We work to create a healthy, sustainable built environment that promotes well-being for all. More about us can be found here. Grænni Byggð members Join us By becoming a member you: - get discounts at events; - you become a role model; - your company takes an active responsibility in environmental matters; - you can increase your knowledge about environmental issues; - you get opportunities for networking; - you support professional work and discussions on environmental issues in construction and planning; - your company can be an active participant in Green Building Council Iceland's projects, professional groups and events; - your company can influence the work and strategy of Green Building Council Iceland. Thank you for submitting! Senda Publications Emission-free construction sites C&D Waste Certification systems Other publications

Team Board Team and board GBCI's team consists of three employees. GBCI's board is comprised of seven representatives who are elected for two years at the GBCI general meeting. Mynd: Ástrós Steingrímsdóttir Our team Valur Klemensson CEO of GBCI valur [at] graennibyggd.is M.Sc. Sustainable resource management Sarah Olson Project manager sarah [at] graennibyggd.is PhD Environmental studies Our board Elín Þórólfsdóttir Chair of the board elin.thorolfsdottir [at] hms.is Team leader of the civil engineering work - environment at Housing and Construction Authority Jónína Þóra Einarsdóttir Secretary jonina [at] steypustodin.is Leader in sustainability, safety and quality at Steypustöðin Bergþóra Góa Kvaran Treasurer bergthora.kvaran [at] uos.is Specialist at Umhverfis- og orkustofnun Emilía Borgþórdóttir emilia [at] husa.com Project manager of sustainability at Húsasmiðjan Alex Ingi Espersen alexe [at] cowi.com Manager of improved buildings, indoor quality and maintenance team at COWI Perla Dís Kristinsdóttir perla [at] basalt.is Architect and co-owner at Basalt arkitektar Alma Dagbjört Ívarsdóttir alma [at] verkvist .is CEO and co-owner of Verkvist

Green Building Council's (Grænni byggð) events in 2023. 2025 Morning meeting: Frakkastígur 1 03/12/2025 The project on Frakkastígur 1 , owned by Iða fasteignaþróunarfélags and designed by Lendager Ísland, is another example of ambitious construction aiming to reduce the carbon footprint by 50% compared to conventional buildings. Do you want to hear more about how it was done and what the experiences and challenges were for the designer and material provider? Grænni byggð and the GBCI networking group on LCA held a morning meeting on 3. December at 9:00-10:00 on Zoom. Watch the recording below ⬇ Recording Morning meeting: Standards in the built environment - the knowledge in the standard 26/11/2025 GBCI and Icelandic Standards (IST) have joined forces to promote a sustainable construction industry - where standards play a key role. If you want to know more about: the importance of standards in a sustainable construction industry current and upcoming standards …and hear about the upcoming mirror committee with the European Technical Committee TC350, join us for a morning meeting on November 26th from 9-10 am on zoom. The Technical Committee TC350 discusses standards related to sustainability in the construction industry, with the subcommittee on the circular economy and working groups working on building simulation, construction, digital transformation, etc. The mirror committee will monitor the development of new standards and have the opportunity to influence their creation, in addition to receiving first-hand news from the standards world. At the meeting, Helga Sigrún Harðardóttir, Director of the Icelandic Standards, will bring us closer to the above topics and answer your questions at the end. The meeting will be moderated by Bergþóra Góa Kvaran . Recording Nordic Climate Forum for Construction 28/10/2025 On 28 October, Nordic stakeholders gathered at the Nordic Climate Forum for Construction in Copenhagen. The conference discussed practical steps towards a green transition in the construction industry. The conference focused on two topics: Life cycle assessments and how to make them more efficient, cost-effective and digital. Better utilisation of existing buildings and their reuse instead of new construction. The conference discussed the Energy Performance of Buildings (EPBD) and new rules on the lifetime carbon footprint (GWP) of buildings in Europe, as well as sufficiency in connection with the increased emphasis that the European Commission intends to place on the utilisation of existing buildings in Europe. Representatives from the Nordic countries reported on progress and innovations in their countries, including Elín Þórólfsdóttir from HMS, who reported on, among other things, the new building regulations in Iceland and the digital LCA submission portal. Stakeholders from various countries and sectors reported on innovative projects related to digital solutions and building reuse. Discussion and ideas from the conference are a good starting point for the Nordic Sustainable Construction 2025–2027 project, which aims to promote a green transformation in the construction industry with a focus on circularity and digital solutions, among other things. More on NCFC Healthy Buildings Conference Series, Europe 2025 (HB 2025) 08/06/2025 - 11/06/2025 The European Regional Conference on Healthy Buildings was held in Reykjavík from 8 to 11 June. During these times of climate change, we must ensure that buildings do not harm the planet or the health of those who live in them. We need to focus on both the environment and people. In order to reduce the carbon footprint of buildings and promote sustainability, we need to combine diverse interdisciplinary knowledge. At the same time, we must ensure that indoor air is as safe and healthy as possible. The condition and design of buildings play a key role in shaping indoor air