Pelican Self Storage Amager: Unites concrete and sustainability

Sustainability doesn’t rhyme with concrete. In no way, shape or form. But Lendager Group has changed all that with the Pelican Self Storage building.

The big traffic circle on Vermlandsgade on Amager is not an inviting place that encourages reflection. But if you pass by here, you should take the opportunity to dwell for a moment on the quadratic concrete warehouse designed by Lendager Group. The finger-deep joints that seem to flow down the concrete facade are the only indication that this warehouse is actually something special.

In fact, the building is a trailblazer of sustainable construction. Built with funding from the Danish Ministry of Environment and Food, it sets new standards for recycling concrete in construction, according to Lendager Group. Normally, waste concrete is recycled as road aggregate. But here, the concrete has been upcycled and used to create a brand new building. Pelican Self Storage is built using a large share of concrete from other construction projects.

This approach is uplifting, as the manufacturing of concrete and other new construction materials is a serious source of carbon emissions. In fact, 39% of all energy-related carbon emissions in the world are directly or indirectly related to material extraction, material transport and waste management in the construction industry. Lendager Group’s pioneering work with Pelican Self Storage and their other buildings are proof that sustainability in the construction industry is possible.