Guide to Skellefteå 2030

SUSTAINIA Guide to Skellefteå 2030

The best way to predict your future is to create it.

Abraham Lincoln 16th President of the United States

Committed to Achieving our Vision

Skellefteå - a forward-looking, appealing and expanding municipality, which offers equal opportunities for those who live and work here, and aims to have 80,000 inhabitants in 2030.

The above is our vision for Skellefteå from our 2030 development strategy. What you are currently holding in your hands or reading on your device is the Guide to Skellefteå 2030 by Sustainia. These two are intertwined. Together with the strategy, this Guide provides the inspiration, direction and course needed to drive our efforts in making Skellefteå an even more livable and sustainable place for all of us to thrive and flourish. Now. And in 2030.

It might not sound too modest, but as this book reflects, we believe that we have something special to offer to the 72,000 (and counting) people that already live here. With our safe environment and good business climate we aim to attract new bright and open minds – making us 80,000 people here by 2030. We are also convinced that Skellefteå has something to offer to the rest of the world and through our efforts we are also helping to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals as this book also bears witness to.

I would like you to see this as an invitation for all of us to discuss what the next steps are for making sure that when we stand and look back in 12 years, we can say: “This was actually pretty good at predicting the future”. In fact, it’s not about predicting anything. It’s about having an daring vision and making ambitious goals, with the commitment to set out and achieve them. This is what we are doing in Skellefteå. Come and join us on our journey.

It’s about having an daring vision and making ambitious goals, with the commitment to set out and achieve them. This is what we are doing in Skellefteå.

Kristina Sundin Jonsson Director, Municipality of Skellefteå

Welcome to 2030

The year is 2030; allow us to take you on a journey to Skellefteå, Sweden.

This guide is not a binding contract, but Sustainia’s vision for Skellefteå in 2030, so we write from the perspective of our imagined Skellefteå. “We” and “us” really just mean Sustainia’s visualisation of a collective Skellefteå voice, outward looking and open to the world.

Prediction is very difficult, especially if it's about the future.

The Sustainia Guide to Skellefteå 2030 has its foundations in existing plans for Skellefteå, and the municipality’s 2030 development strategy. We have however added a touch of creativity and imagination, and taken inspiration from other global sustainability front-runners to create a realistic scenario of 2030 in Skellefteå.

Whilst the path to 2030 might not have unfolded quite as we predicted, what we do know is that it’s the course we take in the preceding years that will define life today, 2030 in Skellefteå.

SUSTAINIA'S

CITY PRINCIPLES

Clean and Green Connected Healthy and safe Smart Affordable Together Innovative and Prosperous Equal Global

A sustainable Skellefteå that benefits our natural environment

An thriving intertwined community, connected to itself and the world

Lifestyles and surroundings conducive to long and happy lives

Digital technology to enhance our day-to-day lives.

Ensuring no one is priced out of Skellefteå

As one, we travel on the road to a better tomorrow

At the cutting edge, for a competitive edge

Allowing everyone to flourish in, and enjoy Skellefteå

Outward looking and open to the world

Niels Bohr, Nobel laureate in Physics

Building for Tomorrow

Building for tomorrow means building for the people and planet that we want to succeed. We are delivering on sustainable construction and design that supports and enables our community and local industry for a better future.

As Skellefteå grows, we are focused on building new homes, schools, and social spaces that reduce emissions, use renewable materials and allow everyone in Skellefteå to prosper.

When you look around Skellefteå in 2030 you’ll see our symbiotic approach to nature encompassed in our wooden buildings. What you might not see is the smart and renewable technology that underpins our new structures and the social bonds in our community built on our architecture and meeting spaces.

Clean and Green

Buildings account for a lot of our carbon emissions. Today we’re pushing the boundaries of carbon-neutral construction and energy efficiency.

Innovative and Prosperous

As a leading city in wooden construction, we’re innovating the latest designs and boosting our local industries. Equal Skellefteå is built for everyone, and we’re working to ensure the young, elderly and disabled are given the best housing opportunities.

350 K cubic metres of wood refined annually <30%

CO2 emissions from construction avoided by using wood instead of steel and concrete 100

Smart

Our buildings, old and new, are using the technology in their design and operation to make them more efficient and enjoyable places to be.

mbit/sec internet connection for 99% of Skellefteå by 2030 7500

Affordable

The homes we’re building to accommodate new Skellefteåens are first and foremost affordable, meaning greater access for all.

homes heated by district heating bio energy

SEEING THE WOOD FROM THE TREES

Merging tradition and innovation in wooden construction

32,000

Skellefteå boasts 3 million hectares of spruce and pine forest, and as far back as you can look, we’ve been building with the stuff. Given this rich tradition, our part of Sweden has been pioneering research into wooden construction and is constantly pushing boundaries to build higher and longer using trees than anyone else.

