Improving the living environment with underground recycling

AF Bostäder is setting up an increasing number of areas with an aim to promote insects and birdlife. Biotopia opened in November 2022 – a buzzing housing area for insects.

In 2022, Sweden was affected by dramatic rises in electricity costs and the risk of electricity shortages, and it became more important to help out in saving electricity for financial and solidarity reasons. AF Bostäder has for many years worked in a target-oriented way on improving energy efficiency, and the initiatives have been continually expanded. During the autumn, the company also launched a campaign to encourage students to be economical with electricity.

AF Bostäder works preventively on runoff water management in order to reduce the risk of damage from torrential rain. According to a risk review by VA Syd, preparedness is predominately good.

AF Bostäder uses district heating to heat almost all the radiators and hot water in its properties. District heating is a locally produced, easy-to-manage, reliable, resource-efficient and cost-effective form of heating. It is also eco-friendly – 99.8% of the district heating in Lund consists of renewable, recycled heat.

In November, Lund University organised Climathon on the theme of Sustainable Student Housing, with AF Bostäder as principal partner. Exciting ideas were contributed by both Lund residents and students.

The Swedish construction industry has come a long way regarding recycling, and now the focus is increasingly turning towards reuse and circular construction. In connection with demolition work at Kämnärsrätten, AF Bostäder has carried out several successful projects for the reuse of fixtures and fittings. The company notes that reuse on a larger scale requires new knowledge, new networks and far-reaching changes in the sector.

In order to enhance wellbeing, some of the larger corridors at Delphi has been converted into smaller units. The tenants have been involved in choosing the colour schemes.

In a two-year initiative, AF Bostäder has renovated and renewed the outdoor environment at Ulrikedal. In addition to technical maintenance and improved waste systems, the initiative has given the students secure, well-lit bicycle parking spaces, pleasant areas for socialising where lawns and meadows are interspersed with barbecue areas, boule court, outdoor gym and much more.

AF Bostäder has achieved good results in measuring and reducing emissions of greenhouse gases in its own operations and from purchased energy. Now, the focus is intensifying on other indirect emissions. A recent review is to form the basis for reducing emissions from new construction projects and property management.

One of AF Bostäder’s prioritised global goals concerns protecting biodiversity and natural living environments. AF Bostäder promotes a great variety of species by means such as confining new construction to areas with already impervious surfaces and laying sedum roofs. Much remains to be done and several new initiatives are under way.

The students can hand in waste such as batteries, electronic devices, light sources and bulky furniture in the Green Room, which also has the popular recycling shelf where objects disappear just as fast as they are handed in.

Since 2020, AF Bostäder has carried out climate impact calculations for all new construction projects, something that will be required by law from 2022. The aim is to map and reduce the impact of new construction on the climate.

Cooking fat that is disposed of in the kitchen sink can cause damage to drains and sewers and attract pests, but if the fat is collected, it can be converted into biofuel. In a pilot project, the students have recycled a total of 700 kilos of cooking fat, and the initiative is now being expanded.

Most of us know that cigarette butts should not be discarded on the ground or in nature, but even so they tend to end up there. With a newly started nudging project at Delphi, AF Bostäder wants to inspire more people to dispose of their cigarette butts in the correct way, for the benefit of wellbeing and the environment. At the heart of the project is AF Bostäder’s newly engaged staff member: Ash.

AF Bostäder has improved its plant protection system. Now, weeds are cleared from impervious surfaces using only hot water. The system is efficient, eco-friendly and easy to use.

AF Bostäder has begun to carry out climate impact calculations for new construction, starting with Hippocampus. The aim is to map emission sources and in time reduce the climate impact of new construction.

AF Bostäder’s bulky waste stations have been given a new design to inspire the students to minimise their waste, increase their recycling and find satisfaction in reuse. Say hello to the Green Room!

In 2016, AF Bostäder decided to be 100% fossil fuel-free in terms of electricity, heating, transport and equipment by the end of 2020. A minor volume of fossil fuels is still used, but emissions have been reduced by 92%. Over the next five years, the focus will be on indirect emissions – an area in which the company has the greatest possibility to exert an influence.

