Densification analysis
A densification analysis (fortettingsanalyse) is a systematic assessment of where and how much an area can be built more densely. It considers which plots and sub-areas can take more building, how much development potential is there, and what consequences the densification has for the surroundings. The analysis is a planning tool used both by municipalities, when they decide where growth should go, and by developers, when they look for properties with room for more.
Densification means building more densely within already developed areas instead of taking new nature into use, and is, together with transformation, the main strategy for letting cities grow without spreading outwards. A densification analysis puts this strategy into a system by going through an area systematically: it looks at current utilisation against permitted utilisation in the reguleringsplan (zoning plan) and kommuneplan (municipal master plan), identifies undeveloped plots, poorly utilised properties and buildings that can be demolished or extended, and weighs this against qualities that must be preserved. The result is usually a ranking of which areas are best suited for densification, and an estimate of the total potential.
The analysis combines several types of knowledge. On one side, the legal framework: land use purpose, degree of utilisation and height limits that govern how much is permitted. On the other side, the physical and qualitative conditions: sunlight, distance to public transport hubs, existing living quality, cultural heritage sites and green structure, which set limits for how much densification an area can take. A good densification analysis is therefore closely linked to an urban space analysis, because higher density is only sustainable if the outdoor spaces and the infrastructure keep up.
For a municipality, the densification analysis is a basis for steering growth to where it has the best effect, typically near public transport hubs and the centre, and for justifying where more should be zoned. For a developer or investor, it is a tool for finding properties where there is a gap between current use and what is permitted, that is, where there is realisable potential. In both cases, the point is to separate theoretical from real potential, because requirements for outdoor areas, parking, sunlight and infrastructure often mean that not all the formal room can be used.
In terms of method, densification analyses range from simple desk assessments, where you combine matrikkel and plan data to find gaps between current and permitted utilisation, to detailed studies with 3D modelling of sunlight, shadow and volume. One pitfall is overestimating the potential by looking at the legal framework alone; real densification is often limited by ownership structure, conservation concerns, infrastructure and local opposition. A good analysis therefore separates technically possible, legally permitted and practically feasible densification.
In Placepoint you can build much of the basis for a densification analysis: see the reguleringsplan, land use purpose and degree of utilisation against the current buildings from the matrikkel, and compare several properties in an area to find where the potential is greatest.
From Placepoint's dictionary: Fortettingsanalyse
More information: Plan- og bygningsloven § 12-7 (provisions on degree of utilisation), Store norske leksikon: fortetting
English: Densification analysis (fortettingsanalyse; a systematic assessment of where and how much an already-built area can be built more densely).
Frequently asked questions
What is a densification analysis?
A systematic assessment of where and how much an area can be built more densely: which plots can take more, how much development potential there is, and what consequences the densification has.
What is the difference between densification and a densification analysis?
Densification is the act of building more densely within developed areas. The densification analysis is the tool that systematically assesses where and how much densification is possible and desirable.
What does a densification analysis look at?
Current utilisation against permitted utilisation in the reguleringsplan, undeveloped and poorly utilised plots, and qualities that must be preserved, such as sunlight, cultural heritage sites and green structure.
Who uses densification analyses?
Municipalities, to steer growth to where it has the best effect, and developers, to find properties where there is a gap between current use and what is permitted, that is, a realisable development potential.
Is a densification analysis linked to an urban space analysis?
Yes. Higher density is only sustainable if the outdoor spaces and the infrastructure keep up, so a densification analysis is often seen together with an urban space analysis.