GREEN GROWTH The Nordic Way - september 2013 web magazine GREEN GROWTH What is green growth? Read more Content Subscribe to Green growth the Nordic Way Introduction 2 Who are we? 3 Feature article: Ambitious energy requirements and market surveillance motivate Nordic ecodesign 4 Feature article: Nordic countries aspire to set the standard for green buildings 7 Notes 10 Events and reports 15
Introduction There are ten projects in the Nordic Green Growth initiative, involving most of the sectors represented in the ministerial councils under the Nordic Council of Ministers. The overall aim is twofold. On the one hand we continue the hallowed Nordic tradition of learning from each other and pulling each other forward by sharing know-how and best practice the kind of soft governance that I think we can safely credit the Nordic Council of Ministers for pioneering. On the other hand in some cases we try to establish the basis for a bigger intra-nordic market, a market where Nordic companies can experiment and expand, in order to better be able to tackle the European or even the global market. In this issue of Green Growth the Nordic Way we explore two projects that try to achieve the latter, working to create synergies and savings. One project does this through proposals on how to create a more harmonized market within the building sector. Another works with energy-related products, documenting how collaborating on ecodesign saves the Nordic countries time and money. Read more in the articles below on how regional cooperation in these areas stimulates environmentally friendly product development and economic growth. Dagfinn Høybråten Secretary-General, Nordic Council of Ministers Follow us on facebook facebook.com/sdnordic A Case for the Nordic Way Article from the Huffington Post by András Simonyi and Danish Ambassador to the United States Peter Taksøe-Jensen http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andras-simonyi/a-case-forthe-nordic-way_b_3490766.html 2
REEN GROWTH Who are we? The Nordic Council of Ministers constitutes the official cooperation between the five Nordic countries, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, along with the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland. This magazine follows the activities of the Nordic Council of Ministers in the areas of green growth and sustainable development, principally in connection with the green growth initiative launched by the Nordic Prime Ministers, The Nordic Region leading in green growth. The aim of this initiative is to create joint Nordic solutions to shared problems in selected areas. The vision of a Nordic lead in green growth is based on utilizing Nordic strengths to further energy efficiency, sustainable energy development, environmental awareness, green solutions and standards, as well as green investment in innovation and research. Apart from the projects under the Nordic green growth initiative, the magazine also documents a wide range of other NCM activities connected with greening the economy, as well as highlighting new reports from the Nordic Council of Ministers in this field. More info at norden.org/greengrowth 3
Feature article Ambitious energy requirements and market surveillance motivate Nordic ecodesign Nordsyn is a three-year programme aimed at developing Nordic cooperation on market surveillance of energy-related products. Collaborating on ecodesign challenges saves the Nordic countries time and money, while stringent requirements and effective market control stimulate environmentally friendly product development and economic growth. Nordsyn is part of the Nordic Prime Ministers green growth initiative. Stringent requirements promote innovation and development Nordsyn was launched earlier this year to help Nordic consumers, producers and market surveillance authorities implement the European Ecodesign and Energy Labelling Directives. The directives define the requirements governing energy-related products in all EU and EEA countries, and are aimed at improving their environmental performance. Ecodesign and energy labelling requirements go hand in hand, says Nordsyn s project manager, Lovisa Blomqvist of the Swedish Energy Agency. She describes the directives as an effective control mechanism, since products that do not meet the requirements cannot be sold in European markets. The directives cover two main product categories: products that use energy and products that impact energy use. Nordsyn s approach is based on the concept that a combination of ambitious requirements and effective market control will lead to better Nordic products and a more competitive Nordic industry. Rapid implementation, clear information and effective market surveillance can enhance the quality of Nordic production and so give us the edge over our competitors. This gives our industries a head start. Stringent requirements promote innovation and development, explains Blomqvist. Market surveillance ensures a fair and level playing field Nordsyn is a collaborative project involving the market surveillance authorities in the Nordic countries, the Swedish Energy Agency, the Danish Energy Agency, Finnish Tukes, the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate, and the Icelandic Consumer Agency. 4 Continues next page
