The construction sector accounts for approximately one fifth of Sweden’s carbon dioxide emissions and generates large amounts of waste. To address these challenges and take responsibility for the future, Ombruka Umeå (formerly ABC Umeå) was established through a joint commitment from the business community and the Municipality of Umeå.

Ombruka Umeå is an economic association in which 22 actors from across the construction sector collaborate to create a more circular construction and real estate industry. In line with Umeå’s Climate Roadmap, the objective is to reduce climate impact and ensure measurable results by decreasing the use of virgin products and materials, increasing the use of reused alternatives, and developing circular construction processes for member and partner companies as well as other actors in the region.

Ombruka Umeå is an important part of the Municipality of Umeå’s Climate Roadmap and a key piece of the puzzle in the transition towards climate neutrality within the construction and real estate sector. In its initial phase, Ombruka, in collaboration with the Municipality of Umeå, focused on establishing a circular building supply store that receives and sells quality-assessed construction and infrastructure materials to private individuals and small construction companies.

The circular building supply store, named Byggåterbruket, celebrated its first anniversary in January 2026 and serves as a concrete example of what can be achieved when companies and municipalities work towards a shared goal.

Results after the first year of Byggåterbruket:

• 112 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents have been saved, corresponding to the annual heating of approximately 500 apartments.
• 233 tonnes of construction materials have been handled and preserved that would otherwise have been discarded.

Next Steps in Ombruka Umeå’s Development

Member companies contribute through a membership fee, which currently finances project management and creates the conditions for the gradual scaling up of the operations. Byggåterbruket represents the first step in Ombruka Umeå’s development. The next phase focuses on enabling circularity on a larger scale, particularly between major construction projects and key actors within the construction and real estate sector.

In the near future, a digital marketplace will be launched for the association’s corporate members, aimed at facilitating the sharing and redistribution of larger material volumes between actors and thereby further increasing the reuse of construction materials. In parallel, work is ongoing to develop and streamline administration, regulations, and processes related to reuse, including dialogue around necessary regulatory changes that can remove existing barriers.

Another key focus area is interim storage and logistics, where the need for a physical site that enables scaling up of the operations is being analysed. A separate work package addresses the development of circular business models and new roles within the value chain, for example related to reconditioning, repair, and upcycling. This work involves both the School of Architecture and the School of Business, Economics and Statistics, strengthening the link between practice, research, and innovation