A streamlined environmental permitting process for construction projects related to critical infrastructure (SMARTE)

Facts and figures

Academic parnters:

School of Engineering

Research team:

Nischal Bhattarai

Sweden, like many other countries, faces a critical challenge: how to balance industrial growth and infrastructure development with environmental protection. The environmental permitting process ensures that construction projects meet legal and sustainability requirements before they are approved. However, this process is often lengthy, complex, costly and the final results are hard to predict. It varies not only between countries but also across different regions within Sweden, causing delays in critical infrastructure projects such as energy production and urban development.

SMARTE (A streamlined environmental permitting process for construction projects related to critical infrastructure) is a research project that seeks to address these challenges by improving the efficiency, transparency, and predictability of Sweden’s environmental permitting process. Taking into consideration the revision "En ny samordnad miljöbedömnings- och tillståndsprövningsprocess" (SOU 2024:98) publicerad on januari 21, 2025 and by analyzing case studies from industry partners and integrating digital tools such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Artificial Intelligence (AI), predictive modeling, and cybersecurity, SMARTE aims to develop a structured, digital framework for a more streamlined and accessible permitting process.

Objectives of the project

One of the project’s key goals is to design and test a centralized digital platform that will facilitate communication between stakeholders, automate parts of the application process, and improve the accessibility of environmental data. This will reduce administrative bottlenecks and ensure that projects comply with environmental regulations in a more efficient way.

By collaborating with public authorities, industries, and technology experts, SMARTE will create a suggestion of a scalable model that can be applied across various sectors, contributing to a more digitalized and sustainable environmental permitting process in Sweden. The project’s results will benefit not only the construction and energy sectors but also public authorities and society at large, ensuring faster decision-making without compromising environmental standards.