Latest news with #SJ
Local Sweden
17-07-2025
- Local Sweden
No trains between Malmö and Stockholm for over ten hours
Signal failures have caused diversions and delays to train journeys between Malmö and Stockholm for over ten hours. Advertisement Trains have not been running between Vikingstad and Mjölby since 5pm on Wednesday, due to a signal failure which prevented any trains from running between Stockholm and Malmö or Norrköping and Motala. Swedish train company SJ said just after 7am on Thursday that some trains had been diverted but were running at reduced speed, leading to delays. The Snälltåget train from Stockholm to Malmö was supposed to arrive at Malmö C at 9.12pm on Wednesday, SVT reports, but finally arrived at 7.38 on Thursday. The Transport Administration expects that the issue will be fixed by 1pm on Thursday at the earliest. "We've tried to find other modes of transport for the cancelled departures, but we unfortunately aren't able to provide replacement transport in the quantity needed," train company SJ wrote in a statement on its website. Advertisement Signal failures outside Hallsberg are also causing issues, with delays and cancellations to and from Stockholm since Wednesday night. Staff were working on-site to fix the issue at around 7.30am on Thursday but the Transport Administration did not have a forecast for when trains would be running again. The following stations are among those affected: Linköping C, Mjölby, Motala, Kimstad, Vikingstad, Linghem, Norrköping, Nässjö, Älmhult, Hässleholm, Lund, Stockholm, Alvesta and Malmö C.
Business Insider
10-07-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
From Australia to Saudi Arabia, these cities are getting smarter by design
The World Bank predicts a 70% urban population by 2050, driving the need for smarter cities and systems to run them. Projects in Saudi Arabia, Australia, and Singapore prioritize social and environmental considerations into their design. True smart living begins with designing for delivery, and beyond. According to the World Bank, nearly 70% of the world's population will live in cities by 2050. To meet this demand, cities must accommodate growing populations, enable mobility through well-planned transport networks, power activities with efficient energy systems, and support modern life with integrated, real-time solutions. While smart city efforts have gained momentum, many still face the challenge of aligning technology with real-world needs — striking a balance between optimizing daily operations, ensuring long-term sustainability, and enhancing quality of life. This marks a shift in how cities are built — moving beyond retrofitted digital features to embedding intelligence at the core. It's about connecting design, data, and delivery from the outset. The goal isn't just smart tools, but smarter systems that work better, together. This mindset shapes SJ Group's approach to projects worldwide — from coastal communities in Australia and campuses in Singapore to large-scale industrial developments in Saudi Arabia. Designing with the environment: The Point Estate, Australia Along Victoria's Bellarine Peninsula, The Point Estate demonstrates how environmental stewardship and digital tools can work hand in hand. Supported by SMEC, an SJ company, the 195-hectare development integrates urban planning with sensitive coastal ecology. More than two-thirds of the site is preserved as open space — featuring parklands, walking and cycling trails, and a 5-kilometer tidal waterway that restores natural flows and improves water quality. Rain gardens, bioretention swales, and lot-specific drainage systems form part of a water-sensitive urban design strategy that enhances both climate resilience and biodiversity. Behind the scenes, a 3D earthworks model enabled more precise construction, reducing costs and minimizing environmental impact. A pressure sewer system provided a lower-impact alternative to traditional infrastructure. For these efforts, The Point Estate achieved EnviroDevelopment certification from the Urban Development Institute of Australia — meeting rigorous standards across ecosystems, waste, energy, materials, water, and community. A smarter campus by design: NUS Integrated Operations Center, Singapore In Singapore, the National University of Singapore (NUS) is rethinking campus operations through a centralized Integrated Operations Center (IOC), developed in partnership with SJ. The IOC provides real-time monitoring of critical systems performance that keeps the 170-hectare campus running 24/7 across its large expanse of university facilities. By integrating security, engineering, and operational systems into a single platform, it delivers actionable insights that speed emergency response and minimize critical equipment downtime. Scalable to meet evolving operational needs, the IOC creates a safer, smarter, and more sustainable campus experience. Building smart at scale: Sudair City, Saudi Arabia This thinking is equally visible at a dramatically different scale in Saudi Arabia's Sudair City — one of the Kingdom's flagship economic zones. Spanning 258 square kilometers, the city's size is ambitious, but its design philosophy is deliberate. Rather than evolve through piecemeal expansion, Sudair's infrastructure, zoning, and phasing are tightly integrated from the outset. SJ's role goes beyond engineering delivery to strategic planning. Its master plan focuses on phased development designed to attract high-tech and manufacturing industries. Industrial and residential zones are aligned, services are market-timed, and land parcels are investment-ready. Sudair's intelligence lies not in visible gadgets, but in the systems thinking behind its long-term growth. Systems that serve people Across these varied projects, one unifying principle stands out: Smart cities are not defined by technology alone, but by how systems support human life — quietly, intelligently, and at scale. "Smart cities enrich lives — not just with technology, but through purposeful design that builds resilience and deepens human connection. Digital tools spark innovation, streamline operations, and shrink our carbon footprint. But a smart city becomes truly livable when these efficiencies merge with vibrant, human-centered spaces that root people in community," said Yeo Choon Chong, chief executive, integrated solutions and regional head, Asia, SJ. As cities face growing complexity, success will belong to those that embed intelligence into every layer — from planning to performance, to support one generation to the next.
