How Intoto Empowers Municipalities to Act Smarter and Safer
What is TEK17?
TEK17 is Norway’s national building regulation framework that sets the standard for safety, sustainability, and resilience in new construction and development. In light of increasing climate-related risks, the Directorate for Building Quality has proposed amendments to TEK17 §§ 7-2 and 7-3 to allow municipalities to incorporate organizational (non-permanent) safety measures—such as emergency planning, real-time monitoring, and adaptive responses—in addition to traditional, permanent flood defenses.
These updates reflect a crucial shift: municipalities no longer need to rely solely on costly infrastructure. Instead, smart, risk-based, and flexible solutions are becoming integral to how we prepare for climate impacts.
Why Are These Changes Needed?
The proposed updates to TEK17 stem from three clear needs:
- Flexibility for Municipalities – By formally recognizing temporary or adaptive protection measures, municipalities gain more freedom to design locally appropriate and cost-effective responses to flood, storm surge, or landslide threats.
- Modernized Climate Risk Assessment – The amendments reflect updated science and modeling for future climate scenarios. Regulations must keep pace with what we now know about extreme weather risks.
- Improved Resilience Without Overbuilding – Many communities face geographical, financial, or practical limits to building permanent structures. Organizational measures allow for early warnings, evacuation plans, and real-time monitoring, providing a high level of safety with lower costs.
Why TEK17 Matters in a Changing Climate
As climate change brings more intense rainfall, rising sea levels, and greater unpredictability, municipalities need a more resilient and dynamic approach to managing risk. TEK17’s changes recognize that:
- Risks are no longer static—climate events are increasing in frequency and severity.
- Adaptive systems, backed by real-time data, are often more effective than rigid defenses.
- Building resilience is about readiness, not just resistance.
This is where smart technology and organizational planning play a key role. TEK17 paves the way for innovation—and innovation is exactly what Intoto.io was built for.
How Lower-Cost Solutions Empower Municipal Action
Traditional flood protection often demands massive capital investments. For many municipalities, especially small or mid-sized ones, this has historically meant postponing action.
With TEK17 now embracing organizational measures, the door opens to affordable, scalable, and faster-to-implement solutions. Tools like real-time monitoring and digital risk platforms allow municipalities to:
- Detect and respond to threats proactively
- Allocate budgets more flexibly across multiple needs
- Avoid the “all-or-nothing” trap of large infrastructure projects
This democratizes resilience. Municipalities no longer need to wait for big budgets—they can act now, using trusted tools that evolve with local needs.
Economic Benefits at a Glance
| Benefit | Description |
| Lower upfront costs | Adaptive solutions reduce the need for major capital projects. |
| Scalability | Municipalities can start small and expand as needed. |
| Prevented damage | Early warnings and analytics protect homes, businesses, and infrastructure. |
| Local value creation | Investing in digital tools supports local expertise and innovation. |
From Kvinesdal to Scandinavia: The Intoto Story
Intoto.io was born out of a powerful and painful experience for its founders. In 2015, the municipality of Kvinesdal, their own community, was severely flooded. The damage was extensive.
From that experience, Intoto’s team saw a clear need: municipalities needed a better way to anticipate, manage, and respond to water-related risk.
Today, that vision has grown into a platform trusted by more than 25 clients in the public sector and hydropower across Scandinavia.
Intoto.io offers:
- Real-time water level monitoring
- Predictive analytics and digital flood simulations
- Decision support tools for municipal planners
- Alerts and early warning systems for operational staff
All designed with and for local governments. Just precision, reliability, and a genuine commitment to helping Norwegian communities stay safe.
Why Municipalities Trust Intoto.io
Our mission is grounded in:
- 🧠 Innovation – We constantly evolve our tools based on climate science and municipal feedback.
- 🤝 Community partnerships – We work side by side with municipalities to co-create practical solutions.
- 🏠 Local credibility – We understand Norway’s terrain, climate, and planning culture, because it’s our home too.
TEK17 Changes Are an Opportunity—Let’s Seize It
The proposed TEK17 updates are more than regulatory tweaks. They’re a signal: Norway is ready to modernize climate resilience and empower municipalities with flexible, data-driven tools.
At Intoto.io, we’re proud to be part of that future—helping communities take control of their risk, reduce costs, and protect what matters most.
👉 Visit www.intoto.io to learn more or book a demo tailored to your municipality.