Monthly Archives: marts 2017

The Kalundborg Symbiosis is an industrial ecosystem, located in Kalundborg on ‘Sjælland’ in Denmark about 1 hour drive from København. Here the residual product of one enterprise is used as a resource by another enterprise, in a closed cycle. See how it works here. This Symbiosis came into being as a result of private conversations between a few enterprise managers from the Kalundborg region in the ’60s and ’70s. Yes, it is that old! Since then, it has developed based on good collaboration between employees of the businesses involved and is now a local collaboration where public and private enterprises buy and sell residual products, resulting in mutual economic and environmental benefits.

Now Kalundborg Symbiosis is increasing the use of surplus energy with a new biogas plant to convert residual energy from Novo Nordisk and Novozymes to green biogas. The establishment of the plant starts in March 2017, and will begin production next spring. The plant will convert about 300,000 tons of biomass residuals per year and produce about 8 million m3 green biogas – which is equivalent to the consumption of 5,000 households. The green natural gas from symbiosis project will also displace natural gas equivalent to 17,000 tons of CO2 per year. Read more here.

The government will boost the circular economy and has appointed an Advisory Board comprised of 12 business leaders with Besenbacher from Carlsberg as chairman. Before the summer 2017 the Advisory Board is suppose to give the Government recommendations on how it can support Danish industry’s transition into circular economy and thus contribute to better recycling of materials and increase recycling, which can enhance growth and yield gains for environment and climate.

On the 23. of March a large group of people with different approaches to the area attended an all-day event with break out sessions and contribution to the forthcoming recommendations. A very intense and interesting day.

The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts: KADK – have chosen UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals: the 17 SDGs –  as their leading agenda for the next 3 years. That is a brave, vice and necessary decision, because it will prepare the students for the world that is coming. Even if we do not like it – WE NEED TO CHANGE HABITS, and the faster the better. The 17 SDGs is the work of all UNs 193 countries, that has agreed on, and worked out this new revitalized global partnership for sustainable development. Personally I am moved by the thought, that this was possbile and now we all need to act on this. KADK is doing their part by devoting to developing design and architecture that can contribute to a more sustainable world. Below a pix from the openning conference at KADK with among other interesting speakers; former UN Secretary General Mogens Lykketoft from Denmark.

In collaboration with Mandag Morgen Sustainia, KADK intends to show how the UN global goals can be realised in practice, whilst creating the basis for a new era of growth within Danish design driven by innovative solutions that respond to national and global problems.

And KADK is alone. More organisations and institutions are being inspireret by the 17 SDGs. Like the Norwegian Center for Design and Architecture, they have made ‘The Oslo Manifesto’. Check is out, join them.