Risk
You read natural hazards and ground conditions through the Risk category in Map layer. The layers show how risk is distributed across a whole area, so you can see both whether a property overlaps a hazard zone and where the boundaries around it run.
See Check climate risk for a property for a step-by-step workflow.
The Risk category in Map layer
Risk is one of 18 categories in the Map layer catalogue. The number of layers and services is listed on Placepoint in numbers.
| Layer | Datavert |
|---|---|
| Landslides | NVE awareness map for landslides |
| Quick clay | NVE quick clay register and awareness zones |
| Flood areas | Norges vassdrags- og energidirektorat (NVE) 200-year and 1,000-year floods, flood protection and events |
| Awareness areas for flooding | NVE nationwide awareness map |
| High tide / storm surge | Kartverket, climate-adjusted to 2050 and 2100 |
| Radon awareness | NGU radon potential |
| Possibility of marine clay | Norges geologiske undersøkelse (NGU) loose masses map and marine limit |
| Loose masses | NGU distribution of loose mass types |
| Contaminated land | Miljødirektoratet ground pollution register |
| Fire Stations Response Time | Placepoint calculated driving distance 5 / 10 / 20 min |
| Cultural heritage | Riksantikvaren Askeladden |
| Traffic accidents | Statens vegvesen personal injury accidents |
To activate a layer:
- Click Map layer in the left menu.
- Select the Risk tile.
- Click the layer in the sub-list to switch it on.
You can have several risk layers active at the same time. Layer boundaries are drawn over the background map with a transparent colour fill.
⚠️ Awareness maps are not the same as hazard zones. Awareness means that a more thorough geotechnical assessment is required for development, not that a hazard is confirmed. Use the layers as early screening. A formal assessment requires a geotechnical study by a qualified engineer.
Hazard types
| Source | What is covered |
|---|---|
| NVE | Landslide-prone areas (rockfall, avalanche, landslide), flood hazard map zones (200-year and 1,000-year floods), quick clay zones |
| NGU | Radon potential, bedrock, loose masses, possibility of marine clay |
| Miljødirektoratet | Contaminated land and landfills |
| Kartverket | High tide / storm surge, climate-adjusted to 2050 and 2100 |
Landslides, awareness maps from NVE for rockfall, avalanche and landslide. The map marks terrain where landslides have occurred historically, or where topography and geology suggest that a landslide can happen. It is not a statistical probability calculation per property.
Flooding, flood-prone zones along watercourses (200-year and 1,000-year floods), flood protection and historical events from NVE. Coverage is not nationwide. For watercourses without a flood zone map, awareness areas are shown as a supplement.
Quick clay, zones with a potential hazard of quick clay slides from NVE / NGI. Quick clay is marine clay that, under certain conditions, can lose its bearing capacity and trigger large slides. Development within an awareness zone requires a geotechnical study.
Storm surge, calculated storm surge for the 20-year, 200-year and 1,000-year return periods, climate-adjusted to 2050 and 2100 from Kartverket. Relevant for coastal properties and for planning work where sea level rise to 2100 must be taken into account.
Radon, zones with probable elevated radon risk based on bedrock geology from NGU. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can accumulate in buildings. New homes must have radon protection under TEK17 § 13-5. The awareness map is an indicative picture. The actual radon concentration is measured with a radon meter inside the building.
Contaminated land, properties registered with contaminated land and municipal landfills in the Miljødirektoratet database. The register is not complete. A missing registration does not mean that the property is clean. For older industrial and commercial property, verify the contamination status independently of the register.
Common combinations
| Purpose | Activate |
|---|---|
| Natural hazards together | Risk (landslides + flooding + quick clay) |
| Housing suitability | Risk + Noise + Pollution |
| Geotechnical preliminary study | Risk + Geology (loose masses, bedrock) |
| Climate and nature | Risk + Nature (protected areas, nature types) |
| Risk and vulnerability analysis for a zoning plan | Risk + Zoning |
| Coastal development / sea level | Risk (storm surge) + Water |
Typical use scenarios
Early screening of a development site. Activate the Risk map layers and zoom in on the property for a quick check of known hazard types, both on the property itself and in the surrounding neighbourhood.
Acquisition assessment. For a property with a hit in a hazard zone, go on to the Case access tab to see whether there are building cases linked to risk issues.
Housing suitability assessment. Combine Risk with Noise and Pollution to screen an area against the most common obstacles to housing development.
Documenting a risk and vulnerability analysis for a zoning plan. Activate the relevant risk layers and use the Screenshot function (the camera icon in the right-hand toolbar) to create documentation images for planning input or a zoning case.
Forensic review of a commercial site. Check Contaminated land and Cultural heritage in the Risk category for a property with previous industrial use, where older building cases in Case access can add more context on what has stood on the site.
Tips
- Flood hazard map shows 200-year and 1,000-year floods as separate layers. Use both to understand the range, as many municipal plans require buildings to sit outside the 200-year flood for new housing development.
- A quick clay awareness zone means that a geotechnical report is required, not that a slide is likely. A building already erected in an awareness zone is not necessarily at risk.
- Radon potential from NGU is an indication map, not a measurement. Use it as the basis for deciding on radon measurement in the building.
- The contaminated land register is not complete. For older industrial and petrol station properties, search the Miljødirektoratet Grunnforurensning database directly for the full status.
See also
- Check climate risk for a property, step-by-step workflow.
- Map layer, all map layer categories.
- NGU - Radon, read about the data source for radon maps.
- NVE Atlas, direct access to the NVE hazard map service.