Girl Power: Only Women Built Villazero - the First Carbon-Neutral Single-Family Home in Sweden
Villazero is a community project and is considered one of the world's first carbon-neutral single-family homes. The fully CO2-neutral building was constructed in 2022 and is regarded as a testing and showcase project in Sweden. Located in Borlänge, central Sweden, the CLT building used many SIGA products, including SIGA Wetguard, for an airtight and windproof building envelope.
Sustainable Construction: Villazero opts for a wooden foundation instead of concrete
The first carbon-neutral single-family home in Sweden is certified with the national net-zero standard NollCO2. This sets requirements for reducing the greenhouse gas emissions of a building by setting limits for the emissions of building component production, construction processes, and indirectly through a cap on the building's energy consumption.
Villazero's goal was to develop the most climate-friendly building techniques and materials of the future. Thus, the house sits on a wooden foundation instead of concrete. It was challenging, for example, to re-evaluate existing building materials. The material decisions made at Villazero could also be applied in other houses in the future, thanks to a holistic consideration of climate impact.
Das Einfamilienhaus in Borlänge ist das erste kohlenstoffneutrale Haus der Welt.
SIGA & Villa Zero
Several years ago, SIGA representatives sat down with local architects and engineers to discuss materiality and solutions. Later, installers (mostly women) attended a SIGA Academy in Ruswil, where they expanded their knowledge. Even during the various construction phases, SIGA employees were regularly on-site, training the installers or conducting quality checks. For example, theoretical and practical knowledge regarding the weather protection of CLTs was imparted. SIGA Wetguard proved to be the optimal solution. The costs for weather protection in this project were reduced from 450,000 SEK (approximately 38,000 CHF) to a fraction (approximately 1/20) thanks to Wetguard.
All-female Construction Team
One of the goals of the project was to inspire a fairer construction industry. Thus, most of the construction workers on this project were female - a conscious decision to promote gender equality in the construction industry and create new role models. In the video, you'll see Girl Power in action (and discover one or two SIGA products ????):
For more information and videos
If you'd like to learn more about this exciting project, we recommend the following links:
- Take a virtual tour of the finished single-family home here: Fiskarhedenvillan (web.tours)
- More about the project: Skimra (youtube.com)
- Follow Villa Zero on Instagram: Villazero (@villazeroborlange) • Instagram Photos and Videos
Stefanie Schaller
HR Marketing and Employer Branding Manager on a mission to position SIGA as a great employer. Outside of work, she enjoys immersing herself in the world of books, passionately practices yoga, and is a proud mum.