”We are proud to be one of the initiators of Sweden’s first local climate-neutral road map”
2019-06-16
Three quick questions to Peter Syrén, CEO of Midroc Properties, about what the sharing economy and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals can mean for a property developer.
What are the hottest building and property trends right now?
– I would not call it a trend, but sustainability, including social sustainability, is a central and very important issue for us as a property developer. We are working towards the UN Global Goals for Sustainable Development, and also, together with the City of Malmö, towards the goals set by the Commission for a Socially Sustainable Malmö, and, using the Malmö 2030 Road Map, for a climate-neutral building and construction sector. We are proud to be one of the initiators of Sweden’s first local climate-neutral road map. Two trends are building the sharing economy into homes and offices and more wood in construction.
What is meant by ‘building’ the sharing economy ‘into’?
– Building the sharing economy into is about resource effectiveness. For instance, the more people who hire a car when they need one, or are part of a carpool, the less parking space is required, and we need fewer cars per person. But it is also about social sustainability. For example, we can build properties combining student apartments and apartments for older people, with an intergenerational community, less loneliness and lower rents for students as payment in kind for helping the elderly. It is one of the possibilities being explored in our urban development project Embassy of Sharing in Hyllie [a district of Malmö].
Why is Midroc Properties going to the politicians’ week in Visby?
–We are participating in Almedalen Week to discuss with other societal actors how we can together develop the sustainable cities of tomorrow. We want to exchange ideas and discuss sustainable social development but also identify projects we can develop in partnership with others. How can we build from the start the sharing economy, sustainability and social inclusion into an area? And we are looking forward to talking with municipalities about our new housing concept, Lyckos, new designed and inspiring homes that more people can afford. We have just started to build the first homes project using this new solution.
Peter Syrén was interviewed by Jean-Daniel Maurin, a partner at New Republic. ´Three Quick Questions…’ is a series of interviews conducted by New Republic.