ByggPartner is embarking on an exciting project to design and develop 72 student housing apartments and a preschool at Rackarbergsgatan in Uppsala, Sweden. This initiative, in collaboration with Uppsalahem, is set to be completed by spring 2025.

Rackarberget, a student area, is conveniently located near several university departments and just a short bike ride from the city center. The new building will meet the stringent Nordic Swan Ecolabel standards.

The project will feature a Sylva™ kit of parts containing three types of mass timber - cross-laminated timber (CLT), laminated veneer lumber (LVL) and glued laminated timber (GLT/Glulam). Up until now, developers and mass timber contractors have had to go to several different suppliers to get the right elements at the right time. Stora Enso is simplifies that by delivering everything as a kit of parts. 

The project is also taking full advantage of Stora Enso's Sylva Protect Service, preapplying end grain sealer and temporary membranes. This will help accelerate the construction time as when the elements arrive on site, there will be no additional preparation work required. They can be installed immediately.

Sylva by Stora Enso is renowned for its excellent thermal performance, which can help reduce energy costs for heating and cooling with the right installation and design. Moreover, the natural properties of wood create a warm and inviting atmosphere, enhancing the overall quality of life for the students that will call it home.

The architect behind this innovative project is Gunilla Dahlstedt, who leads ByggPartner's Uppsala region. With a strong focus on low-emission design, Dahlstedt has been instrumental in integrating advanced mass timber construction techniques into the project. Her expertise ensures that the building not only meets but exceeds environmental standards, providing a model for future developments.

Having all three types of mass timber, CLT, LVL, and GLT - in the Sylva kit of parts offers several advantages. It allows for greater design flexibility and structural integrity, as each type of timber has unique properties that can be leveraged for different parts of the building. CLT provides excellent strength and stability for walls and floors, LVL is ideal for beams and columns due to its high load-bearing capacity, and GLT offers superior durability and aesthetic appeal for exposed structural elements. This is explained well in this short Sylva Talks video series. 

Sustainability

The Sylva kit generated 49 tonnes of greenhouse gases (CO₂e) to manufacture and 8 tonnes of CO₂e to transport. Compared to the 660 tonnes of carbon dioxide that the trees removed while they were growing and will store in for the school this is a small fraction. Choosing Sylva CLT elements instead of non-renewables avoided 991 tonnes of greenhouse gases. (Sources: EPD | NTM | SLU).

Carbon calculator: try out our carbon calculator to see what the size of your carbon footprint would be for your project here.

Learn more about the advantages with mass timber: Download whitepaper