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Green Building Council Iceland's materials on other topics than construction and demolition waste or certification systems. Emission-Free Construction Sites Grænir verkstaðir - Bæklingar Green Building Council Iceland, the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Housing and Construction Authority, and the University of Iceland are working on the Emission-Free Construction sites project. The project is funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers. The final report from the project can be read by clicking on the brochure below. Losunarlausir verkstaðir - Skýrslur 2025 Green Building Council Iceland, the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Housing and Construction Authority, and the University of Iceland are working on the Emission-Free Construction sites project. The project is funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers. The final report from the project can be read by clicking on the brochure below. The final report from Emission-Free construction sites: How barriers and Policies Influence the Transition to Emission-Free Construction Sites. 2024 Green Building Council Iceland, the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Housing and Construction Authority, and the University of Iceland are working on the Emission-Free Construction sites project. The project is funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers. The second report from the project can be read by clicking on the brochure below. The second report from Emission-Free construction sites: Knowledge Gaps and Research Needs. Aðra skýrslu verkefnisins má lesa með þvi að smella á bæklinginn hér að neðan. 2023 Green Building Council Iceland, the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Housing and Construction Authority, and the University of Iceland are working on the Emission-Free Construction sites project. The project is funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers. The first report from the project can be read by clicking on the brochure below. The second report from Emission-Free construction sites: Knowledge Gaps and Research Needs. The first report from the Nordic Sustainable Construction project on Emission-free Construction sites. It provides an overview of the emerging concept of emission-free construction sites - the background, definitions, technology and methods.

We work to create a healthy, sustainable built environment that promotes well-being for all. More about us can be fouhnd 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

Green Building Council Iceland members The following companies, organizations, institutions, and individuals are members of Green Building Council Iceland: 1. Flokkur BM Vallá Eik fasteignafélag Húsnæðis- og mannvirkjastofnun Reitir fasteignafélag Verkís verkfræðistofa 2nd Category Fasteignir ríkissjóðs Landsvirkjun Tark-Teiknistofan 3. Flokkur Alta ráðgjöf Alverk Arkís arkitektar ehf ASK arkitektar Basalt Arkitektar Byko COWI Eignaumsjón exa nordic HJARK Hornsteinar Húsasmiðjan Iðan fræðslusetur Íslandsbanki Íslenskir aðalverktakar Jáverk Klasi ehf. Landmótun sf Landslag ehf. Landsvirkjun Langeldur Límtré Vírnet Lota ehf Maison Pago Samstæða Orkuveitu Reykjavíkur Skipulagsstofnun Steinull hf. Steypustöðin Teiknistofan Tark ehf. Teiknistofan Tröð ehf. THG arkitektar Umhverfis- og orkustofnun VA Arkitektar Vegagerðin Verkvist Vista verkfræðistofa VSB verkfræðistofa VSÓ Ráðgjöf 4th Category - Arnhildur Pálmadóttir - an architect at Studio Arnhildur Pálmadóttir; - Finnur Sveinsson - environmental scientist at Visthús; - Hildur Ýr Ottósdóttir - an architect at Ydda arkitektar; - Magnús Jensen - an architect and chairman Miðgarðs byggingarfélags; - Sigríður Maack - an architect at Arktika ehf.

Green Building Council's (Grænni byggð) annual reports and board meeting minutes. Documentation The bylaws of Green Building Council Iceland can be found here. Annual and financial reports, work plans (in Icelandic) 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 Annual report Annual report Annual report Annual report Annual report Annual report Annual report Annual report Annual report Annual report Annual report Annual report Financial report Financial report Financial report Financial report Financial report Financial report Financial report Financial report Financial report Financial report Financial report Financial report Annual meeting Annual meeting Annual meeting Annual meeting Annual meeting Annual meeting Annual meeting Annual meeting Annual meeting Annual meeting Annual meeting Annual meeting Founding meeting Work plan Work plan Board meeting minutes (in Icelandic) 2022 01/2022 02/2022 03/2022 04/2022 - 01 | 04/2022 - 02 05/2022 - 01 | 05/2022 - 02 06/2022 09/2022 10/2022 11/2022 12/2022 2023 01/2023 02/2023 03/2023 04/2023 05/2023 - 01 | 05/2023 - 02 08/2023 09/2023 10/2023 12/2023 2024 01/2024 2025 02/2025 02/2024 03/2024 04/2024 05/2024 06/2024 08/2024 09/2024 10/2024 11/2024 2018 08/2018 09/2018 -01 | 09/2018 - 02 10/2018 11/2018 12/2018 2019 01/2019 02/2019 03/2019 05/2019 2020 01/2020 02/2020 03/2020 04/2020 05/2020 06/2020 08/2020 10/2020 11/2020 2021 01/2021 02/2021 03/2021 04/2021 05/2021 06/2021 - 01 | 06/2021 - 02 08/2021 10/2021 11/2021 12/2021 Other documents → Review of the updated action plan of the City of Reykjavík regarding climate matters (28/01/2021). Document in Icelandic. → Review of the updated climate action plan (01/10/2020). Document in Icelandic. → Comment on the climate-related action plan (01/10/2020). Document in Icelandic. → Comments to the housing matters group on social sustainability and environmental priorities (10/01/2019). Document in Icelandic. → Comment on a meeting with Minister of Transport and Local Government Sigurður Inga Jóhannsson (11/2018). Document in Icelandic. → Comment on incentives to increase the number of green buildings. Document in Icelandic. → Icelandic summary of the World GBC Report on Bringing Embodied Carbon Upfront (2020). Document in Icelandic. → The draft target plan of the Board . Document in Icelandic.

