Norway’s new government quarter lacks emergency shelters despite NOK 22bn cost

The first phase of Norway’s new government quarter will cost NOK 22.2 billion but will not include emergency shelters for employees, Aftenposten reports.

One of Norway’s most expensive construction projects, the government quarter’s total estimated cost across all three phases is NOK 53 billion. Over 60 percent of expenses are tied to security measures, yet no shelters have been built for staff in the event of a crisis.

Before 1998, Norwegian law required all public buildings to include emergency shelters. Since then, every application for exemption—including the government quarter project—has been approved. Employees have instead been directed to public shelters located 300 metres away.

Norway’s state property agency, Statsbygg, declined to comment on the matter. The Ministry of Digitalisation and Public Governance also refused to address specific security measures, citing confidentiality.

“We cannot discuss or comment on concrete measures or plans, precisely to preserve security,” state secretary Anette Davidsen (Labour Party) wrote in an email to Aftenposten. She emphasised that employee safety remains the top priority and that staff would receive instructions in the event of a crisis.