You only have to look around at our landmarks today, from the airport tower when you land in Skellefteå, to the new Kulturhus

which is one of the tallest wooden-framed buildings in the Nordics. Most buildings have foundations, ours more typically have roots.

Using wood as a construction material brings us serious benefits over the concrete and steel of the big cities. By using renewable, natural resources from our backyard, our buildings are constructed in less time, emitting less carbon. Wooden structures not only look beautiful but have proven benefits for our health and well being.

Building Bridges

To cross the Skellefte River on Lejonströmsbron in 1737 would have cost you the hefty sum of 1 ore. Today, Lejonströmsbron is Sweden’s oldest wooden bridge and the icon of our wooden construction heritage. Fast forward to 2011, and we opened the pedestrian and cycle bridge Älvsbackabro - you guessed it, another beautiful wooden construction. Using wood allows us to cut construction time by up to 80%, meaning less disruption to day-to-day life.

Today in 2030, we celebrate the opening of a visionary new central bridge linking North and South. The bridge frees up traffic from the city centre, creating more pleasant and less polluted surroundings and opening up social space for our citizens. Parkbron, which used to carry cars and trucks is now used exclusively by pedestrians and cyclists.

Constructing Community

Skellefteå is a city and community that is built to last. Our architecture is at the forefront of carbon neutral construction, but more importantly is designed around open, natural meeting places where you’ll find the core of our community. To achieve on SDG 11, we’ve made sure that our open spaces are especially accessible to women and children, older generations and people with disabilities.

HOUSING FOR THE FUTURE

In Skellefteå 2030, you’ll find an affordable, accessible and welcoming home

For young adults working and studying in Skellefteå, getting an apartment used to be problematic, but today we have a number of initiatives to help. All students in the city are guaranteed a fully furnished residence at student friendly prices. Another programme reserves apartments for 18-25 year olds, with 50 apartments added each year. The elderly are also well catered for, with new specially built homes that meet their needs and offer high quality of life in the later years.

In the bigger picture, as our city has grown to over 80,000 resi-

dents we’ve had to make a big effort to build attractive, affordable and sustainable accommodation and are now constructing over 400 new homes every year. As we bring down the carbon footprint of our housing stock, we’re being careful to ensure a variety of budgets and tastes is accounted for.

2030 HOMES built every year

2013

400 108

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Åsa Andersson

CEO, Skebo

Meet the 2030 Skellefteåen

Birgitta, 68 years old

How have you seen Skellefteå transform over the years?

When I was growing up in Skellefteå back in the 70s, our mindset was held back and followed what was going on in Stockholm, which you could see in the buildings too - concrete blocks that would look horrible these days. Now walking around the city, you can see we’ve reclaimed our identity and are proud to say we’re from the North. The buildings and spaces couldn’t be more different today - wooden masterpieces set between beautiful open spaces.

What are your hopes for the future of Skellefteå?

Lots of my friends from school days left Skellefteå long ago, but now I can see that people want to stay here for good. We’re much more at the centre of things globally, which has all stemmed from the incredible sense of community and trust we have here. We exist in harmony with our surroundings and each other, and I think that will only improve in the future.

SMART & EFFICIENT BUILDINGS

Connected architecture designed for the 21st century

In 2014, we set out guidelines for sustainable construction in Skellefteå, with the fundamental principle of resource efficiency and integration of technology over the entire life cycle of every building. Our new buildings are designed to embrace nature, maximising natural heat and light, with minimal impact on the environment. They are comfortable and convenient places to live, work and play.

Today in 2030, our buildings are no longer just energy consumers, but prosumers, with generation of their own renewable heat and electricity. Solar panels and heat pumps power and heat our buildings with less reliance on centralised systems, empowering our citizens, and cutting costs and

carbon. New technologies are integrated across Skellefteå such as dynamic glass, first introduced in Baldergymnasiet, reducing heating and cooling demands and improving our human habitat.

Smart systems now dominate, and compliment the time we spend indoors, making our buildings more efficient and enjoyable. Thanks to our super speed internet connectivity, with 99% coverage of more than 100mbit/sec connection, most buildings are hooked up to the internet of things. This means that our energy grid can talk to the users and producers of energy, more accurately matching supply and demand, and fast tracking our 100% renewable electricity goals.

99%

SOCIAL SPACES

Building community through accessible meeting places in Skellefteå.

Trust is at the heart of the mindset that we think sets us apart from a lot of other places. Growing those community bonds doesn’t happen by accident however, and we’ve been making sure that Skellefteå is designed around meeting places that let our community flourish.

As you walk from Campus and Södertorg over Parkbron to Älvbrinken, you’ll find recreational space on the waterside buzzing with culture and sport all year round. Continue North towards

Kulturhus and Resecentrum, you’ll pass through Kanalgatan and two more newly redeveloped squares alive with restaurants and cafes. We’ve cleared these spaces of cars and made space for people to do what’s important: meet, socialise, relax and enjoy!