quality. The conference lasted three days and after the main program ended, a symposium was held for Icelandic professionals on 11 June at 13:00. HB 2025 Webpage HB 2025 Facebook page HB 2025 Event Icelandic symposium | Event Katarzyna Jagodzińska from Green Building Council Iceland gave a talk on New European Bauhaus at the end of the symposium and discussed how NEB can be used to improve the quality of buildings. A recording of the seminar can be found below. Recording Workshop: Can New European Bauhaus be the answer to the challenges Icelandic architecture and design face? 04/06/2025 A workshop on the New European Bauhaus concept was held on Wednesday, June 4th, at 9:30-11:00 in Fenjamýri in Gróska in collaboration with the Icelandic Association of Architects and GBCI. Elín Þórólfsdóttir gave a short talk about New European Bauhaus and Katarzyna Jagodzinska from Grænni byggð then took over and explained the ideology further. After that, the participants took part in a workshop where discussions took place in smaller groups and at the end the groups shared their ideas with the whole group. About 35 people participated and interesting and necessary discussions took place about sustainability, beauty and inclusion in the construction industry! Background Beauty and sustainability For several years now, there has been much discussion about sustainability in relation to Icelandic architecture and design, and the environmental impact has often dominated the discussion. However, social and aesthetic aspects are gaining more and more importance, as can be seen from the recent and ongoing discussion about the aesthetics of new Icelandic buildings. The question that arises most is whether it is possible to combine these three aspects - aesthetics, the social aspect and sustainability? New European Bauhaus (NEB) The idea of the New European Bauhaus (NEB) could answer this question, as it combines sustainability, beauty and inclusion in the construction industry. It defines these three aspects in a clearer and more practical way that is on the verge of being measurable. But what is the usefulness of NEB in the Icelandic context? Can NEB help solve the problems that Icelandic architecture and design are facing? What is New European Bauhaus? New European Bauhaus (NEB) is a policy and funding initiative that makes green transformation in the built environment – and beyond – attractive, enjoyable and accessible for all. Even the smallest communities have the right to a quality of life in spaces that enhance their well-being and sense of belonging. The project promotes solutions that are not only sustainable, but also inclusive and beautiful, while respecting the diversity of places, traditions and cultures in Europe and beyond. Niðurstöður Eftirfarandi eru niðurstöðurnar úr vinnustofunni . Þátttakendur röðuðu lykilatriðum innan þriggja aðalhluta NEB - sjálfbærni, fegurðar og inngildingar - eftir mikilvægi. Ítarlegri umfjöllun um niðurstöðurnar, auk niðurstaða úr annarri vinnustofu um NEB sem haldin var 11. júní á málþinginu Byggjum til framtíðar (Healthy Buildings 2025) kemur út í fréttabréfi Grænni byggðar í haust (skráðu þig á póstlista ). Við stefnum á að halda umræðunni um NEB á lífi áfram - fylgist með samfélagsmiðlunum okkar! Sjálfbærni: Tvö lykilatriði voru sett í efsta sæti í hlutanum um sjálfbærni, þó margir hópar hafi einnig talið mörg önnur lykilatriði mikilvæg: - Hringrásarhagkerfi í byggingargeiranum (S.9); - Að ná sem bestum grænum áhrifum opinbera geirans hvað varðar efnahagslega þátttöku hans í sjálfbærni byggða umhverfisins (S.7). Algengasta ástæðan fyrir því að Hringrásarhagkerfi í byggingargeiranum var valið var að hugtakið er margþætt og nær yfir mörg atriði, sem gerir það yfirgripsmikið og þar af leiðandi viðeigandi fyrir stóran hluta af hagsmunaaðilum byggingargeirans. Hóparnir lögðu einnig áherslu á mikilvægi þess að fjármálageirinn og opinberir aðilar taki þátt í sjálfbærni aðgerðum. Eftirfarandi tvö lykilatriði enduðu í neðstu sætunum: - Lágmarka umhverfisáhrif á loft og vatn sem ekki tengjast orku (S.5); - Lágmarka notkun jarðefnaeldsneytis í byggðu umhverfi (S.1). Ástæðan fyrir þessu var að samkvæmt þátttakendum hefur mikil áhersla þegar verið lögð á þessi atriði og fjölmargar aðgerðir nú þegar í gangi í tengslum við þau. Fegurð: Líkt og í sjálfbærni hlutanum voru tvö lykilatriði í efstu sætunum: - Að hámarka endingu og líftíma (B.6); - Að tryggja heilsu, þægindi og vellíðan íbúa (B.4), en Stafræn umbreyting í byggingariðnaði (B.1) var afgerandi sett í neðsta sæti. Margir hópar lögðu áherslu á mikilvægi þess að lengja líftíma bygginga og byggingarhluta, sem og mikilvægi þess að leggja meiri áherslu á vellíðan fólks í byggðu umhverfi (dagsbirta var til dæmis nefnd sem eitt af mikilvægustu atriðunum í þessu samhengi). Í tengslum við umræðu um að lengja endingu bygginga nefndu hóparnir einnig að hugarfarsbreyting væri nauðsynleg og að meðhöndla þurfi byggingar öðruvísi en aðrar neysluvörur sem er hent/breytt í samræmi við tískustrauma. Þegar kom að Stafrænni umbreytingu í byggingariðnaði þótti þátttakendum erfitt að sjá tengslin milli skilgreiningar NEB á fegurð og forsmíði bygginga og byggingarhluta, forsmíði virðist vera andstæða fegurðar, sérstaklega hvað varðar fagurfræði. Inngilding: Þessi hluti vinnustofunnar var mesta áskoruninn fyrir þátttakendur, en þeim fannst skorta sérhæfða þekkingu til þess að meta þessi atriði. Mörg atriði voru einnig talin nátengd og sum sköruðust við lykilatriði í hlutanum um fegurð. Tvö atriði voru samt sem áður metin mikilvægust í íslensku samhengi: - Hagkvæmni (e. affordability) (I.2); - Alhliða gæði, jafnrétti og aðgengi (I.3). Í tengslum við Hagkvæmni (e. affordability ) voru vandamál á íslenskum húsnæðismarkaði nefnd og áhrif þeirra á samfélagið í heild, en sérstaklega áhrif á viðkvæma hópa (t.d. hversu erfitt það er að eignast húsnæði á Íslandi). Alhliða