Problem

Public sauna culture in Norway is growing, but access is often limited by high prices, commercialisation, and energy‑intensive operations. Many communities lack affordable, shared wellness spaces that also respect local environments and social cohesion.

Challenges

Nesodden Folkebadstu operates without paid staff. The main challenges include:

• Reliance on volunteer labour for daily operations, cleaning, and maintenance
• Managing wood, water, and waste responsibly
• Securing suitable locations and permits for permanent and mobile saunas
• Keeping prices low while ensuring safety and quality

Solution / Idea

Nesodden Folkebadstu addresses these challenges through a circular, community‑run model. The association runs three wood‑fired saunas, including a mobile unit that rotates between neighbourhoods. Members actively participate: they bring and fetch firewood and water, heat the sauna themselves, and clean after use. This shared responsibility reduces costs, avoids over‑consumption of resources, and builds local ownership.

The mobile sauna extends the lifespan and utilisation rate of a single asset by moving it between sites instead of building multiple permanent structures. Wood‑fired heating uses renewable biomass when sourced responsibly, and the strong social norms around care and maintenance reduce waste and damage.

Overall, the initiative combines shared use, reuse of infrastructure, and social capital to provide affordable wellbeing services with a low environmental footprint.