HECTARES

of newly redeveloped social space in the city centre.

Pathway to 2030

Building for tomorrow is a serious undertaking. We’ve already built 80% of the buildings that will be standing in 2050. To make sure they withstand the test of time we have made a huge effort to make them smart, social and sustainable.

Opening of the Nordics’ tallest wooden-framed building: Kulturhus Skellefteå

Getting Around

Key to overcoming distance, both within Skellefteå and connecting to the wider world, is our top class transport system: functioning, holistically planned and sustainable infrastructure to meet the mobility demands of today.

Transport has always been a difficult hurdle to overcome when reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but we’re confident that the road we’re on is the right one, and will soon be able to say that we are 100% fossil fuel free.

When you visit Skellefteå in 2030, and seamlessly transition between forms of transport that are affordable, convenient, sustainable and fast, you’ll see that Skellefteå’s transport system has first and foremost been designed for you, the people.

Clean and Green

To deliver on a fossil fuel free future, getting around in Skellefteå will be emission free.

Connected

Our expanding transport links make Skellefteå ever more connected to the wider world, and make it easy to get from A to B in the municipality.

Healthy and safe

In Skellefteå it’s increasingly easy and safe to walk and cycle, and with no exhaust fumes, our air is a pleasure to breathe.

Smart

Our transport system is planned in a holistic way; use your smartphone to share a ride, pay for your train ticket or plan the quietest cycling route.

Affordable

Public transport is reasonably priced to ensure that everyone has access to mobility. For those with disabilities, it costs nothing.

17.5 km of bike paths 31% environmentally friendly cars & trucks 70 minute flight to Stockholm 411 cars per 1000 residents

FUELING THE FUTURE

Today in 2030, teenagers taking their driving test must look to the history books to learn about fossil fuel powered vehicles - today is renewable. The only petrol stations we have left sell 7th generation biofuels, produced mainly using residues from our timber industry, and almost every home now has an electric vehicle charging point. Our electric buses, cars and trains plug into our wind and hydro powered grid, improving the air quality in Skellefteå. The goal is to be fossil fuel free before 2050, and we are well on our way.

100%

renewable public transport by 2021

Truly

Not only has Skellefteå embraced the latest technology in a new age of mobility, we’ve been at the forefront of developing it. Our citizens are connected through their devices to on demand and car sharing services, making mobility the most convenient it’s ever been. Earlier in the 2020s, we started experimenting with driverless vehicles. Now in 2030, almost half of our cars and buses have some level of automation, and we now have far less accidents on our roads than before.

Sweden is on a path to 100% renewable electricity by 2040, and in Skellefteå we’re leading the charge. To ensure our electric vehicles are truly zero emissions, we have invested heavily in cutting-edge cold climate wind technologies and expanding our hydro power capacity. EVs need batteries to store the clean energy that drives them, and luckily since the huge Northvolt battery factory opened, Skellefteå has become a hotbed for pushing the boundaries of new clean transport tech.

Powering past fossil fuels

Petrol and diesel, once ubiquitous in Skellefteå’s cars and trucks are a now almost a thing of the past. Today in 2030, 90% of our vehicles are powered using renewable fuels.

Zero Emissions

BIKE AND WALKABLE CITY

A city designed for people, not cars

Bikes are brilliantly beautiful. They allow us to get around quickly, cheaply and are a great way to keep fit. As almost half of Skellefteå’s population lives within 5 km of the city centre, nothing is far away for many of our citizens. As e-bikes have gained popularity, they’ve made cycling more accessible to residents living a little further out

When planning the development of the city, we made sure to keep cyclists and pedestrians at the front of our minds, and have

reclaimed the city for the people. Our dedicated bike lanes, which have tripled since 2015, provide safe and speedy spaces to get from A to B. We’ve even worked to use intelligent traffic light systems that prioritise bikes and buses, meaning faster journey times. Although winter can bite, we work hard to clear bike paths of snow, meaning winter cycling an increasingly popular choice. New bridges linking the city North to South are free of traffic, creating safe, peaceful routes for pedestrians and cyclists.

238M LONG PARKBRON now clear of traffic and exclusively for bikes and pedestrians.

Norrbotniabanan

The 27km new train line connecting Umeå and Luleå is now open - the final step connecting the entire Gulf of Bothnia, with Skellefteå at the heart. Connecting us to two university towns and

cutting journey times between coastal cities in half, the project is spurring trade and investment in the whole region, allowing cost-effective, low-carbon transport for goods and passengers.

Meet the 2030 Skellefteåen

Sven, 37 years old

Do you have a ‘green’ job?

I never really thought about it that way, but I manage Skellefteå’s buses, which since 2021 have run entirely free of fossil fuels. So I guess you could say that my job is very green!

