Environmental Indicators to Monitor the Swedish Construction and Real Estate Management Sector 

Kristina Einarsson, Linda Lagnerö, and Hans-Olof Karlsson Hjorth 

Swedish National Board of Housing, Building and Planning, SE-371 23 Karlskrona, Sweden 

Abstract: A monitoring system with environmental indicators has been developed to monitor the environmental impact from the construction and real estate management sector in Sweden, at a national level and from a lifecycle perspective. The indicators are based on the Environmental accounts from Statistics Sweden and will be updated every year starting 2016. Data is so far available for the period of 1993-2014. 

Environmental indicators enable to follow the development of the environmental impact of the sector. Seven indicators are selected to monitor the most significant environmental impact: 

• air emissions — greenhouse gases, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter 

• use of energy — fossil energy, renewable energy, nuclear power 

• use of health and environmentally hazardous chemicals 

• generated waste 

  The environmental indicators show the following results: The construction and real estate management sector emitted 11.6 megatonnes of CO2e in Sweden in 2014, from a life cycle perspective. In comparison with the total annual greenhouse gas emissions in Sweden the sector accounted for 19 percent. The total energy used in the sector accounted for 120 TWh, of which 110 TWh is from domestic use and correspond to 30 percent of the domestic energy used in Sweden, from a life cycle perspective. The sector also contributes to emissions in other countries through imported products. An estimate of greenhouse gas emissions linked to imported products show that the emissions are big outside Sweden, about 8.7 megatonnes CO2e. The sector import more environmentally hazardous chemicals than those produced in Sweden. 

  The environmental indicators show that the environmental impact from the construction and real estate management sector is significant from a life cycle perspective. The indicators will be used to evaluate improvement and inform policy and practice. 

Key words: life-cycle assessment, policy and regulation, environmental indicators, construction and real estate management sector