Voluntary environmental certification

Reviewed: 2 October 2023

Environmental certification is a tool to quantify and assess environmental performance of a building, a city district or an infrastructure project. It can also be a means to achieve set environmental objectives for a project.

The use of environmental certification systems is voluntary as there are no authority requirements. Clients for a project may still require that a building must fulfil a certain level in an environmental certification system.

The environmental certification systems have different focuses and can be used to certify different types of projects. In Sweden, there are a number of environmental certification systems for buildings and infrastructure. Some are used internationally, such as LEED, and some are used at a Nordic/national level, such as Swan Ecolabel and the Sweden Green Building Council system Miljöbyggnad.

There are a number of environmental certification systems used in Sweden. The systems are currently administered by two organisations.

Two organisations administrate the certification systems

Sweden Green Building Council (SGBC)

Sweden Green Building Council (SGBC) is a non-profit organisation owned by its members. It offers tools and training in environmental certification of buildings, city districts and civil engineering projects.

Information in Swedish about SGBC

Swan Ecolabel

Miljömärkning Sverige AB is a non-profit state-owned company. On behalf of the Government, it manages and develops the Swan Ecolabel.

Information in English about the Swan Ecolabel

The most common environmental certification systems

BREEAM SE

BREEAM is used to environmentally certify newly produced buildings.

Information in Swedish about BREEAM on SGBC´s website

City Lab Action Certification

City Lab Action Certification is a review of sustainability work in an
urban development project.

Information in Swedish about City Lab Action Certification on SGBC´s website

GreenBuilding

GreenBuilding is aimed at property owners and managers that wish to make
energy consumption in their premises and homes more efficient.

Information in Swedish about GreenBuilding on SGBC´s website

LEED

LEED assesses the building's environmental performance based among other things on the local environment, water use, energy use, material and indoor climate.

Information in Swedish about LEED on SGBC´s website

Miljöbyggnad

Miljöbyggnad can be used for both new and existing buildings, from single-family homes and multi-unit dwellings to schools and offices.

Information in Swedish about Miljöbyggnad on Sweden Green Buildings Council's website

Swan Ecolabel

Swan Ecolabel sets requirements for energy consumption, chemical products, building products/building goods and a number of indoor environment factors that are relevant for people's health and for the environment.

Information in English about Swan Ecolabel on Nordic swan ecolabels website

 

Boverket (2023). Voluntary environmental certification. https://www.boverket.se/en/start/building-in-sweden/swedish-market/procurement/climate-declarations/environmental-certification/ Fetched 2024-11-14