Exploateringsgraden

Exploateringsgraden, often referred to as exploateringsgrad in planning documents, is a planning term used in Nordic urban planning to describe the share of a plot of land that may be developed under a zoning plan. It is expressed as a fraction or percentage of the plot area and serves as a measure of development density. The higher the exploateringsgrad, the greater the potential building rights and density on the site.

Exploateringsgraden is set in the municipality’s detailed development plan or zoning plan and depends on planning objectives, infrastructure capacity, environmental considerations, and the desired urban form. It relates to, but is not identical with, other density measures such as floor area ratio or building coverage. In practice, it can govern how much land may be built on, how tall buildings may be, and how space must be allocated for public use, roads, and green areas. The exact interpretation varies between municipalities and plans.

Calculation: If a plot of 10,000 square meters has an exploateringsgrad of 0.4, up to 4,000 square meters may be developed or built upon, subject to other constraints in the plan. Some plans express the value as the maximum allowed built-up area or footprint for specific uses.

Why it matters: Exploateringsgraden influences housing supply, urban density, and the balance between built form and public amenities. It can be adjusted to reflect policy priorities such as climate adaptation, transit-oriented development, or preservation of green space.