Reports

On this page, you will find summaries of reports related to the BASTA system. They provide guidance for those who want to learn more about how the BASTA system can be used in new construction projects.

Bygga med BASTA Koppar i byggprodukter Produktval av tappvattenarmaturer Vägledning golv- och väggbeklädnader Guidance endocrine disruptors

Bygga med BASTA (in Swedish)

The key to non-toxic construction is selecting building and infrastructure products with a minimized content of hazardous chemical substances. Building responsibly creates benefits for both the environment and the economy.

Building with BASTA is a project carried out by IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, BASTAonline, Skanska, and the Swedish Transport Administration. The report is intended for stakeholders in the construction and civil engineering sector who wish to deepen their knowledge of non-toxic construction practices. It presents the results and experiences gained throughout the project.

Three pilot projects formed the core of the Building with BASTA initiative and provided the foundation for the project's other work packages: National Road 49, the North Värmland Operational Area, and a parking garage building at New Karolinska Solna. For the infrastructure projects, initiatives were selected where the Swedish Transport Administration's requirements for materials and products, as specified in TDOK 2012:22 and TDOK 2012:93, were included in the contract.

The final report from the "Building with BASTA" development project provides an overview of the construction process with regard to quality criteria, levels of ambition, and stakeholder roles.

Download the document

Download the report

Copper in building products (In Swedish)

A report prepared by IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute on behalf of BASTA found that elevated concentrations of copper have been detected in certain water bodies and soils compared with established environmental threshold values. However, this cannot be regarded as a widespread issue, as conditions vary considerably across the country depending on a range of local and regional factors.

Copper is released into the environment from several sources. The largest general source of emissions to air is road traffic, primarily due to the use of copper-containing brake pads. The largest general sources of emissions to water are wastewater treatment plants and the pulp and paper industry. Emissions from construction products, such as water pipes and copper used in façades and roofing, are typically discharged via wastewater and stormwater systems.

One of the report’s conclusions is that BASTA, as a national system, does not currently consider restrictions on copper in construction products to be warranted. However, in areas where elevated copper concentrations have been identified, there may be grounds for reviewing and implementing local restrictions on the copper content of construction products.

Read the overview

Product selection of tap water fittings (in Swedish)

Product selection of tap water fittings, fittings, valves, bends and tees for potable water applications made in lead-containing copper alloys such as brass.

Read the guidance document

Read the report