About
TEK17 govern broad categories of built structures, constructions and properties. The purpose of TEK17 is to ensure that construction projects are planned, prepared and executed with due attention to good visual quality and universal design, and in compliance with technical safety, environmental, health and energy requirements. The Regulations apply to all construction projects falling within the scope of the Planning and Building Act, irrespective of whether such projects are subject to permit requirements.
From an environmental and sustainability perspective, TEK17 include a number of requirements intended to ensure that new and refurbished buildings are environmentally friendly and sustainable. Including requirements for: (i) the external environment, and that buildings shall be designed, constructed, operated and demolished in a manner that entails the least possible strain on natural resources and the external environment, including requirements for choosing productes without or with a low content of health- or environmentally harmful substances, (ii) studies related to ground pollution, (iii) prohibition of heating with fossil fuels, (iv) consideration of special habitat types and requirements for energy efficiency. On 29 May 2022, the Ministry adopted several amendments in TEK17, which aim to promote sustainable buildings and the reuse of building materials. The changes entered into force on 1 July 2022. Some of the most important amendments are:
- New buildings must be designed and constructed so that they are arranged for later dismantling, provided that this is practical and economically justifiable.
- Requirements are made for re-use mapping in the event of demolition or significant alteration of more than 100 m2 BRA of existing buildings.
- The requirement for waste sorting and the minimum level for energy efficiency have been tightened, and requirements for greenhouse gas accounts have been introduced.
In addition a stricter regulation regarding surface water drainage entered into force in 1 January 2024.
TEK17 are structured to primarily stipulate functional requirements (requirements as to the objective to be attained). There are, however, examples of the Regulations stipulating performance requirements (requirements as to the performance required to attain the objective). Comprehensive guidance notes from the Norwegian Building Authority to the Regulations provide supplementary information and stipulate specific pre-accepted performance for individual functional requirements under the Regulations.
Who does it impact?
Anyone constructing and refurbishing buildings in Norway need to have knowledge of, and consider, TEK17.
Status: In force
TEK17 entered into effect on 1 July 2017.
Relation to other initiatives and regulations
The EU taxonomy is of particular relevance from an environmental and sustainability perspective, especially since TEK17 include requirements that relate to the taxonomy criterias.
Thommessen's comments
TEK17 set out specific requirements that are, inter alia, intended to strengthen environmental protection and sustainability. However, the Regulations have been criticised for not being sufficiently ambitious in this regard. On 1 July 2022 and 1 July 2024, several amendments to TEK17 and to the Construction Product Regulations was introduced.
As an example, the document requirements in the Construction Product Regulations for non-CE-marked building materials were repealed with the amendments that came into force on 1 July 2022. The documentation requirements, meant in practice that reuse of building material was expensive and complicated, which gave the industry the wrong incentives. The National Office of Building Technology and Administration has prepared a Guidance for Building Materials Reuse to clarify the applicable rules.
Furthermore, the technical screening criteria for new building projects under the EU taxonomy include environmental and sustainability requirements that are not fully incorporated in TEK17. Although it is reasonable for the taxonomy criterias to be stricter than the minimum public law requirements applicable to built structures in Norway, we anticipate that the increased focus on sustainability in general and the technical screening criteria in particular will result in stricter environmental and sustainability requirements in TEK17 upon the next revision. For example, we may see an introcuction of maximum permitted greenhouse gas emissions from building projects and measures. The National Office of Building Techinology and Administration is currently assessing TEK17 with the aim to reduce the carbon footprint from construction. It should be noted that the Green Building Alliance, FutureBuilt and Skift have initiated a petition to mobilize support for the implementation of climate requirements to TEK17.
We also note that a public hearing on proposed changes to TEK17, aimed at facilitating digital use and implementation of TEK17 into digital solutions was concluded on 1 March 2025. Among other things, it has been proposed to include the pre-accepted performance criteria (Nw. preaksepterte løsninger), which are currently only included in the guidance to TEK17, directly into the regulatory text of TEK17 and to amend the definition/term for such performance critera.