Building industry

Nature Impact

Supply Chain

Partnership

Biodiversity in Construction – Measuring and Reducing Impact Across the Value Chain

Client

Realdania, Planetary Responsibility Foundation, AP Pension, PensionDanmark

Partner

Aaen Engineering, Concito, Oiko, Sweco

Services

Resource Dependency & Value Chain Assessments

Project Description

The construction sector's biggest biodiversity impact doesn't happen on the building site - it happens in the extraction and production of materials, yet most of the industry has no way to measure it. This report establishes a method, a baseline, and concrete recommendations to address it.

The Project

Based on an analysis of 50 Danish building projects, the BBV project has developed the first Danish method for calculating a building's full biodiversity impact across its value chain, using the same LCA framework already applied for climate accounting.

The report sets two targets: a short-term operational benchmark based on the current baseline's lower quartile, and a long-term sector ambition - to stop biodiversity loss contributions by 2030 and reverse them by 2050, in line with the Kunming-Montreal framework.

Key Findings

95% of the impact happens off-site

The overwhelming majority of biodiversity impact comes from material supply chains, not the building plot. Materials account for 78% of total impact on average, with the largest share in raw material extraction and production.

Three materials dominate the account

Timber, concrete, and metal together account for 43% of a building's total biodiversity impact. For concrete and metal, the driver is CO₂ emissions, so low-carbon alternatives cut both climate and biodiversity impact at once. For timber, origin matters enormously - Northern and Central European timber carries 70–90% lower biodiversity impact than the global average.

Renovation consistently outperforms new construction

It has lower biodiversity and climate impact and should be the default consideration before new builds are pursued.

The gap between best and worst is 2.8x within the same building typology

It is explained almost entirely by material volume and sourcing choices, not technical constraints - the lever is already in developers' hands.

Reports

Report 1

Biodiversitetspåvirkning fra 50 byggerier

Download

Download

Report 2

Guide til implementering af biodiversitet i ejendommes værdikæde

Download

Download

Report 1

Appendix 1

Download

Download

Report 2

Appendix 2

Download

Download

Contact us for more information

Thilde Nørgaard Holm

Partner

+45 20 28 35 85

tnh@upstream.partners

Let's work together

Join Upstream Partners in our mission to create a sustainable, nature-positive future. By working together, we can meet international goals and protect the planet for future generations.

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Understanding dependencies. Driving transformation.

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(+45) 20 28 35 85
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CVR: 45189961

New York

+1 (917) 450-5622
nyc@upstream.partners
EIN: 99-5118639

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Understanding dependencies. Driving transformation.

Copenhagen

(+45) 20 28 35 85
cph@upstream.partners
CVR: 45189961

New York

+1 (917) 450-5622
nyc@upstream.partners
EIN: 99-5118639

Stay connected

By submitting your email, you agree to receive news and updates from Upstream Partners. You can unsubscribe at any time. See our Privacy Policy for how we handle your data.

© Upstream Partners 2026

Privacy Policy

Cookie Policy

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