gæði, jafnrétti og aðgengi var talið tengjast Hagkvæmni á beinan hátt sem og lengri endingu bygginga (þ.e. rétt viðhald rýma og þjónustu). Hér má finna ýtarlega skýrslu um NEB sem og tól sem hægt er að nota til þess að meta atriði úr NEB í eigin verkefnum. Dagur Grænni byggðar - GBCI Day 08/10/2025 Green Building Council Iceland Day was held at IÐNÓ on October 8! The program began at 1:00 PM and ended with the presentation of the Green Shovel at 5:00 PM. After that, drinks and snacks were served. Moderator was Sigríður Ósk Bjarnadóttir from Hornsteinn and board member of GBCI. This year's conference placed a special emphasis on the social aspects of sustainability - the well-being of users in the built environment. ✨Program ✨ 💡Keynote speaker: Natalia Olszewska 💡 🏡 Natalia Olszewska is a doctor and also holds an MSc degree. She is passionate about health-oriented design and the creation of environments that support health and well-being. With this goal in mind, she specializes in utilizing neuroscience and psychology in architecture and building design, basing her work on a deep understanding of physiology and medicine. 📖 Natalia has a unique interdisciplinary background, with degrees in medicine, neuroscience, and neuroscience in architecture, as well as research at Harvard University and the Collège de France. ✏ Natalia is one of the founders of IMPRONTA, a research and consulting firm focused on the science behind design that focuses on health and well-being. She has worked on architectural projects around the world that have in common the design of buildings to support cognitive, emotional, and social development. 👩🏫 Natalia teaches Neuroscience in Architecture at IUAV University in Venice. All of her work is based on the belief that architecture should do more than just serve its basic purpose and should fulfill our deepest biological, emotional, and social needs. She lectures and writes on the connections between health, neuroscience, and the built environment. 💡 Lecture: The healing power of nature – landscape design with an emphasis on recovery - Íris Reynisdóttir, Efla💡 🏗 The built environment and its inhabitants are diverse, landscape architecture works in an interdisciplinary way to create green spaces for different user groups. The talk discusses how the team of landscape architects at Efla approaches their projects to create a healthy environment for all. 💡 Lecture: The present and future of daylight in Icelandic buildings - Ásta Logadóttir, Lota💡 🏗 Light has a direct impact on health, vision and our experience of spaces. In the lecture, Ásta Logadóttir, team leader at LOTU, discusses the state of daylight in Icelandic buildings and RB blöð connected to it. 💡 Lecture: Energy classification of houses in Iceland - Björn Marteinsson💡 🏗 Presentation of the activities of the working group organized by HMS regarding the energy classification of residential buildings in Iceland and ongoing work regarding the energy classification of other types of buildings. 💡 Lecture: Action Plan Building a Greener Future - new actions - Elín Þórólfsdóttir, HMS 💡 🏗 The latest actions in the Action Plan Building a Greener Future will be presented. They support the goals of carbon neutrality, circular economy, sustainability in the construction sector and the implementation of nature-based solutions. 💡 Lecture: New hotel site rises with sustainability at the forefront - Berglind Ósk Ólafsdóttir, Reitir 💡 🏗 Reitir is currently building a HYATT hotel at Laugavegur 176. The talk will discuss how sustainability has been integrated into the design, construction and future operation of the hotel on this historic building site at Laugavegur 176. 💡 Lecture: Less waste and more value creation - Emilía Borgþórsdóttir, Húsasmiðjan 💡 🏗 Húsasmiðjan has worked diligently to improve processes within its operations, which promotes the renewal of materials and the value creation of building materials. In the talk, the sustainability project manager at Húsasmiðjan will discuss how sustainability is used in innovation within the company. 🗣 Panel: User Well-being in the Built Environment - The Biggest Challenge of Our Time 🗣 🏗 The panel will include experts and representatives from various stakeholders within the construction industry. Confirmed panelists are Páll Jakob Líndal from ENVALYS and Reykjavík University, Guðrún Ragna Yngvadóttir from ASK Architects, Guðrún Álfheiður Thorarensen from EIK and Ingvi Jónasson from Klasi. Moderator of panel discussion is Anna Sigríður Jóhannsdóttir, architect and board member of GBCI. Opening: New European Bauhaus in an Icelandic context 21/08/2025 Green Building Council Icelands thanks everyone for coming to the opening of the exhibition New European Bauhaus in an Icelandic Context in Arctic Space on August 21st! The exhibition introduces the concept of New European Bauhaus (NEB) and places special emphasis on its applicability in the Icelandic context. The history, development and background of the NEB concept are reviewed, as well as the main elements, values and working principles related to NEB are explained. Examples of Icelandic projects that follow the values and working principles of NEB are also shown. New European Bauhaus is a concept that promotes solutions in construction, architecture and design that are not only sustainable but also inclusive and beautiful. Could NEB help us solve the problems that Icelandic architecture and design are facing? What aspects of the NEB concept can we use in architecture and design in Iceland? All are welcome to view the exhibition during Arctic Space opening hours: Fri : 15:00 - 18:00 | Sat : 13:00 - 16:00 or by appointment by sending an email to info@arcticspace.is Arctic Space Visit to Urriðaból - 2024 Green Shovel Award winner 23/05/2025 On May 23, Green Building Council Iceland and HJARK hosted a visit for GBCI members to Urriðaból