Today Veidekke has signed a contract with the University Foundation for Student
Life in Ås (SiÅs) to build eight blocks with a total of 795 student bedsits.
This will likely be the world's largest student housing project in massive wood,
and the choice of material provides significant environmental benefits in the
form of reduced CO2 emissions. The value of the contract is NOK 497 million
excluding VAT.
The Norwegian Veterinary Institute and the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the
Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) are moving to Campus Ås. There is
therefore a need to build a large number of student residences that will be
ready to accommodate new students in the autumn of 2020.
"In 2012 we and Veidekke started construction of the first two blocks of student
bedsits from massive wood in Norway, and this started a trend that has spread
throughout the country. We are proud to have been the first, and the fact that
we will now be taking new giant steps for the students and the environment,"
says Managing Director Einride Berg of SiÅs.
"Although funding is conditional upon grants from the Ministry, we are choosing
to sign a contract now to ensure progress and execution of the project. We hope
to have the funds in place so that Veidekke can start construction work in the
spring," Berg continues.
Altogether, the eight blocks will accommodate 795 bedsit units (number of
people), with a combination of family apartments, couple's apartments, large and
small collectives and single units where everything is in one room. The blocks
will range from three to seven storeys in height, and in addition several of
them will have basements or sub-floors with storage rooms, bicycle parking,
technical facilities and operations areas for SiÅs.
"Massive wood halves the CO2 emissions from materials compared to load bearing
structures made from steel and concrete. It is thus one of the best and fastest
ways we can reduce a building's greenhouse gas emissions. So far, Veidekke has
built 1,400 similar student residences at five locations in Norway, and are
looking forward to continuing here in Ås. We are humble in the face of the huge
task ahead of us, and would like to thank SiÅs for their confidence in us," says
district manager Rune Andersstuen of Veidekke.
Start of construction is conditional upon funding, but is planned for the spring
and is therefore not yet included in Veidekke's order backlog.
For press photos, see www.flickr.com/photos/veidekke, for more information,
contact:
District manager Rune Andersstuen, tel. +47 91 83 33 80,
rune.andersstuen@veidekke.no
Communications Manager Helge Dieset, tel. +47 90 55 33 22,
helge.dieset@veidekke.no
Managing Director Einride Berg of SiÅs, tel. +47 90 51 20 47,
einride.berg@sias.no
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Veidekke is one of Scandinavia's largest construction and property development
companies. The company undertakes all types of building construction and civil
engineering contracts, develops residential projects, maintains roads, and
produces asphalt and aggregates. The company is known for its involvement and
local knowledge. Revenue is almost NOK 32 billion, and half of the 8,000
employees own shares in the company. Veidekke is listed on the Oslo Stock
Exchange and has always posted a profit since it was founded in 1936.