AFRY has quickly found its footing at Herøya – and is already on the lookout for new team members. When the global engineering and consulting company chose to establish a presence here, the decision fell on the refurbished third floor of Building 25G – a project that truly puts reuse and sustainability centre stage.
“This is a perfect fit for us,” says Niklas Fransson, Digitalisation Engineer at AFRY. “All the furnishings and materials are based on reuse. Sustainability is a priority for us – both in our projects and in the way we work. Here, we’ve been given stylish, functional spaces that reflect who we are.”
Seeking expertise
The new office at Herøya covers around 200 square metres, providing room for nine workstations. Although only two employees are currently based there, AFRY’s growth plans are well underway:
“We’ll soon be three, and we’re planning further recruitment. We’re particularly looking for expertise in automation, digitalisation, process and piping,” Fransson adds.
Reuse from A to Z
When the refurbishment of the 1st and 2nd floors of the building began, it felt natural to include the 3rd floor in the upgrade. It was Sissel Nybro, Head of Projects at Herøya Industripark AS, who – inspired by the contractor’s reuse mapping on the floors below – came up with the idea of transforming the entire 3rd floor into a full-scale reuse project. This marked the start of an ambitious and sustainability-driven renovation effort.
“We set ourselves a clear goal: to reuse as much as possible and buy as little as necessary,” explains Andrea Austjord Vik, Sustainability Advisor at Herøya Industripark AS. “The result is a bright, modern office with a strong sustainability profile.”
The kitchen and social area furniture, meeting room furniture, wall panels, carpet tiles, ceiling elements, lights, doors and selected office furnishings have all been reused from other tenants in the building.
“Because AFRY’s space is slightly smaller, we were able to hand-pick the best from the renovation work done on the floors below. The contractor has done a fantastic job – we’re extremely pleased with the outcome,” says Austjord Vik.
Furniture with a second life
Trond Herrefoss, Property Manager at Herøya Industripark AS, points out that furniture manufacturers are increasingly focusing on reuse as well.
“The desk tops in the offices are new, but several of the height-adjustable desks have been given a new life, partly made from reused materials. These are excellent furnishing solutions, and something we expect to see much more of.”
In fact, the only brand-new elements in the space are the sanitary installations and the flooring in the toilets.
A green and social workplace
The refurbished premises are bright and open, with windows on all sides providing natural daylight – ideal conditions for thriving indoor plants.
“We even have a digital system that monitors the plants’ health – and a watering app that shows who does the watering!” Fransson laughs.
The social zone is also an important part of the office environment.
“We want to develop it further and are in dialogue with Property Manager Trond Herrefoss to explore the possibilities. A warm and inclusive environment matters to us – both for wellbeing and for attracting new colleagues.”
AFRY about AFRY
AFRY is a leading European company with global reach in technology, design and consulting. We accelerate the transition to a sustainable society. With 18,000 dedicated experts in industry, energy, infrastructure and digitalisation, we develop sustainable solutions for future generations. In Norway and worldwide, we are one of the leading advisory environments within the process industry.
Within the Industry division, we number 150 of AFRY’s approximately 1,000 employees in Norway and work across five Business Units: Process & Plant Design, Digitalisation & Electro, Environment & Civil, Food, and Life Science. Globally, we have another 8,000 industry colleagues across more than 15 countries, where AFRY is a world-leading player in several key segments.
Text/photoes: Tone Brekke tone.brekke@hipark.no