preschool in Garðabær, the winner of the Green Shovel Award in 2024. During the visit, Hulda Jónsdóttir from HJARK, the main designer and design manager of the building, walked with participants through the building in its entirety and talked about the design process, the construction, the certification process and more. The participants then had the opportunity to ask questions and gain valuable insight into various aspects of the design process. Information about Urriðaból can be found on our website under Green shovel. Thank you to those that came on the visit and to Hulda for an interesting introduction! GBCI General Meeting 2025 29/04/2025 Green Building Council Iceland general meeting was held on Tuesday, April 29th at 3:00 PM in the HMS offices in Borgartún. All member companies of GBCI were invited to the meeting and there was a good turnout. Traditional general meeting business was carried out in addition to elections for three board seats. The following were elected to the GBCI board: Alex Ingi Espersen, structural engineer at COWI Anna Sigríður Jóhannsdóttir, architect FAÍ Bergþóra Góa Kvaran, specialist at the Icelandic Environment and Energy Agency Alex and Bergþóra are new members of the board and Anna Sigríður is re-elected. Anna Kristín Hjartardóttir, Elín Þórólfsdóttir, Sigríður Ósk Bjarnadóttir and Sunna Hrönn Sigmarsdóttir have a mandate for one more year and will therefore remain on the board. Íris Þórarinsdóttir and Alexander Helgason are stepping down from the board and we would like to thank them very much for their good work. The annual report and financial statements for GBCI's operations in 2024 can be found under Documentation on the website. In addition to the traditional general meeting activities, GBCI staff gave short presentations on two exciting projects that GBCI is working on. Aðalsteinn and Ástrós presented new guidelines for emission-free construction sites that are intended to be useful to all those who want to reduce emissions from construction sites. The brochures with the guidelines can be found under Publications - Emission-free Workshops on the website. Katarzyna spoke about the New European Bauhaus concept and GBCI's role in the Bauhaus Goes North project. Morning meeting - Car cellars or parking garages: impact, hindrances and future visions 25/02/2025 Green Building Council Iceland held a morning meeting on February 25th at 9:00 AM about parking garages and car cellars. The meeting consisted of two presentations and a panel discussion. Over 90 people attended the meeting, which was live streamed. Recordings of the presentations and panel discussions can be found below. Thanks for coming! Carbon-neutral Reykjavík 2030: development and climate impact - Hrönn Hrafnsdóttir and Herdís Sigurgrímsdóttir , City of Reykjavík Hrönn and Herdís presented a project that recently began at the City of Reykjavík and revolves around revolutionizing residents' choices of transportation and how different parking solutions hinder or facilitate changes in transportation habits in the city. One of the questions the project aims to answer is: will car cellars change our transportation habits or solidify the car as our primary mode of transportation? Parking garages and Borgarlína in Keldnaland - Þorsteinn R. Hermannsson , Betri Samgöngur ohf. Þorsteinn presented a proposal for the development of a new district at Keldur and Keldnaholt with three Borgarlína stations, which envisages the construction of several parking garages in the area. The parking garages, each of which will be shared by a number of apartments and commercial buildings on nearby plots, will largely replace private basements and private parking on plots. It is intended that the buildings can accommodate central services for the adjacent area on the ground floor and that they can be converted into commercial or residential premises if the need for parking decreases in the future. Panel discussion The panel included: Elín Þórólfsdóttir, team leader from Húsnæðis- and mannvirkjastofnun Borghildur Sölvey Sturludóttir , architect and head of the department of local planning, City of Reykjavik. Ólafur Árnason , Director, Icelandic Planning Agency. Íris Þórarinsdóttir, the chair of the board of Green Building Council Iceland, was the meeting moderator. Upptaka Upptaka Upptaka Small steps, big impact – reducing the environmental effect of the construction industry 03/04/2025 In connection with DesignMarch, the Icelandic Association of Architects, in collaboration with Green Building Council Iceland, Húsnæðis- og mannvirkjastofnun, Miðstöð hönnunar og arkitektúrs and Viska union, held a symposium on eco-friendly construction. The symposium was also supported by Starfsþróunarsetur háskólamanna. One of the keynote speakers at the symposium, architect Sinus Lynge , is one of the founders of EFFEKT design studio. His vision is to reconnect people with nature through good design in a broad sense. EFFEKT is also one of the founders of the non-governmental organization Reduction Roadmap , which has published a roadmap of the same name. Sinus Lynge presented the philosophy behind the roadmap, which is very ambitious and also shows how much emissions from construction need to be reduced in order to meet the requirements of the Paris Agreement. The other keynote speaker was Harpa Birgisdóttir, Professor and Head of the Department of Sustainable Buildings at Aalborg University. She has worked on developing software that calculates the ecological footprint of buildings, research that has supported the implementation of legislation regarding the ecological footprint of buildings, and research that shows what actions are needed to ensure that buildings do not exceed planetary boundries. Elín Þórólfsdóttir , architect MAA , MA in environmental and resource science and team leader at HMS, then discussed Vegvísir að vistvænni mannvirkjagerð (roadmap for sustainable construction) , the achievements made and the next steps. She also discussed life cycle assessments (LCA) in regulations, how they are implemented in Iceland and what impact they have on the construction industry. After the lectures, a panel discussion took place, with the following members of the panel: Sinus Lynge, speaker Harpa Birgisdóttir, speaker Elín Þórólfsdóttir, speaker Logi Einarsson, Minister of Culture, Innovation and Higher Education Borghildur Sturludóttir, architect and Department Head at City Planning in Reykjavik Municipality Arnhildur Pálmadóttir, architect and Icelands representative in the Venice Biennale in Architecture Sigríður Ósk Bjarnadóttir, engineer og CEO of the Environment and Quality Department at Hornsteinar Andri Snær Magnason, writer and environmentalist Morning meeting: the benefits of the maintenance of embodied carbon in real estates 24/01/2025 Green Building Council Iceland recently held a morning meeting in collaboration with Iðun fræðslusetur and Verkís , about the benefits of maintaining embedded carbon in real estate. Real estate maintenance is rarely discussed in the context of reducing carbon emissions. Much more is discussed about the economic feasibility of maintenance measures. Ólafur Ástgeirsson , leader of the construction and civil engineering sectors at Iðan, opened the meeting and welcomed the audience. Ragnar Ómarsson, structural engineer and business manager for sustainability at Verkís, then gave a lecture and discussed among other things how reducing carbon emissions and cost efficiency can go hand in hand, what it means to maintain embedded carbon, what the rescue value of buildings is and how it is calculated. There was a good turnout at the meeting, which was livestreamed. A recording of the meeting will be available here shortly. Visit to Landsbankinn 23/01/2025 Members of Green Building Council Iceland were invited to visit the Landsbankin's new building at Reykjastræti 6 on 23. January. The building was nominated for the Green shovel award in 2024 and has a BREEAM certification for example. Attendees got a lecture on the history of the building and construction, design, use, certification process and more. After that attendees were invited to walk through the building with a guide. Thank you to Landsbankinn for inviting us!

Nýting gagna fyrir grunnviðmið kolefnisspors vegna losunar frá verkstöðum About the project The aim of the project Nýting gagna fyrir grunnviðmið kolefnisspors vegna losunar frá verkstöðum is to provide updated average values for phases A4 and A5. During the certification process for buildings, data on emissions from construction is collected. This data is mostly used for compliance and documentation, but has so far not been used to improve the accuracy of baseline criteria. The Icelandic average values given for phases A4 and A5 are 19.79 kgCO₂-ig/m² and 42.5 kgCO₂-ig/m². These values are based on Icelandic life-cycle assessments that were available in 2022, but not many were available. Vegvísir að vistvænni mannvirkjagerð states that the aim is to reduce emissions from A4 and A5 by 70% by 2030. Updated average values for emissions from construction sites contribute to achieving these goals – both in the context of Iceland’s commitments and within individual projects. More accurate data makes decision-making more purposeful and makes it easier to clarify where the greatest reduction in emissions is possible. Such work can also be an incentive to improve accuracy in other phases of life cycle assessment. The project received a grant from Askur - mannvirkjarannsóknasjóður which is funded by Húsnæðis- og mannvirkjastofnun (Icelandic Housing and Construction Authority), Ministry of Social Affairs and Housing and the Ministry of Culture, Innovation and Higher Education.

BREEAM - An cost-benefit analysis of sustainable building certificates About the project Many stakeholders in the construction market do not fully understand the overall benefits of sustainable building certificates in Iceland and have requested data and information in this regard. The project aimed to meet that need by mapping the success, benefits and costs of certification systems and increasing knowledge of the systems' advantages and disadvantages . It is hoped that in this way, it will be possible to further contribute to the increase in the number of certified construction projects. Overview The project is twofold: 1. A stakeholder analysis focusing on their experiences with sustainability building certificates – BREEAM and Nordic Swan 2. Analysis of greenhouse gas emissions through LCA – BREEAM certified and non-certified. It is also planned to add LCC analyses, where the lifetime costs of certified buildings are compared to the lifetime costs of non-certified buildings, and that part will be done in collaboration with Verkís . The project received a grant from the Icelandic Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate. Skoðið útgáfur verkefnisins hér

About the project titled: HringRás (Circularity) (2022-2023). Carbon-neutral building in Icelandic conditions About the project The main goal of the project is to define a carbon-neutral building under Icelandic conditions . Project partners The partners of the project are: - Green Building Council Iceland; - Elín Þórólfsdóttir (EFLA, University of Iceland, HMS); - Þórhildur Fjóla Kristjánsdóttir (EFLA, Reykjavík University). View the project's first report here Part of the project was to develop a certification system for carbon-neutral building under Icelandic conditions. The report below provides instructions on how carbon-neutral buildings in Iceland can be developed and lays the groundwork to the certification system NettóNúll. View the project's report on NettóNúll here The project received a grant from Askur – Housing and Construction Research Fund.

