Sporstøl Arkitekter Gets Climate Accounts in Real Time
The architects at Sporstøl were the first in Norway to use Real-Time LCA for LCA analyses. It has sparked an even greater passion for sustainability.
In 2023, climate accounting (LCA analyses) for building materials became mandatory. Similar requirements are expected soon for entire construction projects, a shift that Sporstøl welcomes.
“We like working with developers who want to build as sustainably as possible. Fortunately, there are many clients who share these ambitions,” says Ingvill Arhaug Bovill, Managing Director at Sporstøl Arkitekter.
Based in Sunnmøre, the firm has over 30 years of experience designing projects across Norway. Their team includes architects, engineers, and technical architects - professionals like Sunniva Nørvåg Garshol, who bridges the gap between design and engineering.
“Technical architects connect the creative and the technical. We help ensure that the right choices are made - especially the sustainable ones,” she explains.
Better Decisions Through Real-Time Insights
Garshol’s mission is to help the construction industry lower its environmental footprint. The sector accounts for around 40% of the world’s resource use, waste, energy, and materials - and architects have a crucial role to play.
Previously, creating a climate account was a slow and manual process. The team had to extract models from architects and engineers, then calculate emissions for every material - a time-consuming task that often had to be redone when plans changed.
Sporstøl wanted a solution that gave them more control and made it easier to see which design choices had the biggest climate impact.
Seamless Integration with Autodesk Revit
Sporstøl became the first architecture firm in Norway to adopt Real-Time LCA. The software was chosen because it’s fast to set up, easy to use, and integrates smoothly with Autodesk Revit — the firm’s core design tool.
“Because we can access the climate account in real time, we can take greater responsibility in the construction project. Previously, this was handled by consultants or project managers,” says Bovill.
Stronger Competitiveness Through Sustainability
With Real-Time LCA, architects can instantly see how different materials affect the building’s overall climate footprint. This allows them to experiment - for instance, comparing façade options to find the best balance between aesthetics, durability, and low emissions.
“In Revit, we can view a 3D model of the entire building and share it with everyone involved. When changes happen, the model - and the climate account - update automatically,” explains Garshol.
The biggest benefit, she adds, isn’t just efficiency.
“It’s about gaining control over the end result. When we can calculate emissions early in the process, we make better, more sustainable choices - and have more meaningful discussions with the client about what’s possible.”