COWI

Bergen on track to sustainable rail excellence with new BREEAM Infrastructure certification🚆 Nygårdstangen freight terminal in Bergen, Norway, has received a BREEAM certification for the operation and maintenance of existing infrastructure. This is the first certification in Norway according to BREEAM Infrastructure Term Contracts. It will provide valuable experience in measuring environmental practice in future infrastructure projects. “At Bane NOR, we are committed to contributing to the sustainable development of society, and we are working broadly to move more transportation to rail. Even though rail is a greener transportation alternative, we see that our customers are increasingly demanding documentation of this. This certification documents that the operation and maintenance of our terminal is in line with our sustainability ambitions,” says Regional Freight Terminal Manager, Ove Andre Algrøy, Bane NOR. The new freight terminal has been modernised to double its capacity with the aim of reducing road transportation into Bergen. It is designed to meet growing transportation demands while supporting sustainability goals. It operates emission-free with electrified tracks, solar-powered buildings and district heating, and charging stations for machinery and equipment. The preparation for fully electric operations will reduce long-term operational costs while providing a more sustainable transportation option. “We see a growing awareness from insurance companies, financial institutions and the society at large that the infrastructure they invest in should maintain a high environmental standard,” says Business Developer, Elisabeth Aaserud, at COWI Certifications such as BREEAM provide a third-party verification of the environmental impact of the entire life cycle across the built environment. This is a useful framework in the construction industry to push projects and businesses in a greener direction. Let’s keep challenging the perception that good quality and sustainability are significantly more costly to design and build than simply adhering to mandatory requirements. Together, we can design for a greener future!

We are happy to announce the opening of a new office in Dublin, Ireland ☘️ The opening marks an important step in our commitment to support Project Ireland 2040. With this strategic expansion, we will enhance our engineering capabilities, and expect to create 50 new jobs, thereby contributing to Ireland’s €116 billion National Development Plan. "Project Ireland 2040 represents a transformative opportunity for sustainable infrastructure development across the country. As Ireland commits to enhancing regional connectivity, transitioning to renewable energy, and creating climate resilient communities, COWI brings proven expertise from similar successful transitions in Denmark and wider Scandinavia,” says David Feighery, COWI's Head of Ireland. “We are already contributing to Ireland’s green transition through our work on the Dublin District Heating Project, which aims to provide sustainable heating to homes and businesses. Our engineering solutions will help Ireland achieve its goals of compact urban growth, enhanced regional accessibility, and the transition to a low-carbon economy," David adds.   Our Dublin office will bring together a diverse team of local Irish talent and international experts, allowing us to provide tailored solutions for Ireland’s infrastructure development and sustainable growth initiatives. In the coming years, we plan to establish a Centre of Excellence that fosters innovation and cultivates the next generation of engineers. Our growing team will focus on both national and international projects, prioritizing Ireland's green transition. COWI has a strong track record in delivering sustainable infrastructure solutions globally, which positions us to effectively support Ireland’s sustainability targets. Our long history of successful projects in Ireland, including the Limerick Tunnel and various coastal and geotechnical engineering projects, has informed our decision to open a new office. This presence in Dublin underscores our commitment to serving our clients and supporting enhanced infrastructural development in this dynamic market. We look forward to contributing to Ireland's infrastructure ambitions in the years to come. 

How to make CO₂ a viable business? Direct electrification and energy efficiency are critical tools for decarbonization, but they won’t be enough on their own. Large-scale carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) is essential to meeting global and national climate targets:   According to the IPCC, 730 billion tons of CO₂ must be captured and stored by 2100 to keep global warming below 1.5°C. In Denmark, CCUS is a key pillar in reducing emissions by 70% by 2030 and achieving climate neutrality by 2045.   But for CCUS to succeed at scale, all parts of the value chain—capture, transport, utilization, and storage—must be fully aligned. How do we build a well-functioning CCUS value chain? What are the key challenges and opportunities?   Join us for a live discussion at COWI’s Morning Fuel webinar on April 2, 2025, at 8:30 AM, where key stakeholders will share their insights.   Kim Søgård Kristensen, CEO, Evida Kathrine Høeg Johansen, Program Director, Ørsted, Kalundborg CO₂ Hub Søren Reinhold Poulsen, Head of Producing Asset and CCS, Ineos Denmark Jens Ole Madsen, Market Director, Green Fuels, COWI   Go to our website to sign up – you will find it conveniently placed on our frontpage 👉  

