Hammarby Sjöstad – The Sustainable City

A fundamental part of Hammarby Sjöstad’s success lies in its integrated environmental strategy, known as the Hammarby Model. This system interconnects energy, water, and waste management, ensuring that resources are continually recycled and reused.

Wastewater from the district is purified and used to generate biogas, which in turn provides energy for cooking and heating. Solar panels and district heating further reduce reliance on fossil fuels, contributing to the area’s low carbon footprint. Rainwater and greywater are carefully managed to prevent pollution from entering the surrounding waterways, ensuring a clean and sustainable aquatic ecosystem.

The development has welcomed over ten thousand architects, local authorities, developers and planners from around the world, visiting Hammarby to draw inspiration from the city’s ability to fuse function and style with practicality and sustainability.

From biofuel and biogas to district heating and rainwater management, Hammarby illustrates what can be achieved through the successful integration of technology and the cooperation of local government and technology providers.

Six Envac systems currently serve the Hammarby community: three stationary systems that serve Norra Hammarbyhamnen, Hammarby Gård and Henriksdal/Lugnet and two mobile systems serving Sickla Kaj, Sickla Udde and Sickla Kanal.

The systems have been collecting waste at certain locations and across three fractions including general waste, food waste and paper and street litter since the first system became operational in 2000. Today, a plastic fraction is also being tested in some areas.

However, it is the scale at which Envac will operate on completion – and its ability to complement and integrate with other sustainable technologies – that has captured the imagination of a global population.

If all plastic packaging in Stockholm households were sorted correctly, residents could cut carbon dioxide emissions by 40,000 tonnes annually. This is equivalent to half of the fossil-based emissions generated by household waste. Now, an innovative project in Hammarby Sjöstad is demonstrating how this can become a reality.

Residents of the housing cooperative The Village in Hammarby Sjöstad took part in a trial to improve plastic sorting. Using the Envac ReFlow app, they received instant feedback on their sorting behaviour and could compare their results with their neighbours. Competitions, clear information, and practical tips quickly delivered results. Sorting measurably improved, and the change was sustained over time.

The project is a collaboration between ElectriCITY Innovation, Stockholm Exergi, Stockholm Vatten och Avfall (SVOA), Envac, LocalLife, Hållbara Reimersholme, and Sjöstadens Västra Sopsug Samfällighetsförening.

As a result of Envac’s inclusion Hammarby has:

• Beaten its waste collection vehicle reduction target – Hammarby’s Envac system has since reduced on site collection vehicles by 60%.
• Demonstrated how effective collaboration between local authorities, cleansing departments, water companies and energy companies can deliver effective eco-cities.
• Reduced the total amount of recyclable and waste material by 20% in weight.
• Demonstrated the planning and design gains achieved by not having to plan for waste collection vehicles and bin management at each house.
• Created a flagship model for sustainable development that continues to attract worldwide attention.