How to become a member of GBCI ()? Subscribe to our mailing list Become a member Membership categories for 2024: 1st Category - 750.000 ISK/year, 6 votes at the general meeting 2nd Category - 450.000 ISK/year, 4 votes at the general meeting 3rd Category - 150.000 ISK/year, 2 votes at the general meeting 4th Category - 28.000 ISK/year, 1 vote at the general meeting, support membership for individuals As a Green Building Council Iceland (GBCI) member, you are part of a group of ambitious professionals and enthusiasts for increased environmental focus in the construction industry and planning. 90% of GBCI members are somewhat or very satisfied with their membership 90% of the members believe that GBCI fulfil its role well 96% of the members would recommend GBCI membership Thank you for submitting! Senda 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. Our members Donations and grants Contact us if you are willing to support our organization with individual grants. The individual grants go to the Green Building Council Iceland's projects. You can also make a direct donation to our account: Kennitala number: 460510-1550 Bank account number: 0537-26-460510 Reference: Donation

Online Event and Report An online event was held to promote the publication of a new report on the status and prospects of emission-free construction. There, we also introduced the Nordic network of collaboration and displayed the video from the site visit to the Green Construction Site of the Future. Volvo CE and SiteHub talked about their way towards emission-free construction sites. Recording of the event: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNRE0HAhaSw Read the report: https://www.norden.org/da/node/79878 Testing of a battery-electric excavator in Oslo Emission-free excavators have been tested in three different construction sites in Oslo in the last year. In a new report from SINTEF, the results are summarised. The electric excavators from Nasta ran for a total of 6817 hours and saved NOK 372 000 in energy, and emission reductions were in excess of 91 tons CO2. Read the report here. Emissions from a construction site in Oslo n a SINTEF report calculations and results are presented for CO2 emissions on a construction site in Oslo.

Circular economy 1) Eliminate waste and pollution Waste is the result of decisions made at the design stage. Therefore, it is essential to change our mindset when it comes to design and consider waste generation a design flaw. The construction sector plays a crucial role in implementing a circular economy as it is responsible for considerable resource use and waste generation. To prevent our planet's resources from running dry, we need to change our consumption habits and production methods radically. The circular economy can be explained using three main principles from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation :  2) Circulate products and materials (at their highest value) It is important that the products and materials we produce remain within our economy. Therefore, ways of their reuse, repair, or recycle must be widely available. 3) Regenerate nature The circular economy plays in favour of nature in multiple ways by moving from extraction to regeneration, for instance, by reducing the amount of raw materials needed to be mined, thereby returning more land to nature. Currently, a few of the most significant barriers to implementing circular economy principles in the construction sector are: - lack of legal frameworks regulating the reusing of materials, - lack of data on material flows and the quality of materials, - lack of knowledge of circular design. There are several initiatives to solve the above issues. The first example is the criteria for circular buildings created by FutureBuild , stating that a circular building must consist of at least 50% of reused and reusable components. The criteria also cover other aspects, like, for example, design-for-adaptability. More information can be found here (FutureBuilt kriterier for sirkulære bygg ; in Norwegian ). The second example is the EU's set of guidelines for legal and technical stakeholders and policy-makers in the construction sector on how to implement circular economy principles, which can be found here . Hringvangur A network for circular construction in Icelandic building industry was created at the end of 2023. The network is called Hringvangur and Green Building Council Iceland is the host for now. The website is www.hringvangur.is Additional information Does it cost more to renovate than to build new? Answers to this and other questions can be found in GBC Norway's publications Tenk deg om før du river (Think before tearing down; in Norwegian ). Guidelines and business tools for companies in the construction sector on how to implement circular solutions in their activities can be found in Nordic Circular Economy Playbook 2.0 .