Babies are magical👼 But the everyday life on parental leave can sometimes feel less enchanted, with lots of weeping and not so much sleeping. So, we asked Magician Anders Lilleøre to sprinkle some magic on our colleagues at COWI's recurring – and this year's first – baby event. With charming tricks, comedy and psychological manipulation, Anders captivated parents and (who knows) babies alike, and we hope that our colleagues on leave pushed the pram back home that day both spellbound and energised. We wish them all a magical time in the divine baby bobble😘👌🤩

The Hising Bridge raises the bar! Spanning over the Göta River in central Gothenburg, the Hising Bridge has become a landmark strengthening Gothenburg's infrastructure and saving commuters’ valuable time. The Hising Bridge is a grand example of modern urban connectivity with separate lanes for buses, trams, pedestrians and cyclists to ease commuter traffic, and its innovative lift span to accommodate mobility across the river. This powerful piece of architecture is designed by Dissing+Weitling and we are proud to have played a role in all phases of the project, including geotechnical investigations, traffic and transport planning, analysing traffic flows, performing capacity calculations, and designing bridge facilities to promote smooth and safe traffic management. We have a long history of bridge engineering on some of the most complex bridge projects worldwide - and the Hising Bridge is no exception 🤩

"I guess becoming an engineer was in my blood"   Meet Carmen Mena Llano, a structural and geotechnical engineer from Vigo, Spain, who works at COWI’s head office in Lyngby, Copenhagen.   “Actually, I come from a family of engineers and architects. My grandfather, a structural and geotechnical engineer, has had a strong influence on my decision to become a civil engineer. He was always showing me his projects, and I just wanted to be like him. Also, my parents guided and encouraged me to study what I was interested in. I have always been very curious and eager to learn and find out how things work and try to make people’s lives easier.   Travelling is in my blood, and that comes directly from my parents. When I was little, they encouraged me to spend time in other countries to experience and understand different cultures and ways of living. When I was 15, I spent a year living in the USA, and during my first master’s, I came to Denmark as an exchange student, so I’ve never been afraid to go to new places. Nowadays, I still love travelling and I try to escape the cold Danish winter, seeking new adventures.   I’m a very social person, and my life in COWI is more than just work. What I enjoy most about my job is interacting with people from diverse backgrounds. In COWI, we have different communities you can get involved in, based on your interests and hobbies. I’m part of our Young Professionals Network, I like the fun Friday bars, and I love to organise activities with my colleagues.   By taking part in Bridges to Prosperity as a project manager, I’ve also found a way to combine my love for travelling with my work. Bridges to Prosperity is an international organisation that helps rural communities in developing countries build bridges to increase the quality of life for the locals.   Over the years, COWI has helped make 14 bridges. This year, a team of ten volunteers with various nationalities and backgrounds will go to Rwanda to construct another bridge. It was meant to happen last year, but due to a virus outbreak in the country, we sadly had to postpone the construction. This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I am really looking forward to.   Even though I don’t know much about building bridges, and my expertise is mainly about tunnels – for the past three years, I have worked on the Fehmarnbelt Link project, developing my management skills – I think this will be a great opportunity to show my skills as a project manager while helping others.”   You can read more about Bridges to Prosperity here: https://lnkd.in/gWq9UtB

