For several years, AF Bostäder has worked in a strategic and target-oriented way on social, environmental and economic sustainability. Now, the company is introducing culture as an equal fourth perspective. The work started in 2024 with a newly written policy and a new strategy for cultural sustainability.

About half of AF Bostäder’s housing is corridor accommodation, a pleasant form of housing in which the students have their own room but share communal spaces with others. With careful management and a social perspective, AF Bostäder pays special attention to life on a corridor – a secure, affordable and fun kind of housing that is also a strong bearer of culture.

AF Bostäder has started work on a revamp of its communication platform. The platform provides guidelines for how the company is to communicate in terms of target groups, messaging, typography, graphics, image selection etc. The aim is for AF Bostäder’s stakeholders, such as students, the media, the municipality and business community, to have a clear and consistent image of the company.

Alcohol has a big place in our culture, not least in student life where many also encounter other intoxicants. AF Bostäder has expanded its information initiative, Help, which previously focused on mental health problems, to also offer contact details for concerns relating to alcohol and drugs. And more subject areas are in the pipeline.

Being able to rapidly obtain pleasant and secure housing at a reasonable cost is an important factor when students are choosing where to study. Many people believe that it is difficult to find student housing in Lund. In a new joint report, three of Lund’s major student housing organisations show that the true picture is actually positive.

Sometimes, students are unfortunately faced with considerable damage to their home. Without valid insurance, it can be expensive. AF Bostäder has therefore conducted a campaign to encourage students to take out a home insurance policy.

Designed in accordance with the Academic Society’s and prize-winning architect Bengt Edman’s visions of a student city within the city, and just as much loved as hated for its brutalist architecture, Sparta is constantly one of AF Bostäder’s most popular student housing areas. Sparta is now undergoing a careful renovation, so it can remain standing strong for many years to come.

The Vildanden Art Exchange opened in March and was inaugurated with a premiere exhibition, canapés and sparkling wine. It all started when caretaker Jonas Ekman saw all the fine paintings that the students left in the bulky waste station, the Green Room.

The Housing Ombudsman has produced a questionnaire that confirms previous assumptions about international students’ needs for social activities as well as information and motivation regarding waste sorting.

AF Bostäder is driving one of Sweden’s biggest initiatives in sustainable student housing at Kämnärsrätten. Rhodos, a new quarter inaugurated in the summer of 2024, was awarded the Student Housing Prize for, among other things, pleasant accommodation, green outdoor environments and low climate impact. Students, relatives and friends gathered for the move-in and inauguration.

AF Bostäder is to introduce culture as a new sustainability perspective based on, among other things, the Foundation’s statutes and the Government’s policy for designed living environment. According to the statutes, AF Bostäder is to work for cultural and friendly relations between the tenants. The Government’s policy covers architecture, form, design, art and cultural legacy.

AF Bostäder has surpassed its latest energy target – to reduce consumption in the older properties of the portfolio by 10% between 2020 and 2024. The company has now formulated a new target, focusing on a reduction in the volume of purchased energy. Activities over the next five years will include increased investments in internal electricity production.

AF Bostäder organises competitions for students to strengthen well-being and a sense of community. Last year saw the premiere of the “Mello” TikTok Song Contest. The entries flowed in and AF Bostäder recorded its own.

AF Borgen – the students’ own building in Lundagård – is the focal point of Sweden’s best student life. It is here that the Academic Society (Akademiska Föreningen) and the students arrange numerous activities, but it is also the setting for a café, restaurant, stages, festivities and much more. In addition, AF Borgen is also an ultramodern arena for Lund’s business community and cultural life.

At AF Bostäder, all tenants are to be given an equal assessment of the condition of their housing. The company has therefore strengthened its procedures for move-out inspections.

Among its initiatives for social sustainability, AF Bostäder invited students to outdoor circuit training. Instructors from Gerdahallen held popular sessions that offered tough tabata workouts.

AF Bostäder only rents out to active students at Lund University – the students’ status is verified by study checks. Now, measures are also being introduced to minimise prohibited sub-letting.

Lund students are often seen cycling – an eco-friendly and healthy way to get around. Cycling is something that AF Bostäder would like to encourage, and most recently this took the form of free bike servicing.

Using broad initiatives, students are to be inspired to reduce their waste and increase their waste sorting. Reduced residual waste is good for the climate and environment and means cost-savings in waste management. During 2024, AF Bostäder deepened its cooperation with the waste management utility, Lunds Renhållningsverk, renovated waste rooms, opened an Art Exchange and launched the waste sorting campaign, Buzz of the month.

With clear targets, all those working at AF Bostäder can develop and drive sustainability management together. The targets are to be current and relevant, and ahead of 2025 it was time to renew and fine-tune them again.