REEN GROWTH Blomqvist explains that the purpose of market surveillance is twofold: to ensure a fair and level playing field for the industry and to protect consumers from bad products and misleading information. It s all about finding the right balance. We want to save energy, but at the same time we want to create reasonable market conditions for industry and consumers alike. The purpose of Nordsyn is to optimise market surveillance through a coordinated Nordic effort and a harmonised approach. This is yet another example of the opportunity afforded by the removal of trade barriers for Nordic businesses to look on the entire region as their home market. Nordsyn enables us to see which industries are capable of contributing to green growth. We can then create conditions that help these industries develop their products and promote them globally, Blomqvist continues. Nordic impact on European regulation Nordsyn has initiated a project called Strategic Nordic Products, which aims at identifying energy-related products of particular interest to the Nordic region. Nordsyn enables us to see which industries are capable of contributing to green growth. We can then create conditions that help these industries develop their products and promote them globally. Lovisa Blomqvist of the Swedish Energy Agency Strategic Nordic Products is where we decide which product groups we should focus on in our joint Nordic effort and how this should be done, says Blomqvist. Coordination across the countries is vital to accomplishing another one of Nordsyn s main objectives: to create a positive impact on European regulation and policies. An important outcome is that we strengthen the Nordic identity and are able to present a common Nordic viewpoint in our negotiations with the EU, Blomqvist adds. This has already led to a change in European energy labelling of heating products a product group of considerable strategic importance to the Nordic countries. The label now shows a map with three different climate zones. This allows Nordic consumers to see clearly how a certain heat pump will perform in the Nordic climate, which is colder than the rest of Europe, Blomqvist says. Continues next page 5
Focus on market surveillance working methods Nordsyn s initiatives include the development of producer guidelines on the provision of technical documentation on their products and projects that aim at more efficient sharing of test results and market surveillance plans. This year we have focused on our working methods in order to develop practical and functional market surveillance. We re developing guidelines for market surveillance on the internet and in stores, and we will also be launching a project that evaluates the overall effect of market surveillance, says Blomqvist. These projects all improve Nordic market surveillance of energyrelated products and provide useful input into the Nordic Prime Ministers green growth initiative, she concludes. Nordsyn provides significant benefits for the Nordic market surveillance authorities, producers, consumers, green growth, energy efficiency, and Nordic influence and identity. From Nordsyn s work programme 2013-2015 6
REEN GROWTH Nordic countries aspire to set the standard for green buildings The Nordic Prime Ministers have declared their ambition to develop common green technology norms and standards in the building sector as part of their green growth initiative. Common standards on sustainable renovation, indoor climate classification, and a greater say in European product and building declarations are expected to create new growth opportunities for the Nordic building sector. Harmonised standards build markets Three projects have been launched within this project: Sustainable renovation of existing buildings, Indoor climate and voluntary classification standards, Nordic contributions to EU regulations and standards in environmental product declarations in sustainable construction. and The above three themes were selected from ten potential Nordic focus areas identified by the consulting company COWI on the basis of a mapping of Nordic and European construction legislation. Standardisation is a key tool in reducing trade barriers and building markets. Harmonised standards within the Nordic countries will make it easier for companies in the building sector to conduct business across the region, says Johan Englund, Senior Advisor at Nordic Innovation. Nordic Innovation is the Nordic Council of Ministers main institution for promoting cross-border trade and innovation. It has been tasked, along with the Council Secretariat, with launching and further developing the projects. Nordic standards as models in Europe A common feature of the projects is that they aim to enhance Nordic influence at European level. Our aim is to develop standards that will become models for European standards. This will enable us to create a platform for Nordic companies to develop green building solutions and export them to the European market, says Englund. A steering group, in which all the Nordic standardisation organisations are represented, has been established for the three projects. Norway will 7 Continues next page
REEN GROWTH head up work on sustainable renovation, Denmark is to be responsible for the indoor climate project and Finland will take charge of Nordic contributions to EU sustainable construction product declarations. Because of the Nordic countries extensive experience in sustainabilityand environment related fields, it is in their interest to promote stringent sustainability requirements, and to bring influence to bear on the substance and content of future requirements, says Preben Aagaard Nielsen, Senior Consultant at Danish Standard. This would create major market opportunities for Nordic companies, he adds. Sustainable renovation of existing buildings The aim of the first project is to define common Nordic requirements for environmentally friendly and energy efficient renovation of existing buildings. Renovation is vital if we are to live up to our environmental ambitions with respect to energy use and sustainability. We would like the Nordic countries to be at the forefront of sustainable renovation practices, says Aagaard Nielsen. The aim of the project is to generate simple tools for policymakers to assess existing building stock, prioritise buildings suitable for renovation and identify those which should simply be torn down. We have a Nordic Swan label for sustainability