Female construction team creates carbon neutral building

An all-female construction team is building a carbon-neutral building called VillaZero in Borlänge. The Instalco subsidiaries, Intec and VVS Installatör are involved in the project, where Emma Korsgren and Therese Strand are responsible for the heating & plumbing installations.

“I said yes to this right away, with no hesitation. It’s exciting to get the chance to be a part of this unique project, especially since it is an all-­female team and the first of its kind in Sweden,” says Emma Korsgren.

Project VillaZero started up as a concept with focus on social and ecological sustainability. The purpose has been to identify the future’s most sustainable construction solutions and building materials. A small building is being constructed in a carbon-neutral way, entirely of wood. It will be certified with the Nordic Swan Ecolabel and NollCo2. The Swedish Green Building Council’s NollCo2 certification requires reporting on the entire building’s lifecycle climate impact, with additional measures for balancing the remaining climate impact down to net zero (offsets).

Fiskarhedenvillan, the initiator of VillaZero, wanted to raise the issue of gender equality in the construction industry and thus landed on the solution of having an all-female team responsible for construction of the building. Emma Korsgren and Therese Strand, assemblers at VVS Installatör, have been involved in the project. They have been responsible for installation of the water, heating and plumbing solutions for the VillaZero project.

“VillaZero unifies two of the construction sector’s most important challenges - sustainability and equality. Allowing an all-female team to build it creates role models for other women and it makes a bold statement,” says Johan Karlsson, Construction Manager for ByggPartner.

Since spring 2021, the construction team in charge of the project has been closely collaborating among the various disciplines.

“It’s been exciting being a part of this and demonstrating that it is possible to make a career in this sector and profession, even for women. It also shows other women that they are not alone here in the construction and installation sector,” says Emma.

Other women are involved behind the scenes of the project as well, which Emma appreciates. For example, Minna Glemme who works at Intec in Falun did the design work for VillaZero.

Partners in the project are Fiskarhedenvillan, Women Building Sweden, ByggParner, Structor Byggteknik, Mondo Arkitekter, Dalarnas Försäkringsbolag, Region Dalarna and several sub-contractors.