A lot of exciting things are happening in Hovseterdalen in Oslo, where the Water and Sewerage Agency has ordered full rehabilitation of the water and sewage pipes. The main contractor on site is Braathen Landskapsentreprenør AS with its dedicated focus on zero emissions and electrification of the machine park.

When we visited the project, we had a chat with project manager Glenn Wiik from the Infrastructure department. Glenn gave us an insight into the company’s vision, current work in Hovseterdalen, as well as their commitment to zero emissions and how they document with digital aids.

Braathen Landskapsentreprenør AS has set itself apart from its competitors by fully investing in zero emissions. Wiik explains that this strategic choice was made early on.

– We decided quite early on, if we’re going to do this, we have to do it properly.

With its strong focus on zero emissions, Braathen scores highly on the points system that Oslo municipality has implemented for tenders.

– We mostly deal with zero-emission projects, we have done that since 2020, and right now we have six projects underway, all of which are zero-emission projects, says Wiik,

At the site in Hovseterdalen, several electric excavators are rolling. Wiik explains that they have ten to eleven electric machines in the department and that they have set up fast charging for the machines.

– Here in infrastructure we only have electric machines. This involves electric excavators, trucks and company cars. At the same time, we also have partners who have zero-emission methods, such as Steg Entrepreneur who runs electric unblocking, as well as Kjeldaas AS who make electric socks, says Wiik.

– We only have one diesel-powered machine left, and it is for sale!

He emphasizes that not adapting now will make everyday life harder for the companies in the industry in the future.

When asked about the workers’ relationship with electric machines versus diesel-powered ones, Wiik smiles.

– There was naturally a bit of skepticism at the start, but we have experienced that the electric machines work just as well as their fossil brothers.

Braathen Landskapsentreprenør AS uses SmartDok for thorough documentation of its projects, and on the project in Hovseterdalen in Oslo, construction worker Adrian documents his work with SmartDok.

– Construction worker Adrian Kurpiel documents while machine operator Robert Luczakde compacts. He takes pictures of the pipe laying, says project manager Glenn Wiik.

When all the work is carried out underground, it is extra important that the documentation reaches the surface.

– I think it is very easy to document in the app. It is a good tool that helps us to ensure the quality of our work, says Adrian.

– It is easy to document, so that I can quickly return to work in the trench again, adds Robert.

Wiik says that it is important to document the work carefully, to avoid any conflicts with the client.

– If we had not documented this, we could perhaps have been asked to dig up again to document that we have done the job correctly, says Wiik.

– We have our own control plan that describes what must be documented for each project, and as Adrian showed, SmartDok makes it easy for our workers to fill in checklists and take pictures.

Braathen Landskapsentreprenør AS uses SmartDok to document all aspects of its work. This includes, among other things, HSEQ work, attendance lists, workhours, machines, resource planner and goods and work routes. All in the same app.

– SmartDok makes it easy for us to document our work, says Wiik.

– It works great!

Braathen Landskapsentreprenør AS is clearly prepared for the future in the construction industry. With a strong focus on zero emissions, electrification and thorough documentation, they position themselves as one of the leaders in the industry. For those who work in or around the construction industry, it is worth following what Braathen Landskapsentreprenør AS does next.