A New Construction Paradigm: Frederik Gade Lind, Enemærke & Petersen
- tsa8463
- Aug 20
- 5 min read
Updated: Aug 21
For over 50 years, the Danish construction company Enemærke & Petersen has been at the forefront of renovating the nation’s social housing stock. Known for its deep understanding of existing buildings and its ability to evolve with the times, the company has led major partnerships with municipalities and housing associations, delivering some of Denmark’s most significant and transformative renovation projects, and is now playing a key role in advancing circular construction in Denmark.
Enemærke & Petersen is striving to integrate circularity into its workflows. We sit down with Frederik Gade Lind, the company’s Resource Coordinator and Sustainability Consultant, to discuss progress and change in the construction industry, the role of individuals in shifting to a more circular paradigm, and most notably how he is working for a mindset shift within the company.
A Pursuit of Regenerative Building Systems: Frederik’s Hands-On Approach
Frederik has worked at the forefront of exploring biogenic materials and circular economy solutions. His journey into sustainable construction gained momentum at JaJa Architects, where he had the opportunity to work on an experimental housing project comparing wood, concrete, and masonry to evaluate their environmental impacts.
His hands-on involvement with the wooden house exposed him to challenges like strict Danish fire codes that limit the use of biogenic materials, deepening his understanding of lifecycle assessments, risk analysis, and the practical barriers to sustainable design.
“I didn’t know the rules when I started, which made it easier to question them,” he says, reflecting on his unconventional route into construction.
At Enemærke & Petersen, Frederik’s role bridges research and practice: he conducts circular screenings of demolition projects to identify materials that can be reused either on-site or in new developments; he writes sustainability proposals in tenders, pushing for ideas like reusing high-impact materials; and he manages R&D projects exploring biogenic and circular construction methods.
Frederik works closely with architects, engineers, contractors, and clients to align goals across disciplines, often acting as a mediator who helps navigate diverse incentives, build trust, and make circular solutions feasible. His approach blends technical knowledge with the ability to inspire change, reflecting his belief that while people in the industry want to do better, it’s up to a collaborative effort to show them how circularity can be practical, cost-effective, and impactful.
The Hidden Costs of New Construction and the Case for Renovation
Despite Denmark’s reputation for progressive climate policies, Frederik points out a stark contradiction. “We’re still building far more than we renovate. And every new building comes with enormous hidden waste, materials, time, and carbon emissions we can’t afford.”
Between 12–30% of materials used in new construction end up as waste during the building process alone. Even more concerning, Denmark spends billions each year repairing defects in newly built structures, a reflection of accelerated timelines and a decline in craftsmanship. [1]
To Frederik, this is an economic opportunity.
”The circular economy can’t solve anything if we don’t lower our activity. Stopping unnecessary new builds and focusing on transforming what we already have is the biggest opportunity we have.”
Bridging Silos to Drive Change
Systemic change requires more than technical solutions. Frederik sees culture as the real frontier. He sees his role at Enemærke & Petersen as a bridge between architects, engineers, contractors, and clients, each with their own incentives and perspectives. The goal is to align everyone around outcomes, not rigid processes. “We must own the goal, not the path. If we stay flexible and listen to each other’s strengths, we can reach solutions none of us could find alone,” he says.
The barriers to change are formidable. For example, current fire classification rules make it difficult to use materials like wood or straw unless they’re fully encased in gypsum, regardless of their actual fire performance. Reused or biogenic materials often lack the documentation developers need to feel confident, and unless there’s a clear cost advantage or client demand, most stakeholders default to conventional, ‘safe’ choices.
One of Frederik’s most promising examples of potential measurable impact came during a sustainability workshop with a private developer. Confronted with plans for a carbon-intensive aluminum facade, he proposed an alternative: reusing red roofing tiles salvaged from an earlier demolition. Preliminary assessments suggest this substitution could reduce CO₂ emissions by around 77,000 kilograms at no additional cost. Although the facade has not yet been built, the response was positive, and several tests have been conducted to explore the concept further. The proposal highlights how practical, economically viable circular solutions can shift mindsets, even before they reach full implementation.
Frederik’s Vision for Constructions Regenerative Future
Frederik outlines seven key steps to reshape the construction industry:
Prioritize renovation over demolition: “We must transform what we already have. This can cut waste, lower emissions, and save costs by making the most of existing buildings.”
Legislate proof before demolition: Introducing policies that require developers to prove a building cannot be reused before approving teardowns could prevent unnecessary demolition. “A simple rule like this would transform Denmark overnight."
Revive craftsmanship: Train builders to value precision and quality so we could create longer-lasting, defect-free buildings that stand the test of time.
Shift ownership to cooperatives: Moving beyond traditional hierarchies and empowering more people in decision-making, supporting long-term, community-driven thinking, as well as shifting the economy from the few to the many.
Collaborate locally and across industries: For example, integrating agriculture waste into construction materials.
“Insutex is a great example of this,” Frederik says. “The product is, in my opinion, a strong player in the insulation market. One of the key aspects being the ability to cross industries in utilizing waste from one industry into another.”
Establish material passports: By creating digital records documenting each material’s composition and source, it would make future reuse possible and waste reduction practical. “If we know what a material is and where it comes from, we can reuse it properly.”
Build trust-based partnerships: Replacing adversarial contracts with relationships focused on shared, long-term outcomes that benefit everyone involved would change the game. “Long-term relationships focused on shared goals are essential for real progress,” says Frederik.
A Closer Look at Enemærke & Petersen’s Sustainable Strategies
The team at Enemærke & Petersen is working across multiple domains on construction sites to advance circularity and efficiency. They’re focusing on smarter resource use across different areas, specifically reducing electricity and fuel consumption, improving waste sorting and handling, and practicing selective demolition to enable reuse of materials. Their collaboration with Genbyg helps give used building parts a second life. A standout example is the Kildebjerg Ry project, where approximately 9,000 m² of BEWI GreenLine EPS, 100% recycled expanded polystyrene, was used to insulate the ground slab, demonstrating large-scale reuse in practice.
Their research and development projects explore innovations like Det Biogene Montagebyggeri, which focuses on prefabricated biobased elements with thatched facades; Woodcircles, which reuses wood and upcycles it into engineered products like CLT, glulam, and wood fiber insulation; and Rønnebo CØ, which investigates the reuse of concrete hollowcore slabs. These efforts are driven by a team of science-based employees, including specialists with advanced research backgrounds such as a PhD in platform thinking in prefabrication, a postdoc in design for disassembly also within prefabrication, and a PhD exploring how diversity can strengthen innovation. Together, these initiatives show how Enemærke & Petersen is committed to pioneering practical, circular solutions across every stage of construction.
The construction sector’s environmental impact is undeniable, but so is its potential to lead the way to a regenerative economy. Frederik’s and Enemærke & Petersen’s work remind us that real progress starts with people willing to question, connect, and create a new culture of building.
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Source:
1. Miljøstyrelsen / Danish EPA, 2018. Tekstilaffald i Danmark – Kortlægning af affald, genbrug og genanvendelse.
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