Knowledge base
We share knowledge with the entire industry
Travbyen is not just a fantastic new residential area in Billund, it is also an experiment in how we can build greener and more responsibly in the future, with our descendants in mind.
That is why, in connection with the construction project, we have launched a number of initiatives to help us investigate and understand the processes and lessons we are learning. Among other things, we will be publishing a series of reports with construction industry insights and a series of short films that unfold the lessons and experiences we are gaining in the construction process.
All of this will be freely available to the entire construction industry so that together we can become more skilled and more aware of the choices we can make to create a greener future in the construction industry.
Download the first insights from the construction project
Here you will find in-depth knowledge and insight into the report with construction-related insights, but you can also get a brief introduction to the experiences we have gained in the one-pager and fact sheet.
If you need more technical support, you can take a closer look at our LCA files for the different house types.
Why share our knowledge?
What does it mean to work seriously with sustainability in urban development - and why do we choose to share our experiences openly? Here, we offer an insight.
In the video, Travbyen’s Project Director Christian Nørgaard, together with Professor Søren Nielsen from Aarhus School of Architecture, explains our approach to Travbyen and the decisions required to reduce both climate impact and resource use in the construction process. We also highlight how architecture and urban life can be strengthened when you take a long-term view and work across disciplines.
Our key message is simple - knowledge only gains real value when it is shared. That is why we make our insights available, so that others can use them in their own work.
Frequently asked questions
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Who is behind the project?
KIRKBI Invest A/S is the developer and owner of Travbyen. In addition, Billund Municipality is establishing a new daycare centre in the district. We are assisted by a wide range of advisory and executive partners.
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What types of housing and facilities will Travbyen offer, and who is expected to live here?
Travbyen caters to a wide range of residents: seniors, singles, young couples, families with children, and other family types. The neighbourhood will include housing types such as urban villas, which are townhouses with small terraces/gardens and shared green spaces, housing communities and a number of homes combined with commercial premises for the self-employed, which do not currently exist in Billund.
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What is the time frame for development – and when will the first homes be ready?
The first phase of construction is well underway. We are building 171 homes and communal facilities, and if everything goes according to plan, the first residents will be able to move in at the end of 2026. Registration began in mid-2025, and in the last quarter of 2025, we will open the community centre and start selling/renting homes.
We broke ground on 9 April 2024. This marked the start of site preparation, construction of the first homes, Playline, the green heart and a community centre.
In 2024, we began planning the next phase, which includes youth housing and parking, as well as a daycare centre to be built by Billund Municipality.
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What are Travbyen's ambitions in terms of reducing its climate and environmental footprint?
We want to set new standards for environmental sustainability for large-scale new construction without compromising on quality, functionality or aesthetics.
Travbyen emits 4.5 kg CO₂e per m²/year, calculated using the BR25 method, which is significantly below the legal requirements for new buildings, as well as the maximum requirements set out in the industry initiative Reduction Roadmap 2.0. The goal is both to deliver concrete and significant progress in climate sustainability and to inspire other projects in Denmark and internationally to follow suit.
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What are Travbyen's ambitions in terms of biodiversity?
The ambition for Travbyen is that the district should increase biodiversity in the area by creating new, wild natural areas, reopening watercourses, preserving existing natural habitats and incorporating green courtyards and communal gardens. In other words, Travbyen should give back more nature and create greater biodiversity than there was in the area before we built. We are conducting before and after measurements to assess this.
Our requirements are very specific: we must establish greater biodiversity compared to before we started (before and after measurements).
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How does your construction project perform in terms of green sustainability compared to other new builds?
Travbyen can measure up to the most ambitious urban development projects currently being carried out in Denmark. In the first phase of construction, Travbyen emits 4.5 kg CO₂e per m²/year, calculated using the BR25 method, which is significantly below the legal requirements for new buildings – and even those defined in Reduction Roadmap 2.0.
An analysis by CONCITO from 2023 shows that new buildings in Denmark emit an average of 8.8 kg CO₂e/m²/year. However, this figure is calculated using the so-called BR18 method, where Travbyen's comparable figure is 6.6 – i.e. still significantly below the average climate footprint for new buildings in Denmark.