How do you get around in Skellefteå?

I live just 3km from the centre of town, so it’s a really short bike ride to my office. Since we don’t burn fossil fuels any more, there are no nasty car fumes to breathe

on my cycle ride... In winter when the temperature drops, I just hop on the bus that stops outside my house!

What about on the weekend?

I love to get out of the town on the weekends with my family and enjoy nature on our bikes and skis. We don’t have a car, but that with the car sharing app, I can borrow an electric car in the neighbourhood for the day - it couldn’t be easier!

GET IN AND OUT

Connecting to Sweden and the World.

Skellefteå airport puts the rest of the world on our doorstep and is indispensible in making our community accessible. A short flight down to Stockholm can connect to every corner of the earth, and an increasing number of direct destinations, from Palma to Prague are also now available. Traffic through the airport has grown at a staggering rate, and since 2018 we’ve been constantly expanding our airport facilities to make way for more passengers and planes, with initiatives such as free airport parking with EV charging facilities to make flying as accessible as possible.

Whilst flying is crucial for helping Skellefteå to overcome distance, it’s become a real sticking point for our carbon emissions. As well as ensuring that the operations at our airport are carbon neutral, we firmly believe in a new type of ship to drive down emissions in this sector: partnership. Electric and hybrid fuel planes are still in the early phases of development, but working with our airline partners, local battery pioneers at Northvolt and biofuel producers, we are at the forefront of developing the low-carbon future of aviation

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2030 PASSENGERS at Skellefteå airport

400K 2017

RESECENTRUM

With the Norrbotniabanan arriving, we knew there was the chance to build a brand new transport hub in the city: resecentrum. This acts as the focal point for our mobility system. As you step off the train platform, in a few steps you can be on a connecting bus, in a driverless electric taxi or a city e-bike taking you to your next destination.

Bringing it all together is space is one thing, but we’ve also taken a holistic approach to payment and access to transport. Mobility as a service is a concept that we have pushed forward with, allowing

users to access all of Skellefteå’s transport options in one place, from bikes and buses to trains and taxis. With the help of subsidised travel passes and schemes, we are making it easier than ever for those who may struggle to get around due to disability or finances.

KM NEW RAILWAY

line links Skellefteå to new opportunities.

Pathway to 2030

Our ambition is to connect Skellefteåens to each other and the outside world in a way that is environmentally sustainable and accessible to all, by designing an active, safe and convenient transport system. The destination is important, but for us it’s all about the journey.

Putting Skellefteå’s transport at the centre of the map. 1

Expanded network of cycle lanes and a new bridge

Opening of the Norrbotniabanan and Resecentrum

Play & Explore

At the centre of our vision to create first class quality of life in Skellefteå is our ability to play and explore, both in the space around us and through the cultural expansion of our minds. We’re building a community where everyone can enjoy an active city life that is closely connected to nature and friluftsliv - offering the antidote to crowded polluted megacities. This approach has helped our citizens to become the world’s healthiest.

Walking around Skellefteå in 2030, we want you to be inspired by the huge range of opportunities to immerse yourself in our community, be it through sport, music, film, theatre or food.

Clean and Green

Our heart in Skellefteå is green, and our beautiful outdoor spaces give us huge enjoyment and benefits.

Connected

We are an interconnected, tightknit community; what we call Social Skellefteå.

Healthy and safe

Being the healthiest city in the world means keeping check of our work life balance and environment to protect both our mental and physical health. Equal Underlying it all, our equality philosophy means that our healthy, green and connected society is inclusive and accessible to all.

Smart

The latest tech touches all aspects of life in Skellefteå, but we’re careful to embrace it in a way that makes it complementary, not contrary to our lives.

1500 lakes dotted around the municipality 98% of children live close to green space 360 km coastline 2.2 inhabitants per square km in the countryside

THE GREAT OUTDOORS

When our local environment flourishes, so do we

Dive into friluftsliv!

200m

Nature in our city doesn’t just exist on the outskirts; it is Skellefteå. Our aim is to exist in harmony with our surroundings, and since 2018, Skellefteå has integrated ecosystem services into financial budgets, recognising the value that nature brings to our well-being. In a world increasingly plagued by smog and air pollution, Skellefteå offers the antidote, with some of the world’s cleanest air.

Already in 2017, almost every child in Skellefteå lived within 200m of an open green space. As we have grown over the years, we have done so in symbiosis with nature, protecting accessibility and making sure that our nature is inclusive for everyone.

The opportunities for the Skellefteå ‘friluftsliv’ are plentiful. Whether it’s January or June, you can grab your bike, skis, hiking boots or canoe and head out to explore the great outdoors on the trails that criss-cross Skellefteå.