As one of the initiatives for social sustainability, AF Bostäder’s property developers have introduced security walks. Based on the housing areas’ Swedish Quality Index (SKI) ratings, the walks are to result in security enhancement measures for the outdoor environment. Internally, the initiative was named the best sustainability project of 2024.

Those responsible for sustainability management are constantly facing new challenges. A network initiated by AF Bostäder will give student housing companies the opportunity to share knowledge and inspiration with each other.

It’s now easier to thoroughly clean the corridor – with gentle cleaning agents! The students have received a special edition of the book “Städa hållbart med Ekotipset” (Clean Sustainably with Eco-Hacks), along with eco-friendly cleaning materials.

Over half of Sweden’s students are affected by some kind of mental health problem. For this reason, AF Bostäder works actively on social sustainability issues with initiatives such as the Help information project. For increased security, the company has now produced detailed flow charts for occasions when a student feels bad.

AF Bostäder rents out affordable housing in attractive locations to students at Lund University. The queue and rental terms, which include admission and study rate requirements, are to ensure that renting is fair and conducted via a housing queue. Sub-letting is permitted to a limited extent in order to facilitate, for example, studies abroad and military conscription.

AF Bostäder has launched a new communication strategy for channels such as Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn. Students have given their input and contribute to the content.

Since 2016, AF Bostäder has reported – and considerably reduced – emissions from its own operations, from purchased energy and from business travel. In line with the aims of Climate Neutral Lund, we are continuing to track down other indirect emissions.

AF Bostäder has for some time conducted risk analyses concerning everything from financing and work environment to extreme rainfall events. Now, the work on risk is being expanded and coordinated, for a better overview and reporting purposes.

Lund University is one of the world’s most distinguished higher education institutions. In Lund’s historical surroundings there is world-leading education and research, the best possible student life and the opportunity to obtain affordable, pleasant and long-term sustainable housing with almost no waiting time. Welcome to Lund University, Studentlund and AF Bostäder – here, a bright future awaits.

In September, AF Bostäder organised its first second-hand market and many things switched owners – from students to students. Simple, social, enjoyable and, of course, circular.

Many companies buy a ready-to-use business system and adapt their processes to the system. AF Bostäder has instead chosen to design its own system from scratch. Thanks to strong engagement internally in the development work, the system is powerful, easy to use and liked by both customers and staff.

A win in the customer survey Nöjd Studbo Live 2023, a nomination for Star of the Year and the best grade in Sweden regarding fault reports. AF Bostäder continues its tradition of garnering good reviews, due to goal-driven management, action plans, frequent communication with the students and an organisation in which everyone has the customers’ best interests in mind.

At Kämnärsrätten, AF Bostäder is conducting one of Sweden’s largest initiatives for long-term sustainable student housing. Pireus was inaugurated in 2023, and in two stages around 250 students have moved into a green and inviting place with space for both socialising and seclusion. All in a living environment so sound and climate-friendly that it has been awarded the Nordic Swan label.

AF Bostäder’s initiatives for health, wellbeing and a sense of community include elements such as sports events and social activities. This year we introduced a hiking excursion – a tradition in the making.

AF Bostäder dates back all the way to 1830. It was then that Akademiska Föreningen was formed to keep the students in order. Inspired by the English college system, AF offered food and accommodation to some 50 students. Sylwanska Gården became the first form of housing with student influence.

From the starting point of sustainable operational goals and the issues that the company’s stakeholders care about, AF Bostäder’s design of outdoor environments is based increasingly on sustainability. Here, there is scope for security and enjoyment, as well as climate adaption and biodiversity.

AF Bostäder aims to give students a rent trend that is as even as possible so that they can forecast their costs and keep track of their everyday finances. At the same time, stable revenues give AF Bostäder the preconditions for planning its operations with a long-term perspective.

Getting to know your neighbours and meeting new friends is crucial for students’ enjoyment and wellbeing. AF Bostäder is providing inspiration with new activity boxes.

Within the scope of the NUDGE energy network, AF Bostäder is expected to reduce energy consumption at Gylleholm by 30%. Collaboration within the network has also led to new knowledge.

With the building of Troja – AF Bostäder’s biggest construction start since the 1960s and the last quarter in the expansion along Kämnärsvägen – one of Sweden's most significant investments in sustainable student housing will reach the finishing line. In parallel, planning is underway for continued expansion, in careful balance with the housing needs of Lund students.

Thanks to two new IT functions, it has become easier to book pre-move-out inspections and simpler to see how many apartments and rooms are available for new students at the start of semesters.

At the Service Centre, customers often receive assistance from staff who are active students. Student workers make up a unique resource in the company, and the job is often a springboard for their own careers. Meet Amanda Forslund who has gone on to become a property appraiser, and Alexander Gahnström who has continued to work within AF Bostäder.