Drivers and barriers for an increased use of bio-based buildning materials in Sweden

To limit the climate impact of buildings, low carbon materials such as bio-based materials could be used. This study intends to contribute to the understanding of drivers and barriers for an increased use of bio-based building materials in apartment buildings. For this purpose, semi-structured interviews with Swedish architects, contractors and developers were conducted. The results indicate weak drivers for selecting bio-based materials at present and that the key barriers are insufficient incentives, lack of knowledge and experience, bad examples, issues regarding performance, and construction-related culture and habits. Important future drivers could be green building certificates and other environmental standards and regulations, evidence that the materials keep a certain quality over time, and educational support from municipalities