During the development of Oslo’s new emergency ward at Aker Hospital, sustainability and reuse have been a consistent theme throughout the process.

Beautiful stone from the new National Museum and Carrara marble that would otherwise have been discarded have been turned into a unique and beautiful floor in the reception area of the new Emergency Ward. The stones are divided into pieces of approximately 30 x 30 cm and cast together as a giant terrazzo.

“The fact that construction projects in Oslo share materials adds value to the city, creates interesting stories, and sustainable results of high quality that are both environmentally friendly and affordable,”

says architect Anders Doser from Nordic Office of Architecture.

Hollow core slabs from the old government quarter (R4) have also been given new life in the new emergency ward. This is significant, as hollow core slabs are the largest source of emissions in new buildings – they often account for 10% of greenhouse gas emissions from materials. In addition, granite remnants from Vika Terrace have been reused in the access square at the entrance to the hospital area and at the forecourt of the emergency ward.

The metropolitan emergency ward is being built as a passive house and is an environmentally friendly, fossil-free construction site. The building will be environmentally certified to BREEAM Excellent.

“Oslobygg has high ambitions in terms of environment and sustainability. In this project, we have tested various elements of reuse and zero emissions, and gained good experiences that we will take with us to other projects,”

says project manager Sepideh Moosavi at Oslobygg.

With a holistic environmental mindset, temporary structures must also be accounted for. An unused building on the hospital grounds in close proximity to the construction site was a natural choice for site offices instead of establishing a traditional barracks.

“The building of approximately 1,000 sqm was rehabilitated internally to well-suited office solutions where the contractor, design group, and client have been co-located throughout the project,” says Fredrik Lang, assistant project director from Advansia for Oslobygg.

The emergency ward will be completed by spring and opened during 2023, to the delight of all Oslo’s residents.

Architect: Nordic Office of Architecture

Engineering: COWI

Contractor: Skanska

Project Management: Advansia

Client: Oslobygg

Floor Supplier: Ellingard