The 60s kitchen is lost in regular change

15 years ago Karin Halvarsson moved into the apartment that her grandparents lived in since 1962 and today most of the apartment is the same. In her 60s kitchen cabinets her grandmother's shelf paper remains, and the handles are original.

- I love my kitchen. It is site-built, in solid material and it looks better than many modern kitchens, says Karin Halvarsson.

Her rental portfolio in Bergshamra in Solna is in need of regular change and the host's renovation plans include, among other things, replacing the kitchen. Something that is disturbing in the area for several reasons, partly because of the estimated rent increase of 60 percent that any planned standard increase in the property entails, and partly because several of the residents are actually satisfied with their existing kitchens.

- Above all, one should not be allowed to tear out working things. It is completely crazy from an environmental point of view and takes away from the house its history, says Karin Halvarsson.

From the landlord Signalisten's perspective, renovation is just as expensive, whether you install a new kitchen or take advantage of the old one, but they point out that there is a demand for higher standards in the market and that the older kitchens are in such poor condition that they will to require renovation sooner or later.

- I do not oppose the necessary renovation. As a tenant you should be able to participate in choosing the level of renovation and thus affect the cost of your accommodation, says Halvarsson, who cannot afford to stay in his apartment if rents are raised as promised.

Kristina Mjörnell, an adjunct professor at Lund University, has, in collaboration with a number of researchers, looked closely at sustainable renovations in the Siren research environment at the National Renovation Center for Development. According to her, the focus on what is an environmentally sustainable renovation has been a bit simple.

- Often an environmentally friendly renovation is associated with lower energy consumption. This is an important factor, but you have not always taken into account how the renovation itself affects the environment. When doing these renovations, a lot of energy is used both for the manufacture and transport of materials and products. Much is thrown unnecessarily. Then you wonder, is this really sustainable? she says.

To determine whether a rebuild is justifiable from an environmental impact perspective, you need to look at the entire life cycle of the building, she explains.

- Then you look at all the different factors that affect and can choose the alternative that has the least environmental impact. Sure, a new refrigerator may have lower energy use, but how much energy is needed to produce a new one?

Is it more environmentally friendly when renovating to keep an old kitchen in good condition than to install a new one?

- Yes, I would argue that it is. Changing surface layers in bathrooms in the event of a regular change is usually justifiable, but installing brand new kitchen fittings is not sustainable from an environmental point of view.