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Sweden invented ‘flight shaming'. Now it is begging airlines to return
The country that invented 'flight shaming', a concept championed by climate activist Greta Thunberg, has scrapped its air tax in a bid to boost its ailing economy. As of July 1, Sweden has dropped the levy of 76–517 kroner (£5.50–£37.40) per passenger per flight, an eco measure introduced by the centre-left government in 2018. The U-turn will be seen as a disaster by environmentalists, and it exposes a tension at the core of the aviation versus climate debate. When jumbo jets disappear emissions drop, but other things begin to dwindle too: regional growth, connectivity and – it appears in Sweden – public support for eco concerns. Sweden introduced its air tax in the same year that a 15-year-old Greta Thunberg organised her first solo climate protest outside Swedish Parliament. In a short period of time the 'flight shaming' ('flygskam') movement took hold. A survey in 2019 showed that nearly a quarter of Swedes were abstaining from flying in a bid to reduce their climate footprint, up from 17 per cent the year before. The impact on Sweden's aviation industry was stark. Swedavia AB, which runs 10 Swedish airports, saw passenger numbers drop for seven consecutive months in 2019. The country witnessed its slowest growth in airline passenger numbers for a decade. Meanwhile, state train operator SJ saw passengers leap to 32 million citing 'big interest in climate-smart travel.' In the seven years that followed, international flights dropped by a third. Smaller airports, particularly in the wild and remote northern regions, saw fewer arrivals as airlines scaled back operations. Ryanair ceased all domestic flights in Sweden, while the domestic-focused Bromma Airport near Stockholm came to the brink of closure. Today, only one regional airline, Västfly, still uses the airport. The pandemic was the catalyst for change. The country suffered a recession in 2023 and the economy shrank by 0.3pc between April and July 2024. It was within this economic climate that the new right-wing government, elected in 2022, said that there were 'few reasons to feel flight shame' as they announced plans to invest £76m into the aviation sector and drop the air tax entirely. Airlines were quick to praise the decision. Ryanair promptly re-introduced two new aircraft to its Swedish fleet and added ten new routes. EasyJet said 'we strongly welcome the abolition of taxes on passengers to help keep flying affordable' and Norwegian announced it would add new routes from Norway to Sweden. 'We congratulate the Swedish government for abolishing the aviation tax. It is excellent news, which recognises that taxation of air passengers is counterproductive economically and ineffective environmentally,' was the international aviation body IATA's response to the news. The climate lobby, however, is disheartened by the news. Justin Francis, co-founder and executive chair of Responsible Travel, tells The Telegraph: 'Some governments' short-term attitudes to regulating aviation have shifted, but the science hasn't, and aviation will account for an ever-increasing percentage of total global carbon emissions and the massive costs of climate change to business and society.' No doubt politicians in neighbouring countries will be watching keenly from the sidelines to see how Sweden's U-turn plays out. That's because since Sweden introduced its eco-war against aviation, other countries have followed suit. In 2020, Germany increased its domestic and intra-European flight taxes by 75 per cent, while Belgium imposes a €10 'boarding tax' for flights of less than 500km (310 miles). In the Netherlands passengers must pay a departure tax of €29.40 per flight, regardless of the destination. Denmark is the latest to join the party. As of January 1 this year, passengers have had to pay 50DK (£5.73) for intra-European flights, 310DK (£35.83) for medium-haul and DK410 (£47.55) for long-haul flights. Ryanair was quick out of the blocks to criticise the tax. The Irish airline publicly described it as a 'discriminatory, fake eco-tax', criticising Denmark for penalising short-haul passengers while not taxing transfer passengers travelling far greater distances. The airline has scrapped its services from Billund and Aalborg, in response. Other countries are clamping down on short-haul aviation through other means. In 2023, France passed a law banning domestic flights on routes where the journey could be made by rail in less than 2hr 30m. While this was hailed as a 'domestic flight ban', effectively ruling out air travel between Paris Orly and Nantes, Lyon and Bordeaux, some argued they could have been more ambitious by extending the train