Our location on the Gulf of Bothnia gives us a special connection to the sea. Sail through the archipelago in summer, stopping for fika on one of the 190 islands. As the nights draw in, put on your skates for an informal game of hockey on the frozen sea, or if you dare, dive below the ice for an infamous winter dip.

The World’s Best Health

Spending time in the great outdoors has great benefits for both physical and mental health, helping us to have the world’s best health by 2020. Even our winter swimming obsession, whilst crazy to some, reduces our blood pressure and improves our capacity to deal with stress. By embracing nature within our mindset, we ensure that our air, water and soils are free from pollution, thereby eliminating that threat to our health.

CULTURE AND COMMUNITY

With the Kulturhus as the beating heart, creativity runs through the blood of all of us in Skellefteå

Since our new Kulturhus opened in 2020, Social Skellefteå has a new hub to meet, listen to live music, enjoy art exhibitions and watch theatre performances. The space is treasured at the center of our community for its sustainable wooden construction and the constant flow of international artists and musicians.

Access to culture in Skellefteå is not a privilege, but a right. Going to school, our young ones are taught to bring out their creativity, with endless opportunities as they grow up. They might end up working in one of our world renowned film and games studios, playing on stage at Trästockfestivalen or joining one of Skellefteå’s many amateur theatre groups.

Art isn’t confined to stuffy museums either, as you hike or bike along or coast or through our forests, you might just stumble across a sculpture by one of our local artists - nothing exists in isolation.

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Helena Renström Head of Brand, Skellefteå Municipality

Meet the 2030 Skellefteåen

Sara, 9 years old

What’s your favourite thing about growing up in Skellefteå?

I love the winter time when it’s cold and I get to go out sledding with my friends, but in the summer

I learn to fish with my mum on the river - I can’t decide on a favourite!

Do you have any hobbies that involve staying inside?

Of course! I get free violin lessons at school and play in the orchestra which is really fun. Twice a year we get to play a big concert

in the Kulturhus and all my family and friends come to watch. My dad says that one day I should be the conductor because I’m so bossy!

What do you want to be when you grow up?

When I grow up I want to be like my brother Jonas. He’s really cool because he’s on the youth council and get’s to do lot’s of fun stuff!

He is teaching me to cook at the moment and maybe one day I’ll be able to work in one of Skellefteå’s famous restaurants!

EAT IN SKELLEFTEÅ

The recipe for local, sustainable and smart food.

Even though the Skellefteå mindset is global, we prefer to eat local.

By first ensuring that the 15,000 meals we served daily were locally and sustainably sourced, demand for our home grown produce skyrocketed.

The best place to sample our incredible produce is at Skellefteå’s annual food festival, which draws a huge foodie crowd.

A

griculture in Skellefteå uses only the most sustainable practices.

As the new culinary capital of the North, we work in partnership with local producers to ensure our food is grown using methods that protect people, planet and profit.

Tradition always has a place on our plates, but Skellefteå is now at the forefront of exploring and developing new diets, from insects fed on bio waste to protein-rich seaweed that keeps our marine environment clean.

Technology drives the smart food system of tomorrow.

Food waste is a thing of the past thanks to algorithms that match supply to demand and price food dynamically.

Consumers now play a part of the food system like never before, with every step from seed to plate instantly visible and verifiable.

ORGANIC FOOD SERVED BY THE MUNICIPALITY

SAY CHEESE!

World class, award winning cheeses that begin life in the fields of Skellefteå are just one example of the quality, local, sustainable produce from our Nordic garden.

SPORTY SKELLEFTEÅ

We may grow up on a diet of hockey, but there is so much more to sporty Skellefteå than that!

When it comes to sports, our citizens have access to a huge range of modern and inclusive facilities. Again, we see this not as a privilege, but a right.

Our city has been designed with health, community and physical activity in mind. Dotted around Skellefteå, you’ll find outdoor gyms and riverside jogging paths that double as social spaces.

These are used in addition to our courts, pitches and fields by the

dozens of clubs and societies in Skellefteå which has helped us to build the strong sense of community we feel today.

PUBLIC SWIMMING POOLS

Pathway to 2030

Becoming more green, connected, healthy and equal by 2030. That’s our ambition, and to get there we have to think big, and out of the box.

Play & Explore Learn and Earn

For most of us, learning and earning is how we spend a great amount of our time. In Skellefteå, we’re developing education and employment opportunities that are truly future-proof.

As artificial intelligence becomes a part of our daily life, the next generation needs a new set of skills to keep up with the rapid change. As well as ensuring our young people are prepared with the technical know-how, what is more important in the computing age is the human skills of compassion and teamwork.

Doing business here in 2030? It couldn’t be easier. Our innovative start-up community and position as a sustainable business hub makes Skellefteå the place to be.

Innovative and Prosperous

We’re building a business environment where both new and established companies can come together to create new partnerships and products.

