‘Bevar Mere’ in Denmark to pioneer practical renovation over new builds

Through the philanthropic ‘Bevar Mere’ initiative, Arup is piloting a practical way to make building renovation the default choice across Denmark. The work on a new ‘Preserve or Explain’ tool is intended for adoption by Danish municipalities in the building permit process in 2026.

By Arup | [email protected]

11 February 2026

Why this matters now

‘Bevar Mere’, which stands for ‘Preserve More’, is a national initiative designed to change behaviour and common practice to make the renovation of existing building stock a real, attractive, and well-qualified alternative to new build. The initiative is backed by four funds, including Landsbyggefonden, Grundejernes Investeringsfond, Dreyers Fond, and Realdania, and targets both professional stakeholders and the public.

Peter Vangsbo, Associate Director of Climate and Sustainability Services at Arup Denmark, states:

“We face a challenge with the demolition of buildings and the general lack of reuse in construction processes, which often leads to unnecessary waste of resources. In Denmark, there is significant potential for transformation, with at least 2.5 million m² of commercial, office, and public spaces ready for transformation across the 30 largest Danish municipalities. By focusing on future residential development through transformation, we can make use of existing building capacity and thereby help significantly reduce the overall material consumption in the construction sector.”

Arup’s role and the Danish context

Working with a broad cross-section of the building industry supply chain, including contractors, designers, researchers, and municipalities, Arup has developed the ‘Bevar Mere’ pledge and created a supporting tool, adapting international best practice to fit the Danish regulatory and cultural context. The current phase focuses on turning policy aspiration into a practical workflow that authorities and applicants can use at concept and permit stages.

Arup is also helping develop ‘Preserve or Explain’, a simple but powerful tool for planning and development. Inspired by the City of London’s Carbon Options Guidance and the City of Westminster’s Retrofit First Policy, the approach standardises how applicants test and evidence options to retain or transform existing buildings before demolition is considered. The goal is transparency, consistency, and climate-aligned decision-making, embedded in Denmark’s permitting process.

‘Preserve or Explain’: from principle to practice

A standardised tool for building and demolition permits: Structured templates and guidance that bring carbon optioneering into mainstream Danish planning; comparable scenarios, clear evidence, and auditable decisions.
System impact, not just single projects: By making renovation the default alternative, Denmark can lock in lower embodied carbon and reduce material depletion at scale; and retain cultural heritage while supporting community continuity and quality of life.
A coalition approach: 13+ partners across the value chain: developers, contractors, municipalities, and consultants, co-creating and testing the tool so it works for both authorities and market actors.

What’s next

The project team will continue to refine the tool in collaboration with municipal and industry users, document case studies, and align progress with ongoing Danish policy discussions. Our aim is to make the tool simple to adopt and scalable across the sector.