Every year, approximately 5 million tons of construction waste are generated globally. In response, the next generation of craftsmen is being trained to lead the way in sustainable building practices. So too in Denmark, as we heard from our CTB partner from Vejle Municipality.
The Danish craftsmen of the future
Hands on course in Vejle
Around 85 students from the carpentry and masonry programs at the Southern Danish Vocational School in Vejle recently participated in a hands-on course about resource and waste management in construction.
Hosted at the Resource Center Vejle and organized in collaboration with Vejle Erhverv by Flemming Kjærsgaard, the course included a guided tour with Kirstine Marcussen Lerche and a site visit to System Transport's new logistics center in Vejle Nord with Christian Svenninggaard Kjeldsen from KT Erhvervsbyg A/S. This provided students with real-world experience on how to turn construction waste into a valuable resource.
CTB Training in Vejle
New regulations & waste management
New building regulations coming into effect on July 1, 2025, will address CO2 emissions during the construction of new buildings, including waste management, energy consumption, and transportation. As René Stig Jacobsen from Resource Center Vejle (RCV) highlighted, construction waste accounts for nearly 40% of all waste in Denmark, yet much of it can be recycled into new building materials.
KT Erhvervsbyg A/S has been at the forefront of resource optimization, focusing on reducing energy consumption and increasing the recycling of materials on construction sites. Christian Svenninggaard Kjeldsen, Sustainability Manager at KT Erhvervsbyg, shared that their efforts are showing great potential for minimizing environmental impact while improving waste management processes.
Training for the future construction sector
Ongoing collaboration
This course is part of an ongoing collaboration between Southern Danish Business School, Vejle Municipality's Resources & Recycling, KT Erhvervsbyg A/S, and Vejle Erhverv. It is also a key initiative within the EU-funded Interreg Circular Trust Building Project (CTB), which includes 15 partners from the Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, Germany, and France. The project is dedicated to advancing circular economy principles in the construction industry.