Clean and Green

With almost 100% renewable energy and a unique location, we’ve become the new green home to intensive industries Equal

By building unique knowledge and competences fit for the 21st century, we’re ensuring a secure future for all. Smart Embracing a digital future, Skellefteå has the knowhow to develop the intersection between technology, science and innovation. Global

Skellefteå’s position as a global sustainable business hub is fostering growth that contributes to making the world a better place.

6500 + active companies in Skellefteå 2.5K new jobs at the Northvolt factory 2000 + students at Campus Skellefteå

1000

Mbps connection for 90% of citizens

SCHOOLING SKELLEFTEÅ

Education: “the most powerful investment we can make in the future” - Ban Ki-Moon

2000+

students enrolled at Skellefteå’s culture school

The journey from pre-school to professional in 2030 is almost unrecognisable to those educated in the past. Classrooms and teaching today are designed to foster creativity and curiosity amongst our students from day one.

Starting with experimentation at Floraskolan, we’ve slowly been waving goodbye to traditional school desks and whiteboards across Skellefteå, with flexible, active teaching spaces that are tailored to our students needs. New digital tools are now integrated into every aspect of the

school day, complementing teachers’ ability to deliver a world class education.

Skellefteå’s success is also based on our ability to think outside the box and explore new opportunities. In line with the ‘cultural commons’ we make sure that every child can develop their creativity and artistic flair, learning independently to build their self-esteem. Skellefteå Culture School is a great example, where thousands of students receive their first taste of music, dance and theatre; deepening education through experience.

With the new Norrbotniabanan open, two universities with 50,000 students are closer than ever before. But in our own backyard, Campus Skellefteå offers hundreds of courses to over two thousand students. An inclusive and social environment welcomes students from all backgrounds, preparing them for a secure and sustainable future.

Campus Skellefteå is a melting pot of universities and businesses, working together to develop pioneering courses with a focus on technology, science and entrepreneurship.

Our practical courses, from video game design to wood technology and engineering, equip our graduates with an innovative approach and relevant skills.

TOP 30 IN 2030

The Next Step - Campus 30

We are now ranked in Sweden’s top 30 for results and eligibility for secondary school programmes.

Enable, Educate, Empower, Employ

With a holistic view of education in Skellefteå, we mould outstanding individuals prepared for the future. With the expertise required for a globalised and evolving world, our system enables each child to flourish. To deliver on SDG 4, we’ve taken steps to make education accessible for everyone, equipping them with the knowledge and skills needed to make the world a better place.

INNOVATION HUB

A knowledge-based community for a strong society

Launched in 2015, Skellefteå Science City was the first step to creating the innovative start-up community we have here today in Skellefteå. With a fusion of design, technology and business, The Great Northern was a major milestone - a cutting-edge co-working space to facilitate collaboration.

Other initiatives that have helped us get where we are include Krenova, a business incubator for the creative industries in Skellefteå to contribute to positive global growth. Our Business Council

is another way in which we’re encouraging dialogue between companies of all shapes and sizes to create a more attractive business climate in Skellefteå.

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Meet the 2030 Skellefteåen

Ebba, 26 years old

Did your education prepare you for your job today?

Absolutely! Today I’m the founder of a start-up developing virtual reality tools for use in the classroom, a technology I first came across when I was at school. I then learned the applied computing and entrepreneurship skills in my courses at Campus Skellefteå. When I was studying it seemed like everyone was trying new ideas and working in collaboration with each other, so I thought why not try setting up my own business?!

Launching a VR business?!

Tell us more!

VR is a really great learning tool, but it’s not widely accessible enough at the moment - I’m working to change that. I’m based at The Great Northern, where I work with other developers and the education team from the municipality to build and trial my products. What’s really great is the amount of support in the community here, everyone wants to see your ideas come to life!

NEXT GENERATION INDUSTRY

In Skellefteå, we are blessed with the perfect location for the next generation of sustainable heavy industry. The Northvolt battery factory - the largest in Europeopened in 2023, bringing over two thousand jobs and kickstarting Skellefteå as the growth engine in region. With abundant renewable energy, good freight links and crucial natural resources nearby, our position is optimal.

Our cool climate also helps new industries expand here, too. Data centres, which fuel our increasingly digitised world, have started to pop up around the municipality, using our frosty surroundings to naturally cool the servers and keeping our data secure.

For industries that use a lot of energy, cost and carbon emissions are big concerns, especially when taking the long view. Fortunately, setting up energy-intensive industry in Skellefteå delivers low cost energy with very low carbon emissions, with a 100% renewable guarantee by 2040. When you combine this with our innovative business and research environment and our world class quality of life, it’s no surprise that Skellefteå has quickly been established as the sustainable business hub of the North.

DIGITAL CREATIVITY

Local focus, global impact

Behind almost every Skellefteå success story today in 2030 is a digital innovation developed on our doorstep. Through the cutting edge learning techniques deployed in our schools and campus, Skellefteå is now a leader in providing digital solutions to the problems we face around us.