in new construction. Our ambition is to create the basis for a comparable label for the sustainable renovation of existing buildings, Aagaard Nielsen continues. A robust Nordic network of companies in the construction industry has already been established through Nordic Built, a project aimed at accelerating the development of sustainable building concepts. More than 100 companies, organisations and public authorities have committed to the Nordic Built Charter. The Charter lists ten guiding principles for the Nordic construction sector in its approaches to issues such as energy, climate, the economy and people when developing the built environment. Our efforts complement each other very well and we hope to see many synergies between the green growth standardisation projects and Nordic Built, says Englund. Harmonised standards within the Nordic countries will make it easier for companies in the building sector to conduct business across the region. Johan Englund Senior Advisor at Nordic Innovation Continues next page 8
REEN GROWTH Indoor climate and voluntary classification standards Owing to the need for tight buildings in the cold Nordic winters, the Nordic construction industry has an inherent focus on ventilation technologies that provide a healthy indoor climate. Thus, one of the three projects strives to answer the need for more thorough standardisation and labelling of indoor climate in general. At present, standardisation is product based. We do not have a standard that measures the indoor climate in a building from a holistic perspective. Our aim is to develop such a standard, says Englund. We have two standardisation schemes one in Denmark and one in Finland on ways to classify indoor climate. We see a potential for the Nordic countries to build on these two schemes and set the European agenda for how to make a common classification system for indoor climate, adds Aagaard Nielsen. Standards for environmental product declarations in sustainable construction What we are doing with this third project is to define common Nordic product category rules on sustainability in the construction industry, Englund explains. The project is based on 37 construction categories defined in a series of European directives and standards: the European Construction Product Regulation. According to Aagard Nielsen, an important part of the process will be to identify the most relevant product categories from a Nordic perspective. He mentions timber and gypsum as examples of construction materials that are particularly interesting to the Nordic countries. We also have leading companies in the insulation materials sector. We need to identify the most important product categories and come to a Nordic agreement on how the rules for environmental declarations should be defined. Who will win the Nordic Built Challenge on sustainable building renovation! Read more This will maximise our influence on future EU standards, which is our main objective, Aagard Nielsen concludes. The green growth standardisation projects will be concluded in the spring of 2015. 9
Note. Cloud Computing provides IT savings in the public sector There is huge potential for exploiting cloud computing in the public sector in the Nordic Region. Cloud computing provides real opportunities for saving money in operations and maintenance, plus gives increased flexibility and creates conditions for innovation and growth in the IT sector. The use of cloud computing is also climate friendly as it reduces also reduces power consumption. To increase awareness on cloud computing the Nordic Council of Ministers and the Danish Agency for Digitisation have highlighted a number of good examples in four short films where Nordic public authorities have used Cloud Computing. See the films here: www. norden.org/cloudcomputing The Nordic Council of Ministers has also published a report Nordic Public Sector Cloud Computing - a discussion paper. The report recommends five areas in which you can take advantage of a Nordic co-operation: knowledge sharing, regulations, standardisation, procurement processes and attracting data centres. The report can be ordered or downloaded in PDF format: https://www.norden.org/ sv/publikationer/publikationer/2011-566 Read full article: http://www.norden.org/en/news-and-events/news/cloudcomputing-provides-it-savings-in-the-public-sector 10
Note Funding for sustainable building takes off Nordic Built and its funding partners have received 47 applications for funding of innovative Nordic projects within sustainable refurbishment. The total application amount is 243,5 MNOK and the applications include 304 project partners from all the Nordic countries. Up to 130 MNOK is available in the Nordic Built funding program for innovation, R&D and demonstration projects within sustainable retrofitting of the existing building stock. Nordic Built is a programme administered by Nordic Innovation, the Nordic Council of Ministers institution for the promotion of crossborder trade and innovation. Apart from the funding scheme, Nordic Built consists of the Nordic Built Charter - where hundreds of the main players within the Nordic building sector have pledged to work for a more sustainable building sector as well as the Nordic Built Challenge, a competition to renovate five major buildings in the Nordic countries. The winner of the 1 million NOK first prize in the Nordic Built Challenge will be revealed at the next meeting of the Nordic Ministers for Enterprise in Stockholm on October 17. The 5 national winners of the Nordic Built Challenge will be announced at the Sweden Green Building Conference Read more Read more about Nordic Built: http://www.nordicinnovation.org/ nordicbuilt/ 11
