Transportation & Infrastructure
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.
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
Oliver Ries
Head of Coast & Climate
Tore Lucht
Department Director / Harbour & Geoengineering