Leiðbeiningar um endurnýtingu byggingarefna og ábyrgt niðurrif (BGF 4.9 , 4.10 ) About the project Grænni byggð worked within two actions in Vegvísir að vistvænni mannvirkjagerð 2030: 4.9. Gefa út leiðbeiningar um úrgangsforvarnir, undirbúning fyrir endurnotkun, endurvinnslu og aðra endurnýtingu byggingarefna við hönnun nýrra mannvirkja og á endurbótum . 4.10. Gefa út leiðbeiningar um ábyrgt niðurrif . To address the objectives of these two actions, the concise yet informative materials were published on the Hringvangur website . The two actions were tackled collectively as they are interwoven (i.e., reuse and recycling of materials is a significant part of selective demolition). The materials contain information on, among others: Circularity potential of most commonly used materials and products (e.g., concrete, steel, wood, glass, sanitary equipment, fire equipment, indoor products – windows, door, ventilation ducts); Environmental motivation standing behind circular practices and selective demolition with examples of real-life circular solutions and projects; New roles and responsibilities of chosen main stakeholders in circular projects.

Green Building Council's (Grænni byggð) events in 2023. 2024 Turfhouse event 08/10/2024 GBCI and Lendager Iceland held a morning meeting about turf houses at Norræna húsið on october 8th. The event included lectures about the history of turf houses, their carbon footprint, and what can be learned from the past about circularity in future building projects. Hjörleifur Stefánsson , a turf house expert, spoke about the final era of the Icelandic turf house in the first decades of the 20th century. Katarzyna Jagodzińska from GBCI explained a Life Cycle Assesment (LCA) done on a model turfhouse, which serves as a baseline for further conceptual investigation of how to adopt “past” techniques and materials in modern design and build circularly. Arnhildur Pálmadóttir from Lendager Iceland spoke about the future of building with circularity, and the opportunities to learn from the past. Recording of the meeting can be found here. GBCI Day 2024 25/09/2024 The Day of Green Building, GBCI's annual conference, was held in IÐNÓ on the 25th of September. Keynote speaker was Kasper Benjamin Reimer Bjørkskov . Kasper is a Danish architect who specializes in transforming complex environmental and social challenges into innovative, sustainable building solutions, promoting inclusive design and inspiring social change. He has been actively involved in numerous construction projects whose main goal is to minimize CO2 emissions, and at the same time demonstrate that low-carbon buildings can be built without costing more. Moderator was Freyr Eyjólfsson , musician, entertainer, media person, and current project manager of education and promotions at SORPA. Freyr has long advocated for the transformation towards a circular economy, not least in the construction sector. On the agenda was a diverse set of lectures on the design and construction of environmentally friendly buildings, as well as a panel discussion about needs and proposed solutions in the industry. The full agenda can be seen here below. At the end of the day the Green shovel was awarded to Urriðaból , a kindergarten in Garðabær. Launching event of the Icelandic network on circular construction - Hringvangur 15/05/2024 At this half-day conference, among other things, the status, challenges and future of Icelandic timber products for the construction industry were discussed, but in addition several projects were presented that received funding from the Askur - Construction Research Fund and examples of Icelandic structures made of timber were shown. The conference was part of the Innovation Week and was held by Green Building Council Iceland, the Housing and Construction Authority, Land and Forestry, Trétækniráðgjöf slf., and Iceland's Farmers' Association. Agenda (In Icelandic) Loftslagsávinningur timburvara Áróra Árnadóttir, framkvæmdastjóri Grænni byggðar og aðjúnkt hjá umhverfis- og byggingarverkfræðideild HÍ CE merking og staðlavinna Eiríkur Þorsteinsson, trétæknir hjá Trétækniráðgjöf Áskoranir, staða og framtíð íslenskra timburvara Ólafur Eggertsson, sérfræðingur hjá Land og skógi og dósent við LBHÍ Timbur sem efni í nærumhverfinu - Landsfjórðungahús Auður Hreiðarsdóttir, arkitekt hjá Esja Architecture Krosslímdar timbureiningar – áhættuþættir og meðhöndlun Gústaf Adolf Hermannsson, sérfræðingur hjá HMS Hlé Mannvirki úr íslensku timbri Hreinn Óskarsson, sviðsstjóri þjóðskóga og landa,og Trausti Jóhannsson, skógarvörður hjá Landi og skógi Tækifæri í timbri Arnhildur Pálmadóttir, arkitekt og eigandi Lendager á Íslandi Íslenskt timbur Hlynur Axelsson, arkitekt hjá HAX arkitektúr og stundakennari við Listaháskóla Íslands Gestastofa í Þjórsárdal Marcos Zotes, arkitekt og meðeigandi hjá Basalt arkitektum Val á íslensku timbri Halldór Eiríksson T.ark. Fundarstjóri var Þóra Margrét Þorgeirsdóttir, framkvæmdastjóri hjá HMS Upptöku má finna hér . Annual General Meeting 23/04/2024 GBCI's annual general meeting was held on April 24 from 14:00 - 16:00 in the Verkís building at Ofanleiti 2. Before the usual meeting