In the heart of Arvika, the Smedberg nursing home (a service accommodation built in the mid-1970s) is entering a major circular renovation phase. Beginning in August 2025, approximately 73 million SEK (6 million EUR) will be invested to refurbish the building’s interior, replace windows, and renew the roof. Completion is expected in July 2026, when residents will return to a modernized and energy-efficient facility. The building provides 20 apartments and shared spaces for residents requiring dementia care.
As part of the CircleBIM project, the Smedberg renovation acts as a demonstration site for applying digital tools and circular construction principles in the context of public healthcare buildings. Using BIM-based inventories and material documentation tools such as CC Build, the project identifies components suitable for reuse or recycling (from kitchen units and equipment to interior fittings) and evaluates their economic and climate value.
The pilot is delivered through a partnering contract with the construction company T3 and coordinated by Arvika Fastighets AB, the municipal housing company. It is supported by a broad network including Arvika Municipality, SustainaCon Sweden AB, Teknik i Väst, Eda and Arjäng municipalities, and regional initiatives such as Hållbart byggande i Värmland and Region Värmland.
Building on the Smedberg case, the Swedish partners are now developing a reuse HUB for Arvika Municipality, which will serve as a local platform for storing, cataloguing, and redistributing building materials. Additional municipal reconstruction projects will contribute to this database, creating a shared digital resource that strengthens regional capacity for circular construction.
Through this integrated approach, combining digitalisation, regional cooperation, and practical renovation, the Arvika pilot aims to demonstrate how the CircleBIM framework can support the transition towards circular and resource-efficient building management in the public sector.
Image © SustainaCon
