Former farmland is being transformed into rainwater basins and artificial wetlands to protect the urban development area in Køge Nord from heavy rainwater in the future. Along the way, many new animal and plant species have emerged.

Barely five years ago, fields stood side by side at Egedesvej in Køge Nord. Today, the area looks very different. The land is in the process of being transformed from agricultural to urban. And to protect the city and waterways from flooding, rainwater basins and wetlands are currently being dug. They will act as a collection point for the increasing rainfall that many parts of the country are experiencing in recent years due to climate change.

An important element is to continuously document and reduce the project's climate footprint. Midway through the project, the first results are in. And they clearly show what a conversion from agriculture to wetlands can mean.

As many as 384 species have been recorded in the part of the area where the first large rainwater basins are being built.

- Our environmental studies show an increase in biodiversity, with rocks from the area being used as riffles that guide the water cheaply and reliably from pool to pool, while oxygenating the water and creating hiding places for animals such as newts. Specifically, we have registered over 300 species that have been added since we started. This emphasizes that you can go a long way on construction projects like this with the right sustainability strategy," says Bettina Simonsen, Project Manager at KLAR Forsyning, the developer of the project.

Respect for the planet's resources

Work on climate-proofing Køge Nord started at the beginning of 2019, and Tscherning as contractor has been involved from the groundbreaking ceremony.

Right now, Tscherning's team is in the process of rolling out membranes in the new reservoirs, which will ensure that the drinking water resource under the reservoirs will be kept free of various chemicals in rainwater, such as from car tires and brake dust.

In wetland creation projects, gravel is often placed around the membrane, but in Køge Nord, the raw soil already on site is used instead to save natural resources.

- Gravel is not an eternal resource and we have to deal with that in construction. We have a clear vision to contribute to more responsible solutions, and the membrane is an example of that. We can use the raw soil and don't need to transport gravel to the site. It just requires us to offer our expertise and engage in a dialog with the client about how the work can be done. The entire pilot project in Køge Nord is an example to follow when it comes to challenging the way we usually do things in the industry," says Henrik Larsen, Project Manager at Tscherning.

Reduce CO2 emissions by 50%.

In addition to increased biodiversity, since 2022 we have managed to halve the carbon footprint of the pipeline work in the area. This includes choosing materials with a lower carbon footprint and reducing diesel consumption.

Specifically, KLAR Forsyning has collected climate data from three pipeline projects from 2022, 2023 and 2024. The three projects vary in length from 300 meters to 390 meters, but are otherwise similar in function and capacity. Concrete cables have been replaced by plastic products. And wires that were already made of plastic are replaced by new products with a lower carbon footprint.

At the same time, diesel consumption from machines on the construction site has been reduced by 47 percent from 17 to 9 liters per meter of shared trench. Solar cells have been installed to supply the site's sheds with green electricity, and surplus soil has been continuously rebuilt to minimize the transport of soil.

Comparing the pipeline project from 2022 with the pipeline project carried out in 2024, the climate footprint has been reduced by 50 percent.

Additional information

Please contact Communications Consultant Michel Buch-Larsen

tel. +45 53 36 60 53 / email tscherning

About us

Tscherning is a Danish contractor engaged in demolition, environmental remediation, civil engineering and construction site services. First and foremost when it comes to recycling and circular construction.

The company was founded in 1975 by Georg Tscherning. A generational change in 1997, when Søren Tscherning took over as CEO from his father, was the start of a growth journey, and today Tscherning has one of Denmark's largest capacities in the field.

Over the past two years, Tscherning has renovated its new headquarters with approximately 90% recycled materials. Materials and fixtures are reused from Tscherning's own demolitions and upcycled sustainable products.

You can read more about Tscherning at tscherning.dk, or by following us on Facebook and LinkedIn.

About KLAR Forsyning

KLAR Forsyning is a joint utility company for Køge, Greve, Solrød and Stevns Municipalities, working for health, climate and environment. The company treats wastewater in all four municipalities, handles waste in Greve Municipality and is responsible for water and heat supply in parts of Køge Municipality. KLAR Forsyning is also involved in planning and implementing several different climate adaptation projects in Køge, Greve, Solrød and Stevns Municipalities to minimize the risk of flooding - today and in the future.