That focus on local development enables our products to have a global reach, and in Skellefteå we develop solutions from healthcare

robotics that save lives around the world, to designing video games that are played by millions from Hong Kong to Hannover. Creating long lasting prosperity for Skellefteå’s economy has meant rethinking the way that we learn and earn. Allowing our students to explore their identities and develop skills and competence

Circular Skellefteå

Circular Skellefteå is a new definition for the way our economy, and our society works. Designing waste out of the system, to keep resources in the value chain for as long as possible takes innovation and creativity from every corner of our society.

Luckily in Skellefteå, we’re already one step ahead, with world class recycling processes, which are only getting better. Through innovative new solutions, it’s now easier than ever before to reuse and recycle everything you can dream of.

Wandering through the homes and shops of Skellefteå in 2030, you will see a whole new way of doing things: redefined ownership on our push to being waste free. What you may not see is the underlying shift in mindset amongst our citizens and companies that have helped us get there.

Together

To achieve a truly circular economy we need commitment from everyone. Together on the road to a circular tomorrow. Smart

The latest digital technology we’re developing and deploying in Skellefteå, makes it easy and natural to take the circular path.

Innovative and Prosperous Adopting circular approaches and innovating to solve the big problems gives Skellefteå the competitive edge. Global We’re getting set to deliver on SDG 12, a major bump on the road to making the world a better place.

Clean and Green

Only with new green mindsets, turning risk into opportunity, is it possible to transition to a circular Skellefteå.

75% of our electricity comes from zero-emission hydropower 120K tonnes of electronics are recycled at our plant annually 21 million km car journeys can be fueled using biogas from Skellefteå tonnes of CO2 emissions avoided thanks to Blaiken wind farm

690K

RETHINKING RUBBISH

New circular approaches protect our planet and give us the competitive edge

947

tonnes of used tyres recycled in Skellefteå in 2016 - the most in the country!

In yesterday’s linear economy, we would make, use and dispose of everything in our daily lives. Today in 2030, we’ve managed to move towards a more circular economy, with less waste and higher resource productivity, meaning lower environmental impact and a more robust economy in Skellefteå.

we produce fuels cars and buses in and around the municipality, meaning when you throw out your biowaste, it’s only the start of your next journey!

Zero waste

Our ambition is to be a municipality totally free of waste, and today we are almost there. We’ve made it incredibly easy for our citizens and businesses to recycle literally everything you can think of, from old computer cables and worn out kitchen tables. Sorting trash in the home and in public is simpler than ever before, meaning that we don’t send anything to landfill anymore.

Skellefteå is home to many innovative and creative solutions to big problems, and waste is no exception. Apps designed and deployed here transform one person’s waste into another person’s resource.

Anything we can’t reuse or recycle goes to incineration for district heating, meaning that our citizens’ waste provides the hot water for their showers. And when that water washes away, the sludge that collects is fed back to create more heat in a truly circular system.

One example of a way in which we’ve been doing this is to turn rubbish into a resource. We collect biowaste from across Skellefteå, and turn it into biogas at our facility which can process 22 tonnes of waste daily. The biogas

1400 CARS

can be fueled by biogas produced from Skellefteå’s waste

Closing the loop

In our attempts to deliver on SDG 12, we’re looking at the entire supply chain to increase efficiency and reduce waste at every stage. Our cutting edge industries have gained a competitive edge by seizing the opportunities of a circular economy, that ensures prosperity for generations to come. Amongst Skellefteå’s citizens, you’ll find a mindset and an innovative new approach that has resulted in significantly reduced household waste in recent years.

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Key to supporting a circular economy is providing energy from resources that are naturally replenished. In Skellefteå, we’re lucky to be blessed with abundant hydropower, which produces 75% of our electricity, emission free.

We have also invested in new technology such as the solar flower, which tracks the sun through the day and can automatically clear snow from its panels. Another innovation is wooden wind turbines, pushing the limits and lowering costs of renewable energy, using sustainable materials.

When the temperature dips below freezing for much of the year, it’s no surprise that heating also requires a lot of energy in Skellefteå. Fortunately, over 7,500 homes are covered by renewable district heating, a number growing all the time.

SHARE OF RENEWABLES IN SKELLEFTEÅ

Catarina Hägglund Head of Communications and Sustainability, Skellefteå Kraft

2016 87.4% 100%

2040

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Power to the people, protecting the planet

Meet the 2030 Skellefteåen

Catrin, 41 years old

INDUSTRIAL RECYCLING Maintaining value for multiple uses

Modern society necessitates that we use a lot of material goods, from washing machines to mobile phones. However, once one part breaks in these products, the whole thing is often just disposed of. In Skellefteå, we’re ahead of the game in changing that, renewing value from goods, meaning that vital resources can have different lives in many products, instead of ending up in the trash.

