Building a Shared Vision for Industrial Symbiosis: Exploring Value Retention from Wood Residues in Nordic Wood Industries

Somerset, Emily Greve ; Mikkelsen, Marie Kristine

4. Term

Urban, Energy and Environmental Planning, Master

2025

2025-05-26

59 pages

Addressing environmental challenges in the construction sector, particularly high resource consumption and waste generation, this thesis explores the potential for industrial symbiosis (IS) in Nordic Wood Industries (NOWI). IS provides a collective approach to address these challenges, but its application within corporate groups and wood residues remains underexplored in the construction sector. Therefore, this thesis examines how NOWI can enhance value retention from wood residues through IS. A single embedded case study was conducted using a mixed-methods approach, with an emphasis on qualitative methods. The thesis adopts an abductive approach, guided by the institutional capacity building (ICB) framework. Wood residues were mapped, revealing a potential for IS, but current practices prioritise energy recovery, limiting value retention. To address this, a workshop inspired by the LEGO® Serious Play® methodology was held to co-create a shared vision for managing wood residues, resulting in a model for increasing value retention. A subsequent qualitative survey assessed the ICB for sustaining IS efforts, and findings illustrate that ICB has increased, supported by stakeholder engagement and facilitation efforts. The thesis proposes several recommendations, including a sustainability assessment of the proposed IS model, a roadmap for further IS development and improved data collection. This thesis recommends theory development to advance the ICB, emphasising further research on implementation aspects like facilitation and economy.

Industriel symbiose ; Træ ; Workshop ; LEGO Serious Play ; Institutionel Kapacitet ; Cirkulær Økonomi ; Byggeri

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