Left to right: Organisation Manager Region East, Lars Kristian Hunn, Senior Adviser Region East, Sverre Krogvold, Manager of V-Teknikk, Gørild Malm Kristiansen, Master Mason Region East, John Rusvik Johansen and BUG Project Manager, Jan Eldegard with some of the printed material published by byggutengrenser.no. For more information (in Norwegian), see the website www.byggutengrenser.no
“Veidekke and byggutengrenser.no have common visions and goals for masonry and concrete. We wish to raise the execution of and increase interest in and knowledge about the use of masonry and concrete as eco-friendly building materials, partly because of concrete’s good thermal properties when used in low energy buildings. Concrete is also an extremely durable and versatile building material. Concrete is whatever you want it to be. As well as being durable, concrete and masonry are also maintenance free materials, when used in the correct way,” says Sverre Krogvold, senior adviser at Veidekke Entreprenør, Region East.
“It is time to substantially increase commitment to and promotion of in situ concrete and masonry, both among our own employees and also externally to customers and the market,” Sverre stresses. He will be Veidekke’s main contact person for collaboration with BUG. “V-Teknikk will be able to help with technical issues relating to concrete,” says Gørild Malm Kristiansen, manager of V-Teknikk. One of the priority tasks for BUG is publishing a book about concrete surfaces. Veidekke will help with contact with individual clients and will participate in BUG’s seminars and meetings. BUG will take part in Veidekke’s technical events, such as Concrete Day and customer meetings, maintain contact with architects and architecture students, provide inspiration and be a source of more enthusiasm for masonry and in situ concrete. Other specific collaboration projects will be developed as the work progresses.
Byggutengrenser.no is a collaboration project for those involved in the masonry and concrete industry in Norway. Its aim is to inspire and to disseminate information about the limitless possibilities these building materials have and about the materials’ many positive properties.
“BUG covers the entire masonry, cement and concrete industry and is nationwide. The organisation was founded in 2003 and now has more than 50 member companies. BUG is mainly directed at building; a series of ten seminars will now be held, in collaboration with Fabeko (the Norwegian Ready Mixed Concrete Association), Betongelementforeningen (the Precast Concrete Association) and Norsk Betongforening (the Norwegian Concrete Association), with free entrance for building clients, contractors, architects and consultant engineers on low energy buildings,” says BUG project manager Jan Eldegard. He is looking forward to having one of Norway’s leading contracting company as a partner.
“A new Stortingsmelding (white paper) is currently being prepared on building policy with natural focus on buildings’ energy consumption and lifetime, and BUG is concentrating on ensuring that those who are preparing it do not miss out on knowledge of masonry or the excellent properties of concrete. It is our aim that the politicians will facilitate socially correct solutions for the building industry,” continues Eldegard.
“We look forward to developing a good and inspiring collaboration between BUG and Veidekke in the future,” say Sverre Krogvold, Gørild Malm Kristiansen and Jan Eldegard.