Note New report examines growth drivers in Nordic growth companies Capital, higher education and export are import growth drivers for growth companies in the Nordic Region, but the working environment is also a crucial factor, according to a comprehensive report from the Nordic Council of Ministers, which has mapped the Nordic growth companies and analysed what particularly drives growth in the growth companies. The report - made by the Danish consultancy company Damvad concludes amongst other things that the availability of highly educated workers is much more important for growth companies than for other companies. At the same time, the analysis surprisingly concludes that the working environment to a greater extent should be seen as a growth driver and not as a growth inhibitor. The companies also want better access to foreign workers and a less burdensome regulation of the labour market. Based on the analysis, there are three recommendations for the labour market sector and three for the working environment area, among these that the Nordic countries should ease restrictions on international recruitment, provide more training to the labour market and set up national work environment barometers to clarify the working environment as a parameter in the competition for talent. Read full article: http://www.norden.org/en/news-and-events/news/new-reportexamines-growth-drivers-in-nordic-growth-companies 12
Note Nordic Collaboration on sustainable energy solutions opportunities not limitations How do you come up with recommendations for the main challenges outlined by the IEA and Nordic Energy Research in Nordic Energy Technology Perspectives in only two days? The answer is that you lock 50 experts within renewable energy and sustainable energy systems in a room for 36 hours. And that is exactly what Nordic Energy Research did on the 12th and 13th June 2013 in Copenhagen. At the end of the two days the experts had come up with a set of recommendations on how to move the Nordic region towards carbonneutrality by 2050. The recommendations provide a set of concrete action points for how different sectors can approach future emission predictions, taking research from talk and propositions to action. These include prefabricated solutions for renovation programs in the building sector as well as setting up collaboration on sustainable fuels and electrification of heavy vehicles Read full article: http://www.norden.org/en/news-and-events/news/nordiccollaboration-on-sustainable-energy-solutions-2013-opportunitiesnot-limitations 13
Note Three new projects within the Top-level Research Initiative The Top-level Research initiative (TRI) received 15 applications as a result of the open call «Green growth in an Era of Climate Change. The applications were evaluated by a panel of international experts, with competence both regarding the applications scientific quality and regarding their user and societal relevance/innovation potential. Based on the panel s evaluations, and the TRI Management Board s strategic considerations, it is now clear that three new projects will be part of the TRI portfolio of activities: Resource-based Green Growth under Climate Change: Ecological and Socio-Economic Constraints (ResGreen) With particular focus on marine ecosystems, the project will investigate how renewable resources can be used more efficiently, while ensuring that the ecosystems retain their functionality. Drinking water treatment adaptation to increasing levels of DOM and changing DOM quality under climate change (DOMQUA) The project will assess adaptation of drinking water facilities in the Nordic countries to future dissolved organic matter (DOM) as a result of climate change. Impact of Future Cryospheric Changes on Northern Hemisphere. Climate, Green Growth and Society (GREENICE) The project s overall aim is to look into the future interaction between climate change and changes in sea-ice and snow-cover in the Nordic Hemisphere. Read full article: http://www.nordforsk.org/en/news/tre-nye-prosjekter-itoppforskningsinitiativet?set_language=en http://www. toppforskningsinitiativet.org/ en/nyheter-1/prosjekter/ prosjekter-innenfor-greengrowth/resource-based-greengrowth-under-climate-changeecological-and-socio-economicconstraints-resgreen http://www. toppforskningsinitiativet.org/ en/nyheter-1/prosjekter/ prosjekter-innenfor-greengrowth/domqua http://www. toppforskningsinitiativet.org/ en/prosjekter/prosjekterinnenfor-green-growth/ impact-of-future-cryosphericchanges-on-northernhemisphere.-climate-greengrowth-and-society-greenice 14
REEN GROWTH Reports Nordic Funding Scheme for Gender Equality Projects http://www.norden.org/ en/news-and-events/ news/nordic-funding-scheme-for-gender-equality-projects Subscribe to Green Growth the Nordic Way Waste Prevention Indicators and Targets for Nordic Countries http://www.norden.org/en/news-andevents/news/waste-prevention-indicators-andtargets-for-nordic-countries Efficient strategy to support renewable energy http://www.norden.org/en/publications/ publikationer/2013-545 Nordic Growth Sectors - How can working life policies contribute? http://www.norden.org/en/publications/ publikationer/2013-006 Nordic Public Sector Cloud Computing - a discussion paper https://www.norden.org/sv/publikationer/ publikationer/2011-566 Upcoming Events Sweden Green Building Conference Stockholm, September 11-12 http://www.ekobyggmassan.com/en http://norden.us1. list-manage1.com/subscribe?u=2ae7555a63b425efb432b715d&id=44b86e3d13 The Art of Co-Creation: Nordic Sustainable Development Conference Umeå, September 17-19 http://co-creation2013.se/ Northern Forests in a Changing Climate. NordGen Forest Conference Egilstaðir September 17-18 http://www.nordgen.org/index.php/en/forest/innehaall/ Conferences/17-18-September-2013/Conference-Northern-Forests-in-a-Changing-Climate 15 FOLLOW US f y Norden.org Editor: Michael Funch, Nordic Council of Ministers (mifu@norden.org) Layout and design: Gitte Wejnold, Limelab.dk (gw@limelab.dk) Web solutions: Genau.dk (andreashagerman@gmail.com)