To create more attractive campus areas and contribute to a more sustainable society, Akademiska Hus conducts a series of initiatives around the country that promote biodiversity. The result has positive effects for humans as well as animals and vegetation.
As one of Sweden's largest park managers, Akademiska Hus places great focus on the outdoor environments that surround the 3.3 million square meter large property portfolio. Through greenery and nature on campus, the conditions for a stressful and performance-enhancing living environment are created, while positive effects are created for animals and vegetation.
- We want the country's campus to be an asset for the entire community and we work to strengthen the biodiversity in our ongoing administration as well as when we develop new buildings or entire areas. In this way, we provide better conditions for both humans, animals and insects to thrive on campus and in the ecologically sustainable outdoor environments created there, says Mia Edofsson, sustainability manager at Akademiska Hus.
Small and large efforts
When Akademiska Hus plans together with the university institutions for the development of the campus areas, this is done through long-term campus plans, where climate, social and ecological perspectives are taken into account. The systematic work places great emphasis on protecting the green qualities and biodiversity - now and over time. Around the country there are a number of examples of investments being made to promote increased wealth. These are, for example, insect hotels, hedgehogs, beehives and hollows adapted for, for example, mites, stares, tree crawlers, bats and butterflies. In several places, Akademiska Hus has reinforced campus ecological values by constructing meadows, cultivation lots, stormwater ponds, water mirrors and permaculture gardens. A large number of buildings have been given green sedum roofs with space for secondary batteries that provide housing for wild bees.
Contributing to increased biodiversity has in some cases also guided the development of brand new campus areas. In Stockholm, a cohesive university area is emerging that extends from Stockholm University in the north, via KTH over to Hagastaden with Karolinska Institutet in the west. The development of the Albano campus into a modern and competitive university environment is in harmony with nature and the aim is to become a role model in sustainable urban construction. As proof of the project's sustainability success, Albano is the first campus area in Sweden that has been certified according to Citylab, a sustainability certification that does not only cover an individual building but includes an entire urban development project.
In Albano, new water systems are created to deal with stormwater, an improved microclimate and outdoor environments designed to strengthen the distribution routes for plants and animals between the National City Park and Haga Park. The choice of biotopes and plants is based on surrounding landscapes and placed so that they support known, ecological propagation paths. Through green roofs with large open roof terraces where students, staff and even the general public have access, the university buildings become an integral part of the park environment.
- With large and small efforts, we contribute to increasing biodiversity in the country's campus areas. The work is done in close collaboration with our customers and other stakeholders, where we work together for an even more sustainable society, ”says Mia Edofsson.
Ask us!
If you are interested in how we work with biodiversity in your campus area, you are welcome to ask your manager!