Environmentally friendly student housing and sustainable construction

SiO constantly builds new student housing, and focuses on the environment and sustainability in the construction process.

Student house in environmentally friendly solid wood

SiO has built several student houses at Kringsjå Studentby in the environmentally friendly building material solid wood. The student houses are also a Futurebuilt project, where greenhouse gas emissions in connection with transport, energy use and material use have been significantly reduced. The new family homes at Kringsjå are built so that they create more energy throughout their lifetime than was used for the production of building materials, construction, operation and demolition of the building.

Solar and geothermal energy provide energy for the student housing

At Kringsjå Studentby, solar cells have been installed on the roofs and walls of several of the student houses. The solar cells produce enough electricity for the buildings to be self-sufficient in electricity for parts of the year. We also source energy from the student villages´ own geothermal wells. Geothermal heat is considered district heating and is mainly used to heat hot water.

Member of Green Building Alliance

SiO is a member of the environmental network Green Building Alliance. We have also joined the 10 recommended measures in the building alliance's Roadmap towards 2050. The purpose is greener student housing operations and greener building projects.

Sustainable food at SiO Food and Beverage

We think it is important to reduce our environmental footprint. We are not perfect, but we are constantly making improvements. At SiO Food and Beverage, we focus on reducing food waste and using recyclable food packaging. At our two concept locations Sådd and KUTT Gourmet, the environment and sustainability are particularly in focus through reduced food waste, plant-based food and reuse.

Plant-based food with a low climate footprint

SiO Food and Beverage opened its first plant-based cafe in Blindern, Sådd, last year. Here we want to show that it is easy to eat more plant-based, which is good for you and the environment. All the food is climate-labelled and has a low climate footprint. Also, the surroundings at Sådd are environmentally friendly, and all of the interior is recycled. Get to know Sådd here.

Sustainable gourmet students can afford

KUTT Gourmet is sustainable gourmet lunch made from surplus goods from our suppliers. Every day, our chefs compose a dish based on what ingredients are available. We only make 150 portions, and the goal is for everything to be sold out during the hour-long opening hour. With Kutt Gourmet, we have received a lot of attention from both Norwegian and foreign media. Read more about Kutt Gourmet here.

We save the environment 25 tons of food each year

Our employees do everything they can to not waste food. They use up the whole vegetable, boil stock on the bone and give away raw materials to other departments that they are not allowed to use themselves. Youfood, hot food and salad by weight, also helps to reduce food waste because you help yourself to what you want to eat and pay by weight. Read more about our sustainable food offer.

Second-hand shop at Kringsjå Studentby

SiO wants to facilitate reuse, and has opened a second-hand shop at Kringsjå Studentby. We know that many people who move into our student accommodation need new furniture and things for the home. At the same time, there are many people who move out who do not want to take their things with them further. Then it's nice to know that things can get a new life with someone else.Bruktjørnet is run in collaboration with students, and is not like any other second-hand shop. In this store, all items are free! Read more about the shop here.

Events with a focus on sustainability

SiO organizes several events a year which focus on sustainability.

Spring cleaning and pop-up bicycle workshop

We want to make it easier for more students to cycle in Oslo. We collaborate with the Cycling Project in Oslo Municipality and the Norwegian Public Roads administration to show students that the bicycle is a good and environmentally friendly means of transport. We have had several events with the bicycle in focus, such as a pop-up bicycle workshop and spring cleaning of bicycles. We have also collected used bicycles, refurbished them and given them on to lucky students.

Recycling festival at Kringsjå Studentby

Every year, many students move in and out of our student accommodations. We want to help ensure that you don't always buy new furniture and interiors during the moving process, but rather think about reusing. We have therefore organized a recycling festival at Kringsjå Studentby, where students who move out deliver things they don't want to take with them, which other students can take home.

Clothes exchange day at Union Blindern

Every fifth garment in our wardrobe is rarely or never worn, and the student's wardrobe is no exception. We have organized clothes exchange days where the students could hand in garments they did not use and exchange them for other garments. In collaboration with the student asssociations Naturvernstudentene and Fremtiden i våre hender, we also set up a fixing station where you could change buttons, fix holes or give old garments a new and creative twist.