work began, Magnús Arason and Björgvin Brynjarsson from EFLA gave a presentation on Carbon calculations for infrastructure projects, and Þóra Margrét Þorgeirsdóttir from HMS discussed the implementation of life cycle analyzes in building regulations. Five seats on the board were elected, four to two years and one to one year. With sustainability as a life's work 21/03/2024 On Thursday, March 21, the University of Iceland, the Architects' Association of Iceland, Green Building Council Iceland and HMS held a seminar on the sustainable solutions of architect Jón Kristinsson on the occasion of Jón's 60th work anniversary. The seminar took place in Veröld - Hús Vigdísar, and lasted from 15.00-17.00. Jón has lived in Deventer in the Netherlands for most of his life and studied architecture at Delft University of Technology, where he later held the position of professor in environmental technology and design. He is known for having designed the most eco-friendly building in the Netherlands and is widely known for his inventions in the field of sustainability. On the first of last January, Jón was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Icelandic Order of the Falcon for pioneering work in ecological building design on the international stage. Agenda: Opening Sigríður Maack chairman of the Icelandic Association of Architects, and Sigurður Magnús Garðarsson, president of the Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences of the University of Iceland, welcome guests Integrated sustainable design by Jón Kristinsson Prof.dr.ir. Andy van den Dobbelsteen PhD, Professor at Delft University of Technology. Frequency of moisture damage and quality of indoor air - can the problem be reduced with heat exchange on ventilation? Björn Marteinsson architect and civil engineer and former teacher at UI. In the beginning, the end should be considered Arnhildur Pálmadóttir architect talks about sustainable building Panel discussion Jón Kristinsson, architect and guest of honor; Koos Slootweg, engineer; Þórhildur Fjóla Kristjánsdóttir, engineer; Björn Marteinsson, architect; Arnhildur Pálmadóttir, architect and Andy van den Dobbelsteen, engineer Moderator: Guðrún Ingvarsdóttir architect Workshop on environmental conditions in tenders and construction contracts 6/03/2024 Central Public Procurement, the Federation of Icelandic Industries, the Housing and Construction Authority and Green Building Council Iceland called for an open conversation about environmental conditions in tenders and construction contracts in Iceland. The meeting took place on Wednesday, March 6 at 14.00 to15.30 in Hús atvinnulífsins in Borgartún 35, in the meeting hall Hyl. Agenda Þóra Margrét Þorgeirsdóttir from the Housing and Construction Authority reviewed the criteria and objectives of action 6.4 in the Roadmap towards sustainable construction 2030. Sveinbjörn Ingi Grímsson from Central Public Procurement discussed about scope in public procurement to apply environmental conditions within the legal framework. Áróra Árnadóttir, CEO of Green Building Council Iceland, discusses the results of a response survey on the use of environmental conditions in tenders and work contracts for the purchase of services and goods in the civil engineering sector in Iceland. Ragnar Ómarsson project manager at Verkís hf. deals with the topic of environmental conditions in Nordic models and Icelandic ideas. A workshop with open discussions at work tables on priorities and priorities in harmonized environmental conditions for tenders and selection criteria for tenders. The moderator was Elísa Arnarsdóttir, business manager of the housing division at the Federation of Icelandic Industries Slides from the meeting can be accessed here . Let's talk about the circular economy 28/02/2024 The event Let's talk about the circular economy was held in Gróska on 28 February at 13.00 - 15.30. After discussions with stakeholders, we know that there are numerous actions that can be taken to facilitate the introduction of the circular economy in the Icelandic construction industry. But which actions should be prioritized? What should public bodies emphasize in order to promote the implementation? We summarized the possible actions that were discussed, in these three categories: Improved architectural design Correct recording of the environmental impact of new buildings and renovations Reduce risk and improve the efficiency of circular projects In the second part of the event, participants were asked to answer which activities, aimed at facilitating circular construction, the Nordic Council of Ministers should focus on. They were also invited to answer the question: what should the Nordic countries strive for at the European level? Webinar: Emission-free construction sites: Knowledge gaps and research needs 15/02/2024 In the middle of February, we held an online event where we presented a new version related to emission-free construction sites in the project Nordic Sustainable Construction, but the report points out where the focus should lie in knowledge acquisition and experimental projects. You can now watch a recording of the event and view slides here .