travel time to four hours, or to measure from city to city rather than airport to airport. In its current form, where you can still fly from Paris Charles de Gaulle to Nantes, Lyon and Bordeaux. Because of this, the domestic flight ban has been criticised for being more gestural than anything else. Spain is considering mirroring the policy, banning flights where you can make the same journey in 2hr 30m. This would rule out 11 domestic air routes, reducing the country's domestic aviation emissions by an estimated 10 per cent. But, as in France, climate activists said it didn't go far enough. Ecologistas en Acción described the measures as 'purely symbolic'. The question is where these countries will go next. Clearly the Swedish U-turn highlights the complexities around marrying green policies with national interconnectivity and regional prosperity. 'Until electric planes and emissions-free aviation are viable options, we all need to fly less,' says Justin Francis. 'Aviation fuel needs to be taxed in line with other transport fuels. The industry has had a free pass here for too long, and the proceeds need to be ring fenced for investment in lower-carbon aviation and improving rail infrastructure.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
05-07-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Sweden invented ‘flight shaming'. Now it is begging airlines to return
The country that invented 'flight shaming', a concept championed by climate activist Greta Thunberg, has scrapped its air tax in a bid to boost its ailing economy. As of July 1, Sweden has dropped the levy of 76–517 krona (£5.50–£37.40) per passenger per flight, an eco measure introduced by the centre-left government in 2018. The U-turn will be seen as a disaster by environmentalists, and it exposes a tension at the core of the aviation versus climate debate. When jumbo jets disappear emissions drop, but other things begin to dwindle too: regional growth, connectivity and – it appears in Sweden – public support for eco concerns. The emptying of Swedish skies Sweden introduced its air tax in the same year that a 15-year-old Greta Thunberg organised her first solo climate protest outside Swedish Parliament. In a short period of time the 'flight shaming' ('flygskam') movement took hold. A survey in 2019 showed that nearly a quarter of Swedes were abstaining from flying in a bid to reduce their climate footprint, up from 17 per cent the year before. The impact on Sweden's aviation industry was stark. Swedavia AB, which runs 10 Swedish airports, saw passenger numbers drop for seven consecutive months in 2019. The country witnessed its slowest growth in airline passenger numbers for a decade. Meanwhile, state train operator SJ saw passengers leap to 32 million citing 'big interest in climate-smart travel.' In the seven years that followed, international flights dropped by a third. Smaller airports, particularly in the wild and remote northern regions, saw fewer arrivals as airlines scaled back operations. Ryanair ceased all domestic flights in Sweden, while the domestic-focused Bromma Airport near Stockholm came to the brink of closure. Today, only one regional airline, Västfly, still uses the airport. The pandemic was the catalyst for change. The country suffered a recession in 2023 and the economy shrank by 0.3 per cent between April and July 2024. It was within this economic climate that the new right-wing government, elected in 2022, said that there were 'few reasons to feel flight shame' as they announced plans to invest £76m into the aviation sector and drop the air tax entirely. Airlines were quick to praise the decision. Ryanair promptly re-introduced two new aircraft to its Swedish fleet and added ten new routes. EasyJet said 'we strongly welcome the abolition of taxes on passengers to help keep flying affordable' and Norwegian announced it would add new routes from Norway to Sweden. 'We congratulate the Swedish government for abolishing the aviation tax. It is excellent news, which recognises that taxation of air passengers is counterproductive economically and ineffective environmentally,' was the international aviation body IATA's response to the news. The climate lobby, however, is disheartened by the news. Justin Francis, co-founder and executive chair of Responsible Travel, tells The Telegraph: 'Some governments' short-term attitudes to regulating aviation have shifted, but the science hasn't, and aviation will account for an ever-increasing percentage of total global carbon emissions and the massive costs of climate change to business and society.' The European countries banning domestic flights No doubt politicians in neighbouring countries will be watching keenly from the sidelines to see how Sweden's U-turn