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Thinking strategically about construction as both a practiceand an industry is essential to achieving energy efficiency in buildings through renovation. In Denmark, this is reflected in ongoing efforts initiated by the government, supported by and developed in close collaboration with the industry.
Partnering with the industry
The private sector plays a key role in the green transition of our societies—both by reducing emissions in value chains and by developing new sustainable solutions and methods. Building on Denmark’s strong tradition for public-private partnerships, the government has established 14 climate partnerships, each representing a different sector of the economy. Each partnership has been tasked with identifying concrete ways their sector can contribute to reducing CO₂eq emissions in a fair and just manner. Among them is the Climate Partnership for Construction, which has proposed 14 specific initiatives related to energy renovations. These include increasing the rate of renovations, investing in energy upgrades of public and social housing, making renovation solutions more accessible for private homeowners, and activating energy labelling schemes as a key tool for unlocking savings. If fully implemented by 2030, the partnership’s recommendations could lead to an annual reduction of 729,000 tonnes of CO₂.
A strategic framework for sustainable construction
Building on these recommendations, the industry has itself taken further steps. In 2023, a broad coalition of stakeholders launched the Action Plan for sustainable construction – an industry-led action plan for sustainable construction. The plan outlines 32 concrete initiatives to reduce the sector’s climate footprint, such as strengthening material reuse, improving data quality, and ensuring consistent application of life cycle assessments. Developed in cooperation with the government, the plan underscores the industry’s ambition to drive a more sustainable built environment.
The priorities of the partnership are echoed in the National Strategy for Sustainable Construction, launched in 2021. The strategy focuses on five core areas:
All five focus areas highlight the role of energy renovation as a critical enabler. The strategy emphasises that energy renovations—when both environmentally and economically viable—are one of the most effective ways to deliver energy savings that benefit both people and the planet. To support this, the strategy introduces targeted initiatives, such as digital tools to streamline the renovation process and subsidy schemes to unlock energy savings across public and private buildings. In parallel, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) requirements were introduced into the Danish Building Code in 2023. These requirements apply exclusively to new buildings and are aligned with IEA recommendations. By fostering more climate-conscious design choices in new construction, they help reduce the overall carbon footprint of the built environment and support the sector’s transition toward greener practices.
This article is a part of the “Building Renovation – Realising the untapped potential of the built environment” White Paper. Featuring in-depth cases and insights from key Danish players, the white paper offers a toolbox of ideas, technologies, and frameworks for future-ready buildings.
Explore the white paper
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Energy efficiency in industry
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