In Sweden we are good at waste sorting, but only about 20% of clothing is recycled – something AF Bostäder wants to improve. Between 2015 and 2020, the students have collected 130 tons of textiles in easily accessible containers from Human Bridge.

Most of AF Bostäder’s laundry rooms have automatic detergent dosing, which minimises the risk of using too much detergent. From 2020, all laundry rooms are also fabric conditioner-free, which further reduces the use of chemicals.

During 2020, AF Bostäder changed older light sources to LEDs on facades and lampposts, and in stairwells at four housing areas. The switch means more efficient lighting, longer lamp lifetime, increased security and an energy saving of 70%.

AF Bostäder has a goal to become 100% fossil fuel-free by the end of 2020. Challenges remain within the areas of company vehicles and business travel.

In 2019, AF Bostäder renewed its goal for waste management and continued to create simpler waste sorting conditions for the students. The approach involves combining practical and well thought-out measures with encouragement, nudging and inspiration.

Striving for a construction site free from environmentally hazardous products, materials and chemicals is a considerable challenge. AF Bostäder uses the Basta and SundaHus services and notes all products in a digital logbook.

AF Bostäder is in an expansive phase and building student housing on a large scale every year. The company sets stringent requirements for sustainability in its new production and has introduced its own sustainability manual as support for housing development.

AF Bostäder opened 25 insect hotels in 2019 as a contribution to our natural surroundings and biodiversity. 

AF Bostäder is replacing more and more traditional waste stations with Underground Waste Systems (UWSs). Waste sorting becomes simpler, management more cost-effective and the living environment is cleaner, neater and safer.

In 2018, AF Bostäder carried out improvements on the indoor climate at four properties. All regulating valves and thermostatic valves were replaced, and tenants now have a more consistent indoor temperature.

AF Bostäder has a zero tolerance policy towards all forms of corruption. Preventive work is important and therefore new guidelines for business ethics were adopted in January 2018.

An analysis of spot checks in randomly selected housing areas shows that between 70–85% of tenants’ residual waste, mainly food waste, is wrongly thrown away – and could have been recycled.

For the second year in succession, AF Bostäder reduced its greenhouse gas emissions – down by 89% since 2016. The reduced climate impact is mainly due to switching to renewable district heating and electricity.

AF Bostäder opened two new laundry rooms at Vildanden, where the tenants can wash their clothes using only cold water. The new technology reduces both energy consumption and the spread of chemicals.

Resource usage is an area in which AF Bostäder has considerable possibilities to make a positive impact. The target is that 50 % of total waste is to be sorted.

AF Bostäder has long been involved in active environmental management. During 2016, we began to widening the perspective further and started to report on the activities in a Sustainability Report.

Resource usage is an area in which AF Bostäder has considerable possibilities to make a positive impact. Using smart and efficient solutions, AF Bostäder creates good conditions for waste sorting and recycling.

AF Bostäder works intensively to reduce energy consumption. The focus is on properties built before 2009 and the aim is a 15 % reduction in energy consumption among the older properties in the portfolio by 2019.

AF Bostäder reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by almost 80 % in the period 2016–2017. A contributing factor is the change to renewable electricity in the properties– an initiative suggested by a proactive tenant.

In the autumn of 2017, ten of AF Bostäder’s corridors and over 50 tenants took part in a social project in cooperation with the pro-inclusion association Föreningen Hållihopp in Lund.

When AF Bostäder realized that the cartakers spent about 2-3 full-time posts per year to keep track of the waste stations, the information campaign "Do not waste the waste" was born.

AF Bostäder and Bokompakt have been awarded the "Skåne Solar Award 2015" in the "Solar Cells of the Year" class.

If your employees are doing well, then AF Bostäder are doing well! That's why AF Bostäder invests heavily in wellness, happiness and fellowship

We continue to optimize energy use in the older property portfolio. That's why we installed our first geothermal plant at Kämnärsrätten - and halved the property's heat consumption.