plays out. That's because since Sweden introduced its eco-war against aviation, other countries have followed suit. In 2020, Germany increased its domestic and intra-European flight taxes by 75 per cent, while Belgium imposes a €10 'boarding tax' for flights of less than 500km (310 miles). In the Netherlands passengers must pay a departure tax of €29.40 per flight, regardless of the destination. Denmark is the latest to join the party. As of January 1 this year, passengers have had to pay 50DK (£5.73) for intra-European flights, 310DK (£35.83) for medium-haul and DK410 (£47.55) for long-haul flights. Ryanair was quick out of the blocks to criticise the tax. The Irish airline publicly described it as a 'discriminatory, fake eco-tax', criticising Denmark for penalising short-haul passengers while not taxing transfer passengers travelling far greater distances. The airline has scrapped its services from Billund and Aalborg, in response. Other countries are clamping down on short-haul aviation through other means. In 2023, France passed a law banning domestic flights on routes where the journey could be made by rail in less than 2hr 30m. While this was hailed as a 'domestic flight ban', effectively ruling out air travel between Paris Orly and Nantes, Lyon and Bordeaux, some argued they could have been more ambitious by extending the train travel time to four hours, or to measure from city to city rather than airport to airport. In its current form, where you can still fly from Paris Charles de Gaulle to Nantes, Lyon and Bordeaux. Because of this, the domestic flight ban has been criticised for being more gestural than anything else. Spain is considering mirroring the policy, banning flights where you can make the same journey in 2hr 30m. This would rule out 11 domestic air routes, reducing the country's domestic aviation emissions by an estimated 10 per cent. But, as in France, climate activists said it didn't go far enough, with the group Ecologistas en Acción describing the measures as 'purely symbolic'. The question is where these countries will go next. Clearly the Swedish U-turn highlights the complexities around marrying green policies with national interconnectivity and regional prosperity. 'Until electric planes and emissions-free aviation are viable options, we all need to fly less,' says Justin Francis. 'Aviation fuel needs to be taxed in line with other transport fuels. The industry has had a free pass here for too long, and the proceeds need to be ring fenced for investment in lower-carbon aviation and improving rail infrastructure.'
Business Insider
27-06-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Regenerative design: a new paradigm for cities
Urban development is moving beyond a focus on minimizing environmental impact. Regeneration — the active restoration of ecosystems — can deliver lasting value and sustainable urban environments. Examples from Singapore, Sydney, and Hong Kong are leading the way. Cities have always reflected the priorities of their time, shaped by economic growth, population needs, and infrastructure demands. But today, that equation is shifting. Urban areas account for more than 75% of global carbon emissions, and the environmental toll is becoming harder to ignore. For decades, sustainability was about reducing impact. But with climate data setting new records and ecological systems under stress, the industry is asking more ambitious questions: What if the built environment could actively repair what's been lost? What if the real challenge isn't just how we build, but how we regenerate? The shift is prompting a broader rethink across the built environment. Architects, planners, and engineers are asking how cities can restore ecosystems, strengthen communities, and deliver lasting environmental value. It's a mindset that goes beyond sustainability, and it's increasingly shaping how SJ Group (SJ), a global urban, infrastructure, and managed services consultancy, approaches urban development in a resource-constrained world. This regenerative philosophy is also embedded in SJ's Sustainability Charter, which champions ecosystem restoration, community resilience, and long-term livability. For SJ, sustainability is not seen as a checkbox; it's a constantly evolving practice focused on creating lasting positive impact. That philosophy is already shaping how urban projects are conceived, designed, and delivered. "The era of 'business as usual' is behind us — sustainability alone is no longer enough!" said Sean Chiao, Group CEO of SJ. "Today's challenges demand a seismic shift: Regenerative development isn't just about reducing harm — it's about revitalizing what's been lost and enriching what remains. We must design with life at the center, not just as an