But sometimes, recycling itself can be a process that does more harm than good, using lots of energy and polluting the local environment.

Not so in Skellefteå. Our renewable energy supply and rigorous cleaning and purification steps result in recycling that protects our beautiful surroundings. It’s probably for this reason that so many big industries are setting up in Skellefteå, where they can reclaim value from the old, in new ways.

We try to apply the recycling mindset to everything possible. Even our Christmas trees are collected up every January after the festivities and used to heat our homes in those cold months.

What’s your favourite spot in Skellefteå?

I love to go down to the local swimming pool with my kids in the summer. It’s a super nice place to hang out and watch the world go by. My son told me that he learned in school about the way they heat the pool by burning our rubbish through district heating - which is pretty cool!

How has life in the home changed since you were growing up?

I grew up in the plastic generation, where my parents saw beauty in how easy it was to use plastic and just throw it away after one use. That started to change when I realised how bad that was for the world around us, and today the little plastic we do use can serve many purposes before we finally recycle it.

TONNES OF ELECTRONICS RECYCLED ANNUALLY

THE CIRCULAR MINDSET

Seizing the opportunities that the circular economy has to offer takes buy in from the whole of Skellefteå into a new way of thinking and acting. Our forward thinking and trusting community is able to make this transition as one, redesigning our future with innovation and creativity.

One big concept that we’re starting to change is that of ownership. Today in Skellefteå, it’s becoming more common to loan products from the producers than buy them.

This allows items to be repaired, recycled and returned into the value chain more efficiently than ever before.

Pathway to 2030

Circular Skellefteå is one where we can thrive without waste. To get there takes big changes in the way we operate, but delivering a truly circular Skellefteå means improving our economic, natural and social capital for everyone.

Sustainable Development Goals in Skellefteå

The universal and interdependent 17 Sustainable Development Goals have since their adoption in 2015 set the course for a sustainable transition across all countries, addressing all three elements of sustainability: social, economic and environmental.

Guided by the SDGs, we have witnessed incredible progress since 2015, a result of joint global leadership from both governments, corporations, NGOs and citizens.

Leading The Way

The people of Skellefteå are not ones to back down from a challenge. Inspired by the sustainability related risks threatening the globe, we showed leadership and took clear action, contributing to the sustainable transition and ensuring that we had a positive impact on the planet. As one of the first regions in Sweden, we made an ambitious sustainability strategy and worked targeted towards achieving the SDGs. We wanted to build a region that known for delivering healthy, safe, sustainable and prosperous society for the benefit of both the people and companies in the region.

How Skellefteå contributed to the SDGs?

The actions we have taken have positively affected the SDGs, helping to deliver a fairer, more prosperous and sustainable global society in 2030. For example:

Utilising the region’s unique natural surroundings and wide variety of opportunities for physical activity, Skellefteå has become one of the world’s healthiest cities.

We have invested heavily in cutting-edge cold climate wind technologies and expanded our hydropower capacity. Furthermore, Skellefteå has become the leading global hub for developing clean energy storage solutions and a hotbed for pushing the boundaries of new clean transport tech.

We have taken steps to make education accessible for everyone, equipping them with the knowledge and skills needed to make the world a better place.

Our urban spaces are built in sustainable fashion with a focus on encouraging inclusive community building.

Equality is in Skellefteå’s DNA, and our initiatives are targeted at ensuring women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life.

Skellefteå has been committed to securing sustainable growth, decoupled from environmental degradation, all the while ensuring full and productive employment for all, with equal pay.

Our targeted approach to increasing efficiency and reducing waste throughout our supply chains has engaged citizens, nurturing their mindsets and encouraging them to take ownership of building a sustainable society.

Skellefteå has taken strategic measures to strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries and implemented education and awareness-raising initiatives encouraging climate change action.

Who’s behind Guide to Skellefteå 2030?

Sustainia

Sustainia is an international sustainability think tank and consultancy working to accelerate action towards a sustainable future. In order to realize this, we partner with companies, cities, and organizations to map their position, navigate new markets, and communicate with impact.

Authors Nic Craig, Project Coordinator, Sustainia Emil Damgaard Grann, Director of Insights, Sustainia Martin Larsen, Project Manager, Sustainia

Design

Ángel Herrera, Head of Design, Sustainia

Ane Tang Buddig, Graphic Designer, Not By Gerd

Proofreading

With thanks to Peter Mandalh, WDO; Anna Andersson, WDO; Robert Lindberg, Skellefteå Airport; Åsa Andersson, Skebo; Kristina Sundin Jonsson, Skellefteå Municipality; Helena Renström, Skellefteå Municipality; Catarina Hägglund, Skellefteå Kraft

SUSTAINIA

With thanks to:

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