Coast and climate

Denmark has more than 7,500 kilometres of coastline, and in recent years we have seen different weather conditions and climate change putting pressure on our coastal and fjord areas. There is therefore a greater need to handle increased water volumes from storm surges and rising sea levels, which heighten the risk of erosion and flooding.

With a holistic approach based on our many years of experience, we create the right conditions to go from vision to reality, from plan to action. At Sweco, coastal protection and climate adaptation are multidisciplinary tasks that require cooperation between the authorities, citizens and investors to create robust and sustainable solutions. We help municipalities, regions, authorities, private landowners, ports, dike associations and utilities with climate adaptation and coastal protection.

With our integrated approach to consultancy, we incorporate multifunctionality into our projects, in terms of recreation, biodiversity, sustainability, etc. This is how we ensure that coastal protection and climate adaptation not only become technical interventions, but also help to develop coastal areas as attractive new destinations.

Our services

Future-proof design

Our experts work out robust and future-proof design solutions for stone structures, climate adaptations and marine services. We focus on finding savings and cost-effectiveness, while ensuring our solutions offer a robust and future-proof design.

The team offers consultancy in relation to:

• Piers, groynes and breakwaters
• High water walls and lock and pump solutions
• Beach parks, sand replenishment and biological coastal protection
• Outflow pipes, sea cables and wind turbine foundations
• Marinas, dredging, excavation and dumping

Qualified analyses

The coast and the climate team offer qualified analyses for coastal and climate adaptation projects, based on the most relevant tools in the field. These analyses provide a solid foundation for the projects and shed light on areas such as optimisation, risk and consistency.

The team offers consultancy in relation to:

• Coastal development and flood assessment
• Risk management plans and holistic coastal plans
• Metocean conditions, calming waters and joint probability
• Wave loads, ice loads and wind loads
• Specifications and supervision of physical model trials
• Environmental impact assessments (EIAs) and marine archaeology
• Simulations of sailing conditions
• Climate sensitivity and sustainability
• Geological analyses and geophysics
• Due diligence and wind energy

Relevant Tools

The coast and climate team have an innovative approach to projects and focus on internal efficiency and developing tools. For example, Sweco has developed its own hydraulic models that give us detailed knowledge about storm surges in and around Denmark.

Tools we use:

• Numerical modelling of waves, currents and water levels
• Calculation of wave washover at ports and along coasts
• Modelling of sediment transport
• Flood simulation
• ESI (Evaluation of Sustainable Infrastructure)
• Waste modelling
• CFD modelling
• Soundings
• 3D CAD

Professional process management

Implementing coastal and climate adaptation projects requires professional process management, in order to involve stakeholders, propose pragmatic contribution models, etc. Our experts are part of the whole process – from initial ideas to realisation – including design, tendering, supervision and obtaining the necessary permits.

• Tendering, supervision and contracting
• Contribution models and allocation keys
• Stakeholder and citizen involvement
• Construction management and developer consultancy
• Dialogue and consultations with authorities
• Applications, waivers and permits