This is what the future looks like for MAN Energy Solutions in Denmark! Last week, the contract for a brand-new site was signed between MAN Energy Solutions and turnkey contractor DS Flexhal A/S. Through a great co-creation process between DS Flexhal, COWI, and Arkitema, we have designed a future hub for the Danish branch of world leading engine company MAN Energy Solutions.   Dubbed “The Valley Campus,” this ambitious project will be situated in a former gravel pit in Hedeland, near Roskilde in Denmark, and will house offices, production, and logistics facilities, a Social Hub featuring an academy as well as a Research Centre. Spanning a 175,000 m² plot, the project will comprise approximately 70,000 m² of gross floor area and serve as the daily workplace for around 2,000 employees. In other words, a project of significant scale and impact. The overarching ambition for The Valley Campus is to create a strong platform for transforming the maritime industry through innovation and sustainability – paving the way for a more environmentally friendly future for global shipping. The project brings together multiple disciplines and stands as a testament to teamwork, driving the maritime industry toward a more sustainable future. Designing and constructing the new campus for MAN Energy Solutions is just the first step in that journey. Once completed, the campus will unite three locations into one, creating the ideal environment for developing innovative decarbonization solutions for the shipping industry of tomorrow. “We are really excited to be working on The Valley Campus. From the very beginning, our team – DS Flexhal, Arkitema, and COWI – has aimed to create a striking and visually impressive project that reflects the values and history we see in MAN Energy Solutions. We have had an extraordinary collaboration from the start, with a strong focus on bringing everyone’s expertise in to play. By involving the entire team of specialists from the very first sketch, I am confident that the next steps will stay true to the original vision,” states Bo Stærk, Vice President at COWI. The project is set to be completed in 2028, at which point MAN Energy Solutions will consolidate three locations to form a new main location at the new campus. The project is being developed and financed by a joint venture between MAN Energy Solutions and Volkswagen Immobilien, both being part of the VW Group.

Yes, International Women’s Day is still relevant! Since 1911, this date, 8 March, has been dedicated to celebrating women’s achievements and to increase awareness about gender equality. At COWI we also mark the date and decided to look at our LinkedIn and the women that have told their story in the past year. That turned out to be quite a few. In all aspects of COWI, we believe in choosing the best candidate for the job. And quite often that person happens to be female. Also, when it comes to great stories worth sharing. We are not there yet in terms of gender equality, but we are working on it and getting a bit closer every day. Because it’s the right thing to do – and because it’s the clever thing to do. As our CEO, Jens Højgaard Christoffersen, puts it: “Implementing policies for diversity and inclusion are about fairness, but equally a key to higher ambition levels and better decision-making”. The illustration below highlights some of the women that have contributed. Not because of their gender, but because of their achievements and amazing personality.

At any given time, COWI is involved in approximately 9,000 projects for our customers and partners with a continued focus on supporting their transition towards a greener and more sustainable future. Looking back, 2024 proved to be a transformative year for COWI. We embarked on a historical transformation, and at the same time, we delivered one of our best operating results ever thanks to our fantastic customers and 7562 employees around the world. Head over to our website for highlights or the full annual report👇 Link to website: https://lnkd.in/evBptC-B Direct link to full annual report (PDF download): https://lnkd.in/eNajXeYm

Fingers crossed for Jonatan 🤞 It’s time to find the Young Advisor of the Year, and at COWI, we are rooting for our own finalist, Jonatan Jyrkinewsky. Jonatan, Head of Discipline in Transmission, is 31 and based in our office in Odense where he works to ensure a stable power grid based on renewable energy. He is nominated for his work with developing automated tests of Grid Forming technology. A technology that is necessary to integrate renewable energy sources into the power grid🔌 In collaboration with our client Better Energy, Jonatan has played a major role in ensuring faster approval of the solar parks and PV parks that play a vital part in the green transition. Jonatan is also nominated for his role as a team leader known for his ability to communicate complicated issues in ways that everyone understands. Further, Jonatan has engaged himself in securing seamless cooperation across borders and cultures by working purposefully to integrate colleagues from COWI in Poland into his team and projects 🤝 Young Advisor of the Year is arranged by Foreningen af Rådgivende Ingeniører, FRI (the Danish Association of Consulting Engineers), to acknowledge young consultants who represent the very best of the consulting engineering industry. The award goes to a young professional who adds something extra, shows social responsibility, is innovative and communicative and possesses leadership potential. We are proud that Jonatan made it to this year’s top five. The winner of Young Advisor of the Year 2025 will be announced at FRI’s general assembly on Thursday, 6 March.