Green Urban Development Report No.3 - Skanska

Don’t let the water slip through our fingersLooking at a chart of future global water stress is a humbling experience. Several regionswill be affected heavily in the years to come. In many countries and markets, not justdeveloping, but developed as well, the issue of water is real and must be solved. Water isnot an infinite resource. We have to manage it responsibly, as we must do for all otherresources. Skanska has water as a top priority – along with energy, carbon and materials– on our Journey to Deep Green. And parallels can be drawn between the issues ofwater and energy efficiency. As a leading development and construction company, wemust of course do our utmost to minimize the use of water in all our operations. However,larger gains can be made if we help our customers to develop and construct buildingsand infrastructures that use less water during their lifetime, as is the case with energy.We must always view our impact on the environment and the world from a long-termand holistic perspective.Yet there is not one single water problem – there are thousands. If greenhouse gasesare a global issue, it does not matter where in the world the emissions occur since theeffects will be the same. However, water is fundamentally a local and regional issue.Therefore, the solutions must vary. For Skanska, this suits us as we can think globallybut act locally, transfer knowledge where appropriate between countries and marketsand tailor our projects using proven and modern solutions. But one issue the developedworld needs to come to terms with is water waste and water misuse, since developedcountries tend to take water for granted as the issues become increasingly severe.In the near future, we foresee new innovative solutions and new approaches thatwill seek to calm the troubled waters. And Skanska, together with our customers, willbe an important contributor. Hopefully, this report will both inspire and inform, as weshare our commitment and passion with you. And as always, we are open to discuss –and learn about – what we can do for you.Johan Karlström,President and CEOSkanska’s Journey to Deep GreenPrevious issue – The rise oflocal energy communitiesSkanska is committed to actively contributingto a green society. The destinationis Deep Green – Deep Green buildingsand Deep Green infrastructure. To give usa strategic framework and a communicationtool for Green Construction andDevelopment (Green Business), we havecreated Skanska’s Color Palette TM . Thetool is used to categorize projects by classifyingthem as Vanilla, Green or DeepGreen. The definition of Deep Green issimply near-zero environmental impactby our projects.Skanska’s Color Palette TMVanilla: The construction processand/or product performance is in compliancewith applicable laws, regulations,codes and standards.Green: The construction processand/or product performance is beyondcompliance, but not yet at a point wherewhat we construct and how we construct itcan be considered to have a near-zero environmentalimpact.Deep Green: The construction process andour product performance has a near-zero environmentalimpact and thereby future-proofs ourprojects. Skanska´s Deep Green Water ambitionfor its building projects is Net Zero Water andfor its Civil and Infrastructure projects it is ZeroPotable Water for Construction. Read more atwww.skanska.com/colorpaletteSkanska Green Urban Development Report No.3/November 2011 3