Materials
The choice of products and their contents affects environmental impact, health and the potential to recycle materials later.
Sustainability management / Nordic Swan Ecolabel
Materials · construction · use
The Nordic Swan Ecolabel.
A Nordic ecolabel that considers the building throughout its life cycle – from materials and construction to indoor environment, quality and opportunities to make better use of resources.
Understanding the Nordic Swan EcolabelNordic Swan Ecolabel / Overview
An ecolabel that considers the whole building.
The Nordic Swan Ecolabel is the official Nordic ecolabel. For buildings, its requirements address more than any single element: they cover environmental and health considerations across several stages of a building’s life.
Material choices, chemical products, the construction process and the building’s use are all connected. Decisions made early in a project can therefore affect both the indoor environment and the potential to recycle materials later.
Read about ecolabelled buildings on the Nordic Swan Ecolabel website
Focus areas / Nordic Swan Ecolabel
The entire life cycle matters.
The Nordic Swan Ecolabel’s approach covers relevant environmental considerations across the stages of construction. It highlights how today’s choices relate to tomorrow’s use of resources.
Construction
Requirements for workmanship, inspections and waste handling are part of ensuring the building’s quality.
Use
Energy consumption and a good indoor environment are among the considerations that matter when the building is in use.
The next chapter
Documentation and consideration of how components can be separated can support reuse and recycling as the building’s needs change.
From ambition to practice
A building also needs to perform well over time.
Good quality can help extend a building’s lifespan. The Nordic Swan Ecolabel’s requirements therefore also cover aspects of construction and the completed building.
Moisture management and inspections
Requirements for moisture management and the contractor’s own quality checks help support quality during construction.
Indoor environment
A good indoor environment is one of the hallmarks of buildings constructed to the Nordic Swan Ecolabel’s fourth-generation requirements.
Long lifespan
A durable building that remains worth retaining can contribute to more circular use of resources.
An informed starting point
Knowledge, requirements and documentation.
What we build with makes a difference.
The Nordic Swan Ecolabel sets requirements for substances harmful to the environment and health in building materials and chemical products – including paint, sealants, insulation and flooring.
The requirements aim to reduce impacts during production and limit exposure to chemicals when the building is in use. Information about the materials can also make it easier to assess them later in the building’s life.
Read the Nordic Swan Ecolabel’s guide to circular constructionThink beyond handover.
Circular construction means considering what happens to materials both while a building is in use and when it is eventually altered.
The Nordic Swan Ecolabel’s fourth-generation requirements include building passports, design principles for disassembly and adaptability, take-back schemes and waste sorting on site. The aim is to create better conditions for using resources again and reducing waste.
Explore requirements and insights on the Nordic Swan Ecolabel websiteLet’s talk
What do environmental and quality considerations mean for your project?
Are you planning a new building or exploring options for a future project? Tell us about your plans, and we can start a conversation.