A climate-smart landmark in Stockholm

A climate-smart landmark in Stockholm

This is an inspiration in sustainable urban living, created by Electrolux Group and situated on the site of the company´s historic headquarter. The residential development of 114 units combines climate innovation, architectural vision and care for the people inside. Get familiar with this first residential phase in the larger Greenhouse Sthlm initiative, a transformation led by Property Development at Electrolux Group in close cooperation with Archus - general consultant and architect.

A vision built on purpose and sustainability

The Greenhouse Sthlm transformation is led by Electrolux Group’s Head of Property Development, Ulrika Kågström, a long-standing leader within the company since 1995. Her passion for sustainable urban development and innovation has sparked the creation of Brf Gourmet, aligning with the company’s overarching purpose: “Shape living for the better.” 

This project is more than just a residential construction, it is a strong contribution to Electrolux Group's 2050 climate neutrality goal. Early in the planning process, the team decided to pilot the NollCO2 certification, an advanced sustainability framework introduced by SGBC*. The team had the ambition to also meet the Nordic Swan Ecolabel. With this, the development sets a new benchmark for climate-conscious residential building in Sweden. 

*SGBC stands for Sweden Green Building Council 

Material choices to cut carbon emissions

The original building, once a children’s hospital and later Electrolux’s head office, underwent a local government rezoning in 2018. A change that paved the way for Brf Gourmet, where design decisions were made to meet both aesthetics and emissions goals. 

  • Timber construction from central Swedish spruce. 

  • Climate-improved concrete

  • Bricks from old facade was reused
  • The new building is certified with NollCO2

  • All in all the project have cut CO2 emissions by 57% compared to conventional construction according to NollCO2 way to calculating.

 

We wanted large glass sections to maximize natural light, but no bulky radiators in front. We saw real value in offering heating as well as cooling for the warmer summers of the future.
Ulrika Kågström, Head of Property Development at Electrolux Group

Climate-conscious comfort, applying heating and cooling innovations  

One of the project’s standout innovations lies in how climate control is managed within each apartment. Large window sections were chosen to optimise natural light, which led to creative thinking to avoid conventional radiators. 

After a thorough analysis, the team opted for connecting to the local district heating and cooling network and two HVAC solution designs were evaluated: air-based vs. floor-based installations. Ultimately, the Swegon CASA Climate air-based solution was selected for its: 

  • User-friendly interface, including mobile app and wall panel controls. 

  • Energy-efficiency features such as vacation mode and cooling shutdown options. 

  • Free cooling capability, which increases night-time air intake during summer. 

This system not only meets regulated climate requirements but also empowers residents to control their energy use. 

An intuitive interface, simple technical setup and no need for a concrete overlay, which would’ve increased our CO₂ impact and affected ceiling height.
Ulrika Kågström, Head of Property Development at Electrolux Group

CASA Climate for many reasons

The decision to implement CASA Climate was for indoor climate excellence, and also about intelligent design and usability, technical and environmental criteria: 

  • Installation ease under a raised floor that also supports acoustic comfort. 

  • Low COâ‚‚ footprint, compared to other options that would have required carbon-intensive concrete overlays. 

  • Direct collaboration between Elextrolux and Swegon’s product team, ensuring system performance through on-site testing and validation, especially around air outlet placement and draft comfort. 

CASA Climate in practice

Mentioning a few of the benefits of the CASA climate solution: the outdoor air is filtered from pollen and other particles before entering the home, 85 % of the heating/cooling energy in the ventilation is recovered and humidity sensors adjust air flow based on demand. Each apartments indoor climate, meaning heating, ventilation and cooling, is automatically or manually controlled via an app. 

Heating and cooling come from one and the same climate solution and are distributed in ducts under cabinets and wardrobes. Each room can feature a target temperature of their own, adjustable from the touch panel or the app. Residents can also set a weekly schedule to minimise energy consumption without compromising the comfortable indoor climate.  

Climate compensation for COâ‚‚ emissions emitted during construction is included in the residents’ purchase of the apartment. The homes’ climate impact is thereby already accounted for.  

The final result

When Ulrika summarises the project she calls Brf Gourmet a shining example of how thoughtful planning, environmental responsibility and innovative partnerships can redefine urban living. She highlights the project team as it has emphasised continuity, shared values and showed leading expertise, from Archus, Skanska and Hedström & Taube, to the direct collaboration with Swegon. She thinks the development is set to inspire a new generation of sustainable building projects in Sweden and beyond.

We wanted residents to control their indoor climate easily and efficiently. CASA Climate allows just that.
Ulrika Kågström, Head of Property Development at Electrolux