Green Building Council Iceland's publications on construction and demolition waste (C&DW). Construction and demolition waste 2022 GBCI received a grant from the Ministry of the Environment, Energy and Climate through the Housing and Infrastructure Agency to work on the mapping and preparation of guidelines on the possibilities of using construction waste. The project is part of action 4.2. in the Icelandic roadmap to ecological construction (Byggjum grænni framtíð) . GBCI got VSÓ Ráðgjöf on board to do the analysis. The results of the research project can be seen below (in Icelandic). Planning and guidance on the utilization potential of construction waste 2019 In cooperation with the celandic Civil Engineering Agency (Mannvirkjastofnun ), Green Building Council Iceland (GBCI) launched the project on the preparation of guidelines for the handling of construction and demolition waste. GBCI and Mannvirkjastofnun were responsible for project management, and the project was realised in cooperation with EFLA , VSÓ Consulting , and Verkís . The project results can be seen below. The circular economy and the construction industry (in Icelandic) The guidelines for the management of construction and demolition waste (in Icelandic) Construction and demolition waste mapping (in Icelandic) The assessment of hazardous substances in construction and demolition waste and a plan for their treatment (in Icelandic)

Koma á skýrri kröfu um skil á rauntölum um magn úrgangs og virkja eftirfylgni (BGF 4.7 ) About the project Grænni byggð worked within an action 4.7 Skil á rauntölum um magn byggingarúrgangs in Vegvísir að vistvænni mannvirkjagerð 2030 aiming to improve data collection and processing on construction and demolition waste in Iceland. We were responsible for preparing an overview of systems and ways of collecting and processing data on waste in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden. This overview was based on desk research and interviews with key stakeholders dealing with waste data in the Nordic countries. This overview will provide a foundation for further work of the parties responsible for the action.

Information on circular economy principles in construction. Construction boards The handbook was created as an early-stage guide for those considering reuse. The guide focuses primarily on reuse potential, with practical tips and the legal and hazard-related barriers associated with it. Additionally, it covers recyclability and potential carbon emission savings. Below is a list of materials, along with their reuse potential and associated hazards; the full handbook is available here. Reuse handbook Interior fixtures and fenestration Cladding Flooring Insulation Roofing Construction materials reusable without/with a few minor identified issues reusable with several minor issues identified reusable with several major issues identified reuse is possible only in rare cases reusable with some minor and major issues identified Construction boards Reuse potential Chipboard MDF board OSB Plywood Plasterboard Cement-based wall elements Identified hazards* formaldehyde and other VOCs, halogenated flame retardants, wood dust, mould/rot, PCBs formaldehyde and other VOCs, halogenated flame retardants, wood dust, mould/rot formaldehyde and other VOCs, wood dust, mould/rot formaldehyde and other VOCs, wood dust, chromated copper arsenate (CCA), mould/rot asbestos, gypsum dust, biocides asbestos, respirable crystalline silica (RCS) * excluding hazards related to surface treatment (e.g. paint) Plotur Interior fixtures and fenestration Reuse potential Ceiling panels Doors Sanitary equipment Ventilation ducts Windows Identified hazards* mould, dirt asbestos (older fire doors) asbestos, pathogens Dirt asbestos, PCBs * excluding hazards related to surface treatment (e.g. paint) Interior Cladding Reuse potential Aluminium panels (flat and corrugated) Ceramic façade systems Copper and zinc sheet cladding Fibre cement panels Metal composite panels Natural stone Timber cladding Identified hazards* not identified respirable crystalline silica (RCS) metal fumes asbestos, respirable crystalline silica (RCS) fire-related risks not identified wood dust * excluding hazards related to surface treatment (e.g. paint) Klaedding Flooring Reuse potential Carpet Ceramic tiles Laminate flooring Engineered wood flooring Identified hazards* dirt, pathogens, VOCs, mould asbestos, respirable crystalline silica (RCS), mould formaldehyde and other VOCs, mould/rot formaldehyde and other VOCs, mould/rot * excluding hazards related to surface treatment (e.g. paint) Golefni Insulation Reuse potential Expanded Polystyrene Insulation Metal insulation panels Mineral wool Polyethylene vapour barrier Identified hazards* CFC and HCFC blowing agents, HBCD flame retardants, fire-related risks not identified mould - * excluding hazards related to surface treatment (e.g. paint) Insul Roofing Reuse potential Corrugated steel Breathable roof membrane Bitumen roof underlay Bituminous roofing membrane Gutters and downspouts Identified hazards* not identified - - - not identified * excluding hazards related to surface treatment (e.g. paint) Þakefni Byggingarefni Construction materials Reuse potential CLT Identified hazards* VOCs, wood dust, mould/rot Concrete (cast-in-place) respirable crystalline silica (RCS) Concrete (precast) respirable crystalline silica (RCS) Glulam VOCs, wood dust Steel beams not identified General timber wood dust, mould/rot Chemically-treated timber creosote, chromated copper arsenate (CCA), pentachlorophenol, wood dust, mould/rot Strength-graded timber wood dust, mould/rot Thermally-treated timber wood dust, mould/rot * excluding hazards related to surface treatment (e.g. paint)

Some EPDs on paints in Iceland. Environmental product declarations (EPDs) - Paints in Iceland JOTUN Jotun Heftgrunning Universal JOTUN Jotun Lady Pure Color JOTUN Jotun Sparkel Fin Gipsplate JOTUN Jotun Jotaproff Akryl 10% JOTUN Jotun Pilot WF Primer JOTUN Jotun Sparkel Vegg & Tak medium JOTUN Jotun Jotaproff Primadekk JOTUN Jotun Prosjektsparkel JOTUN Jotun Trebitt Oljebeis