Denmark – With Denmark on track to become the world’s first fossil fuel free country by 2050, we visited the State of Green’s headquarters to learn more about how the Scandinavian country is achieving this. The State of Green is a public-private partnership aimed at “showcasing Denmark’s green solutions internationally and attract investments to Denmark.” Their website has become a useful resource to demonstrate the over 1,300 ways in which Danish innovation has been applied to achieve their 2050 goal, with many of the solutions focusing on energy reduction.
Senior project manager Majken Kalhave was our gracious host at the State of Green and provided us with some illuminating facts about how cities are drivers for green growth—liveable cities especially, which combine physical, cultural and social aspects, which themselves are driven by a green economy. What makes a city liveable? In Copenhagen alone, 60% of residents use bicycles for their daily work commutes, and the State of Green has calculated that a newly constructed bicycle bridge and the travel time saved has resulted in 700,000 € in annual socio-economic benefits. Even though these benefits can’t be attributed to architectural interventions alone, it’s evident that architecture and its interface with urban life can have a significant positive impact on liveability in cities and the resulting green growth. The harbour baths are another example of where architecture has intervened: after a decision to remediate the city’s inner harbour of water pollution, Copenhagen residents can now swim in the harbour itself. BIG’s design for the harbour bath, featuring different pools and a diving platform, has turned this area in to an urban destination that has significantly increased real estate values. Architecture has the power to transform cities in a way that benefits economic growth and liveability alike. While the State of Green remains a largely online presence, its dissemination of Denmark’s success in urban development (and a myriad of other sectors) is invaluable to the international community. As a global community, our goals for sustainability rely on organizations like these to track our collective progress and share knowledge for the greater good.
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