City Council to decide Wednesday on SF’s action plan for green facades and roofs

On Wednesday 4 November 2026, Aarhus City Council will consider the recommendation on SF’s proposal for an ambitious action plan for green facades and roofs. The Municipal Executive’s department for Technical and Environmental Affairs recommends that the council motion not be adopted, and that guiding materials be prepared instead and Grøn Norm updated.

What it means for you

The case concerns how Aarhus will promote building greening in future — as habitats, climate adaptation, and a cooler city centre. A majority on the City and Planning Committee backs the recommendation: no separate action plan, but advice, examples, and an adjustment to the points system that already governs green requirements in local development plans (local development plans). The minority wants to hold to SF’s original demand for concrete, time-bound targets. The decision affects both new local development plans and the green quality you encounter in public space.

Background

SF Aarhus proposes that the municipality prepare an action plan with measures and measurable, time-bound targets to increase green facades and roofs. The proposal was submitted by Thomas Medom, Anne Hammer, Mette Bjerre and Liv Gro Jensen (spokesperson). The party points to biodiversity, rainwater during cloudbursts, and a better microclimate in the city centre, and among other things wants incentives, local development plan requirements, and pilot projects.

Technical and Environmental Affairs assesses that the intentions can be met without a new action plan. The administration refers to Grøn Norm, the municipal plan addendum Et grønnere Aarhus med mere blåt, and the Policy for Urban Quality and Architecture. The recommendation of 22 October 2025 states that, as a supplement to the architecture policy, materials with examples and advice on establishing and maintaining green facades, roofs and courtyards shall be prepared, and that Grøn Norm shall be updated as follow-up to the Municipal Plan 2025 with a view to calculation bases and point values — including for green roofs and facades.

The case has been underway since the city council (city council) meeting on 13 August 2025, when the proposal was sent for municipal executive (municipal executive) processing. The Municipal Executive recommended on 4 November 2025 that the city council adopt the recommendation; Socialistisk Folkeparti reserved its position on the original proposal. On 12 November 2025 the case was sent for committee (committee) processing. The City and Planning Committee deferred the case on 30 September 2026 and adopted the recommendation by majority on 28 October 2026.

Figures and facts

• Grøn Norm was adopted in 2023 and, via a points system, sets a minimum level of urban nature in local development plan–obligated construction, including greened roofs and facades (Appendix — Recommendation).
• The recommendation is dated 22 October 2025 and contains three decision points: do not adopt the action plan, prepare information materials, and update Grøn Norm (Appendix — Recommendation).
• In the city council debate on 13 August 2025, Solveig Munk cited tree canopy cover of 44% in Berlin, 18% in Copenhagen and 15% in Aarhus, and that 8,000 trees have been planted since the pledge of 10,000 urban trees (Appendix — City council debate 13.08.2025).
• On the same day, Jakob Søgaard Clausen (DD) stressed that the municipality has under 1% solar panels on its own floor area, and around 1.5% when the climate plan is fully phased in (Appendix — City council debate 13.08.2025).
• On 12 November 2025, Metin Lindved Aydin (RV) mentioned an 850-square-metre roof on Aarhus Ø that was painted, at a cost of DKK 425,000 plus VAT (Appendix — City council debate 12.11.2025).
• Technical and Environmental Affairs has reviewed residential and commercial local development plans with new construction from September 2024 to May 2026 and finds that green roofs and facades feature in several newer local development plans, but not as a uniform standard requirement (Appendix — Note MTM 21.09.2026).

Who said what

On the City and Planning Committee, Kristian Sommer, Anette Poulsen, Gert Bjerregaard and Thomas Kastrup Christensen could adopt the recommendation. Liv Gro Jensen, Albert Rosenkrantz Conradsen and Isabella Heilmann could not adopt it but reserved their position on the original proposal (Appendix — Committee statement).

Already on 13 August 2025, alderman (alderman) Nicolaj Bang (KF) proposed keeping ambitions within existing plans rather than a new action plan. Liv Gro Jensen (SF) demanded concrete, measurable and time-bound targets. Jesper Kjeldsen (S) and Gert Bjerregaard (V) backed municipal executive processing and wanted the ambition built into the tools the municipality already has. Solveig Munk (EL) supported an action plan and pointed among other things to tree canopy cover and the principle «preserve or explain» (translated from Danish). Metin Lindved Aydin (RV) joined the proposal. Henrik Arens (LA) rejected an overarching standard solution and wanted to keep control in the individual local development plans. Jakob Søgaard Clausen (DD) and Thure Hastrup (AL) also wanted further work; Alternativet’s amendment was not adopted.

When the recommendation returned on 12 November 2025, Socialdemokratiet and De Konservative supported the recommendation. Bünyamin Simsek (KF) warned that green roofs are not always delivered in practice, including in social housing on Aarhus Ø. Liv Gro Jensen called the recommendation status quo and wanted committee processing. Metin Lindved Aydin did not adopt the recommendation. Solveig Munk reserved her position on SF’s original proposal. Jakob Søgaard Clausen called for concrete examples of green roofs and facades after the 2019 decision.

What happens next

On Wednesday 4 November 2026, Aarhus City Council is to consider the recommendation in the council chamber. The Municipal Executive recommends that the city council adopt Technical and Environmental Affairs’ three points. If the recommendation is adopted, the separate action plan is dropped, while the administration must deliver guidance materials and later update Grøn Norm. If it is not adopted, SF’s demand for an ambitious action plan with measurable targets remains central to the political dispute.

Sources

• Agenda — Response to proposal from SF on an action plan for green facades and roofs in Aarhus
• Appendix — Recommendation
• Appendix — City council debate 13.08.2025
• Appendix — City council debate 12.11.2025
• Appendix — Committee statement
• Appendix — Note MTM 21.09.2026 (added 29.09.2026)
• Aarhus Municipality meeting documents — meeting
• Aarhus Kommune

Other appendices

• Appendix — Appendix 1: Council motion