Where Data Modelling Fits in the Push for a Circular Economy in Norway
Terravera Foundation at Oslo Intraprenørskapsliga 2026
Norway circulates just 3,3%* of its materials, far below the EU average of 12,1% and trailing Nordic neighbors Sweden at 10,1% and Denmark at 9,3%. This stark reality formed the backdrop for Oslo Intraprenørskapsliga 2026, a student competition hosted by Ungt Entreprenørskap at Construction City.
The Terravera Foundation, which helps businesses verify circularity decisions by modeling and simulating actual outcomes rather than using estimates, joined seven speakers from government, defense, recycling, engineering, and architecture to address the challenge.
*The figures come from Statistics Norway's own report (SSB, Nasjonale indikatorer for sirkulær økonomi, 2023).
Eline Strøm-Gundersen, Terravera Foundation. Topic: verifying circularity decisions through data modelling. Photo: Kai Chen
Terravera's message: Data before decisions
Terravera's message is simple: know the difference between what you know and what you only believe. Many sustainability decisions rest on assumptions, established truths, or outright myths, rather than facts. The habit: question your own premises, build a data simulation of the choice in front of you, and base the decision on real numbers that show the actual environmental consequences, not on what sounds right. That's what sustainable business needs: verified data, not good intentions.
Terravera’s place in the circular economy is simple. We help businesses verify their circularity decisions, by modelling and simulating the actual consequences of a choice, rather than estimating them. Any business weighing reuse, sharing or repair against business-as-usual needs the same thing: real proof, not a guess.
Eline Strøm-Gundersen, Terravera
Circularity in Practice: Three other voices at Construction City
● Camilla Skjelsbæk Gramstad, leader of Samfunnsoppdraget for sirkulær økonomi, the Norwegian government’s own mission for circular economy. Circularity needs systemic change, not isolated fixes, and it pays: it reduces risk and supports green growth. Her summary: use less, use it longer and then repair, recycle
● Elin Schjenken Halvorsen, CEO of Hovinbyen Sirkulære Oslo. Linear business models are man-made, not natural law, which means they can be remade.
● Marit Helene Bryhn, Head of Environment in Procurement at Norwegian Defence Estates Agency (Forsvarsbygg). Circularity is also preparedness: reducing dependence on imported materials is a matter of national resilience, not only climate.
Elin Schjenken Halvorsen, CEO, Hovinbyen Sirkulære Oslo. Topic: building a circular innovation district in Oslo.
Marit Helene Bryhn, Head of Environment in Procurement at Norwegian Defence Estates Agency (Forsvarsbygg). Topic: circularity as national preparedness. Photo: Kai Chen
Camilla Gramstad, Head of the Norwegian government’s mission for a circular economy, Samfunnsoppdraget for sirkulær økonomi. Topic: Norway's circularity gap and the case for systemic change. Photo: Kai Chen
About Ungt Entreprenørskap and Construction City
Ungt Entreprenørskap (UE) runs entrepreneurship competitions for students across Norway, and Oslo Intraprenørskapsliga 2026 ran over two weeks at the cluster for the built environment Construction City in Oslo. The brief: how can the construction industry achieve sustainability through efficiency, without compromising quality? Students worked towards a strategy, not a finished product.
Eight speakers took part across two days. Four joined on the second day: Charlotte Luisa (Norsk Gjenvinning) on value chains, Mariya Simon (Rambøll) on circularity, Angie Mendez (Multiconsult and A-Lab) on AI and sustainability, and Anders Nohre-Walldén (Marstrand) on corporate responsibility. Kim of Ungt Entreprenørskap hosted the programme throughout, and Rebekka de Leon organised it.
About Terravera Foundation
Terravera Foundation is an independent foundation that builds open, research-based digital models that enable organisations to compare alternatives before they decide, rather than relying on assumptions.
