Vertikal Nydalen awarded Storebrand Sustainability Award 2024

Vertikal Nydalen, Avantor's new Tower, is a flagship project designed to achieve near zero-energy levels and was honored with the Storebrand Real Estate Sustainability Award 2024.

The Storebrand Sustainability Award aims to highlight real estate players who challenge established practices and serve as role models in the industry.

"The winner has made remarkable progress towards zero-energy solutions while simplifying today’s highly complex ventilation and heating systems. Additionally, they’ve created resilience and timelessness, minimizing the need for future replacements and renovations," says jury chair Unn Hofstad, Head of Sustainability at Storebrand Real Estate.

Vertikal Nydalen in Oslo is an 18-story tower with distinctive architecture. Avantor has sought innovation, notably opting for natural ventilation instead of the standard mechanical systems.

"The innovation and decisions driving this project required courage, long-term commitment, and confidence in their goals. We need developments like this because, if we are building new structures, they should be of high quality and considerate of our shared future," Hofstad explains.

An Architectural Gem

The building is a FutureBuilt flagship project aiming for near zero-energy levels and is set to be environmentally certified to BREEAM-NOR Excellent for its office spaces.

"We have challenged ourselves, our architects, and contractors on multiple fronts, including participating in research projects to explore effective solutions. Going forward, we will share our experiences with the industry to promote more sustainable real estate development," says Øystein Thorup, CEO of Avantor.

The jury considers the winning project an architectural gem that enhances the area’s identity. At the same time, the building upholds high environmental and technical standards, significantly reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. The project provides value to the entire industry by addressing challenges that have grown over decades. It revisits and adapts older, discarded solutions to meet today’s demands for energy efficiency, indoor climate, and external environmental standards. The jury hopes this will pave the way for new solutions among other developers and foster a shift in attitudes among consultants and tenants.

Award Ceremony at Arendalsuka

This is the fourth time Storebrand Real Estate has presented the Sustainability Award. The 2024 prize was awarded aboard the Storebrand Boat on August 13 during Arendalsuka.

"The winning project is innovative, with high environmental and technical quality," says the jury.

Three Outstanding Finalists

The jury conducted thorough evaluations, visiting all finalists. This year’s finalists also included two rehabilitation projects: Kommunegården in Sandvika and Markeveien 1B in Bergen.

"After every visit, you leave impressed by how much has been achieved. The creativity, high standards, and dedication of the teams behind these projects are truly inspiring. The industry is making great progress, and that’s very encouraging," Hofstad says.

"We want the construction industry to gain inspiration, insight, and motivation to improve sustainability in all their projects. That’s why we present this award for the fourth time," says Truls Nergaard, Head of Storebrand Real Estate.

Jury Members

  • Unn Hofstad, Storebrand Real Estate (Chair)
  • Kristian Ruth, Finance Norway
  • Katharina Bramslev, Green Building Alliance
  • Nicolai Riise, MAD Architects

 

Other nominees

  • Kommunegården (Sandvika)
  • Markeveien 1B (Bergen)

 

Criteria for assessing candidates

The assessment of candidates for Storebrand Real Estate Sustainability Award is based on the following criteria:

  • Innovation
  • Climate risk
  • Health and well-being
  • Reduced CO2 footprint
  • Biodiversity
  • Documentable results
  • Resource efficiency and circularity
  • Green mobility
  • Knowledge sharing

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