuse consultants where she give advice on how to deconstruct buildings to save the material. Read more
About the prize "There are many exemplary examples of sustainable and climate-friendly construction throughout the Nordics. The prize committee for the Nordic Council's Environmental Prize hopes that the prize can help put them on the map and contribute to the public debate about the importance of reducing the construction industry's climate footprint," says Hólmfríður Þorsteinsdóttir, chairman of the assessment committee for the Nordic Council's environmental award.
The Nordic Council's environmental award was first awarded in 1995 and aims to increase awareness of environmental work in the Nordic region. The theme of the award varies from year to year. The theme for 2024 is sustainable construction. The Nordic Council also awards a literature prize, a music prize, a film prize and a prize for children's and youth literature. The prize winner receives DKK 300,000. Read more
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