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 mandatory greenhouse gas calculations was introduced for apartment and commercial buildings.
In addition a stricter regulation regarding surface water drainage entered into force on 1 January 2024.
Currently three significant proposals for amendments to TEK17 are under consideration:
- The first proposal concerns solar energy on commercial builings and includes two alternative amendments, one requiring commercial buildings over 500 sqm to be prepared for future installation of solar energy systems, and the other requiring such buildings to be constructed with solar panels or other locally produced energy.
- The second proposal concerns amendments to the energy requirements in Chapter 14 of TEK17, including a new calculation method based on weighted delivered energy aligned with the Energy Labelling Scheme, and new rules for calculating energy requirements for building measures on existing buildings (that does not constitute total rehabilitation Nw. hovedombygging), intended to simplify compliance with TEK17 in order to stimulate upgrades of existing buildings.
- The third proposal concerns climate footprint requirements, and includes among other expanding the mandatory greenhouse gas calculations introduced in 2022 to cover more building components and single houses of 1,000 sqm or more, as well as introducing a maximum climate footprint per sqm for building components. Complementary changes are also suggested for SAK10.
The proposal regarding solar energy was open for public hearing until 26 September 2025, while the two remaining proposals are currently under public hearing until 5 May 2026. The Directorate has indicated that they will carry out a comprehensive, overall assessment of all three proposals.
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, changes are currently on public hearing until 5 May 2026.
Relation to other initiatives and regulations
The EU taxonomy and BREEAM-NOR manuals are of particular relevance from an environmental and sustainability perspective, especially since TEK17 include requirements that relate to the taxonomy and BREEAM criterias.
Thommessen's comments
TEK17 set out specific requirements that are, inter alia, intended to strengthen environmental protection and sustainability. The Regulations have been criticised for not being sufficiently ambitious in this regard. However, the last few years several smaller amendments have been made in the right direction, such as the repeal of the document requirements in the Construction Product Regulations for non-CE-marked building materials, and the introduction of requirements concerning re-use mapping, design that allows for demantling and mandatory climate gas calculations.
Furthermore, on 5 February 2026, two significant proposals for amendments to TEK17 was published for hearing until 5 May 2026. The proposals concerns amendments to the energy requirements and introduction of climate footprint requirements. The two amendments further builds on and will be assessed in parallell with the proposal regarding solar ready buildings that was on public hearing until 26 September 2025.
We also note that 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 business' strong focus on sustainability, together with the further development of the technical screening criteria and the BREEAM-NOR manuals, will result in continuously stricter environmental and sustainability requirements also in TEK17.