Asta Estimate: Driving sustainability at MTA

As sustainability becomes an increasingly important competitive factor within the construction industry, companies are under growing pressure to understand and reduce the environmental impact of their projects. For MTA, one of southern Sweden’s leading construction and civil engineering contractors, climate data has become a key part of decision-making.

Jonatan Bengtsson, Tender Engineer at MTA, plays an active role in the company’s sustainability initiatives. Here, he shares his experience of using the carbon calculations within Asta Estimate to support project planning, meet Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) requirements and make more informed project decisions.

Supporting Sustainable Construction

MTA employs approximately 300 people and operates throughout the Skåne and Halland regions of Sweden. The company relies on Asta Estimate for estimating, cost planning and carbon calculations across its projects.

One of the most valuable additions has been the use of the carbon calculations within Asta Estimate, which has become an increasingly important part of MTA’s sustainability strategy.

Turning Climate Data into Action

For Jonatan, the carbon calculations within Asta Estimate provide much more than carbon reporting. They help the business identify where the greatest environmental impacts occur within a project and enable teams to make informed decisions at an early stage.

“The carbon calculations within Asta Estimate have been invaluable for us. They allow us to quickly and accurately calculate the carbon impact of the materials and construction methods we use. Not only does this support our sustainability goals, but it also aligns closely with the way we operate as a business.”

By integrating climate data directly into the estimating process, MTA can evaluate both environmental impact and project viability simultaneously, helping teams make better-informed decisions from the outset.

Shaping the Future of Climate Estimating

Jonatan is also a member of Eleco’s Asta Estimate Product Council, a specialist user group established to support the ongoing development of estimating and carbon calculation capabilities.

According to Therese Malm, Product Manager at Eleco, the council was created in response to the growing importance and complexity of sustainability-related requirements within the construction sector.

“It became clear that climate-related questions had grown beyond the scope of our general product forums. We wanted to create a dedicated space where customers and our development team could explore how carbon calculation capabilities should continue to evolve within Asta Estimate. The feedback has been incredibly valuable, helping to shape both the software and the wider industry.”

The discussions within the council are helping to drive innovation not only within Asta Estimate, but also across the construction sector, where sustainability is creating entirely new areas of expertise and responsibility.

Focusing on What Matters Most

Looking ahead, Jonatan believes the industry must focus its efforts on identifying and reducing the largest sources of carbon emissions at the earliest stages of project development.

By understanding which materials, methods and design choices have the greatest impact, organisations can reduce emissions more effectively while strengthening their competitive position.

“We need to focus on the materials and construction methods that generate the highest emissions and find ways to reduce those impacts from the design stage onwards. Asta Estimate has enabled us to do this far more effectively than before.”

Through improved climate reporting and a greater focus on the most significant emission sources, MTA has been able to reduce both environmental impact and project costs.

Looking Towards a More Sustainable Industry

Jonatan expects sustainability requirements to continue evolving, supported by better data, improved reporting standards and smarter digital tools.

“The future of construction will depend on solutions like these. Software such as Asta Estimate is already helping us move in the right direction. As more industry data becomes available, we’ll gain even greater insight into where emissions occur and how we can reduce them. Having that information readily accessible within Asta Estimate will help the entire industry make better decisions and drive meaningful progress.”

As sustainability moves from a compliance requirement to a business priority, MTA continues to demonstrate how data-driven decision-making can deliver benefits for both the environment and project performance.