Powerhouse represents a collaboration in the development of energy efficient and low carbon buildings, and consists of the entrepreneur and project developer Skanska, the environmental organization ZERO, and Snøhetta architecture and design office.
The objective of the Powerhouse collaboration is to be the most climate-ambitious player in the construction sector. We have noted the increasing focus on the climate. In the autumn of 2019, Powerhouse launched a new standard for future-proof buildings, called Powerhouse Curve, based on the Paris Agreement’s 1.5-degree objective. The standard sets a cap for total greenhouse gas emissions for a building throughout its lifespan.
The first project realised by the collaboration partners was Powerhouse Kjørbo, located in Sandvika outside Oslo, Norway. This was the first energy-positive building in Norway, and probably the first renovated energy-positive building in the world. ZEB (The Research Centre on Zero Emission Buildings) and Enova have been important partners to realise the project.
The Powerhouse Drøbak Montessori School was completed in the spring of 2018. In an effort to improve understanding and to exploit new and existing technology in buildings and construction, the Powerhouse collaboration developed the Smart by Powerhouse guide in 2018. The guide explains different levels of smart buildings and provides invaluable input in a design phase where the objective is to identify the right technology for the right ambition.
Powerhouse Brattørkaia is the world’s northernmost energy-positive building, generating about 500,000 kWh of renewable energy annually—more than twice its consumption. Located in Trondheim, Norway, it features nearly 3,000 m² of solar panels and has achieved BREEAM Outstanding certification for its exceptional sustainability. Additionally, Powerhouse Brattørkaia serves as a small power plant, supplying surplus energy to neighboring buildings, electric buses, cars, and boats through a local microgrid.
Powerhouse Telemark, is an energy-positive office building in Porsgrunn, Norway, generating 256,000 kWh annually—enough to power twenty average Norwegian households. Its unique design and sustainable features, including BREEAM Excellent certification, significantly reduce its environmental impact while contributing surplus energy back to the grid.
Powerhouse Lade in Trondheim, Norway, is the Powehouse’s first energy-positive residential development, completed in 2024. Powerhouse Lade is designed to produce more energy than it consumes during operation. This is achieved through features like solar panels and geothermal wells. This sustainable project emphasizes community living with urban farming areas, green roofs, and shared electric vehicle charging stations.