afterthought." He said, "It's time to expand our vision — beyond project boundaries and profit margins — and ask the big questions: How can we heal ecosystems? How can we empower communities? How can we co-create a future that gives more than it takes?" Across Asia and beyond, we're seeing low-energy buildings, adaptive reuse of existing structures, circular waste systems, and biodiversity-led masterplans that reflect this regenerative approach. What regeneration looks like in practice In Singapore, Labrador Tower, designed by SJ, offers a working example. The Super-Low Energy office development features a centralized water-cooled chilled water system with thermal energy storage — an innovative adoption among commercial buildings in Singapore. The building also uses a combination of a hybrid air distribution system and active chilled beams, enhanced by an intelligent microclimate control system, a high-efficiency façade, and smart daylight sensors to reduce heat load and optimize energy savings by over 40%. But the building's impact goes further. Rooftop gardens and sky terraces extend the surrounding nature vertically, providing restorative green spaces that support biodiversity. The building was designed as part of the environment, not apart from it. Reusing the past to build the future In dense urban centers, the most sustainable structure isn't always the newest. Adaptive reuse is gaining traction as a strategy for cutting embodied carbon, reducing waste, and preserving heritage. In North Sydney, a 1970s commercial office block, at 41 McLaren Street, originally designed by architect Harry Seidler, was transformed by Australian-owned property developer and contractor, Built, into a school campus without demolishing the structure. By retaining its core building structure and reconfiguring the interior, the project reduced material waste and preserved heritage value. To meet today's standards, the building was carefully upgraded with a performance-based seismic solution, a tailored approach that delivered safety without sacrificing design. Robert Bird Group, an SJ company, provided the civil and structural engineering solution for this transformation. Turning waste into power Regeneration isn't limited to buildings. Infrastructure projects, particularly in waste and energy, are proving equally critical. In Hong Kong, the Integrated Waste Management Facility Phase 1 (I·PARK1) processes 3,000 tonnes of municipal waste daily, converting the heat from incineration into 480 million kilowatt-hours of electricity each year, enough to power around 100,000 homes. By turning landfills into energy, I·PARK1 demonstrates how regenerative infrastructure can contribute to energy resilience and circularity at scale. Using state-of-the-art incineration technology and stringent emission controls, I·PARK1 reduces reliance on landfills and introduces strategic conservation measures such as coral translocation and a 797-hectare marine park that prioritizes biodiversity. As the consultant safeguarding the facility's successful delivery, SMEC, an SJ company, is integrating technical rigor with deep ecological stewardship throughout I·PARK1, recognizing that urban progress does not come at the expense of our fragile ecosystems. The regenerative opportunity ahead Urban development has long focused on density, access, and growth. But today's challenges — climate volatility, social resilience, ecological decline — demand a new approach. Regeneration isn't a buzzword. It's a systems-level shift in how we design, build, and invest. It asks cities, developers, and policymakers to think long-term and to build for a net-positive impact. "Climate action and net-zero goals remain vital — but they are no longer the finish line," Chiao said. "We see a growing shift toward regenerative design, with a deeper focus on nature, biodiversity, and social well-being." He continues, "This demands a fundamental shift in mindset. At SJ, we are reimagining how our work can create a net-positive impact — investing in regenerative capabilities, upskilling our people, and pushing the boundaries of design and delivery." Digital tools like climate modeling, emissions tracking, and predictive systems are making regenerative design more precise and scalable. Technology and innovation will be key enablers, allowing us to act with both greater focus and impact. From buildings that give back to infrastructure that closes loops, the built environment is already evolving. The question is no longer whether regeneration is possible, but how quickly we can make it the norm. "Ultimately, regeneration is not just about what we build, but how our work enables life to flourish," Chiao said. "It's a responsibility and an opportunity we cannot afford to miss."