Green Building Council Iceland's materials on certification systems. Certification systems 2023 Green Building Council Iceland published the reports: 1) The impact of building materials and energy efficiency on the carbon footprint of buildings - Comparison of the carbon footprint of building materials and energy consumption in BREEAM certified and non-certified buildings (Áhrif byggingarefna og orkunýtingar á kolefnisspor bygginga - Samanburður á kolefnisspori byggingarefna og orkunotkunar í BREEAM vottaðri og óvottaðri byggingu) and 2) Stakeholder experiences with certification systems - Interviews with the construction industry (Reynsla hagaðila að vistvottunarkerfum - Viðtöl við byggingariðnaðinn). The reports were written in cooperation with the Housing and Construction Authority (HMS), with a grant from the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate, and are a part of action 5.2.1 in Vegvísir að vistvænni mannvirkjagerð 2030 (roadmap to sustainable construction) : Analysing the benefit and cost of environmental certifications. Click on the reports below to read. 2019-2020 GBCI worked together with the Icelandic Civil Engineering Agency (Mannvirkjastofnun) on a research project on the certification system of buildings. Two certification systems were chosen for research - BREEAM and Swan. The project goal was to carry out tests and instructions on the systems and to study how they adapt to the conditions in the Icelandic construction market. The reports can be read below. BREEAM certification scheme for buildings - Brochure (in Icelandic) BREEAM 2016 Energy requirements and the experience of meeting them in Icelandic projects (in Icelandic) BREEAM - Visual comfort (in Icelandic) BREEAM quality and environmental management - The requirements and how they have been met in Iceland (in Icelandic) The experience of the environmental certification Swan for buildings - Part I General review (in Icelandic) BREEAM In-Use (in Icelandic) BREEAM Construction materials and waste - The requirements and how they have been fulfilled in Iceland (in Icelandic) Transport and land use requirements in BREEAM international 2016 (in Icelandic) BREEAM Building materials - Introductory brochure on the requirements (in Icelandic) The experience of the environmental certification The Swan for buildings - Part II The rating system (in Icelandic) The annexe can be found here (in Icelandic). Environmental certification system for buildings - analysis of the feasibility and adaptability of foreign certification systems for the Icelandic construction market (in Icelandic)

Green Building Council Iceland's materials on other topics than construction and demolition waste or certification systems. Other published materials 2021 Parents and children's travel habits to kindergarten (in Icelandic) 2020 Let's build a greener future (Byggjum grænni framtíð) - Summary of the state of environmental issues in the construction industry in the Nordic countries (in Icelandic) 2019 The Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources (Umhverfis- og auðlindaráðuneytið )granted GBCI a grant to prepare guidelines for apartment buildings that want to promote more environmentally friendly priorities in their operations. The guidelines were drawn up in collaboration with Sorpa and Eignaumsjón . The guidelines can be read below (in Icelandic). A greener apartment building (in Icelandic) Overview of energy consumption, energy prices and energy requirements for heating in Icelandic buildings (in Icelandic) LCA - Environmental impact of buildings and building materials from cradle to grave (in Icelandic) Environmental description of building materials (in Icelandic) Environmentally friendly building in the Icelandic context (in Icelandic) 2013-2017 Material quality - an overview of common building materials, their properties and main environmental aspects (in Icelandic) Housing and health - the health effects of buildings and the benefits of green buildings (in Icelandic) Ecological urban planning (in Icelandic)

Green Building Council's (Grænni byggð) events in 2023. 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. Upcoming events Past events 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 - 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 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!

Newsletter 16.06.2023 Helsinki Central Library Oodi The CIRCON compendium includes over 25 case descriptions representing circular construction aspects in practice. One is the Helsinki Central Library Oodi, an example of the design-for-adaptability principle combined with high sharing potential. The building’s structure has a form of an asymmetrical bridge consisting of steel trusses and beams supported by two massive steel arches. This solution resulted in a column-free interior space with high spatial flexibility and adaptability. As a result, the space has a unique, inclusive vibe attracting hundreds of visitors every day. Currently, it is used as, among others, a library, a conference and exhibition venue, a co-working space, a photo and recording studio, an office space, or a café and restaurant. More information about the building can be found here . The CIRCON project benefits from a € 361,422 grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA Grants and co-funding by the national funding of Poland. Co-funding from the Polish state amounts to € 54,213. 23.05.2023 Lecture on the circular economy in the construction sector We had the pleasure of giving a lecture to the students from Aalto University in Finland on circular construction. Besides discussing the general overview of the aspects of circular economy in the construction sector (e.g., design-for-adaptability or design-for-disassembly), we also tried to debunk some myths about circular construction – is it always more expensive than conventional construction or are all aspects of the circular economy always related to lower carbon footprint? We’ll discuss these issues further also in our meetings organised in the future. The CIRCON project benefits from a € 361,422 grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA Grants and co-funding by the national funding of Poland. Co-funding from the Polish state amounts to € 54,213. 10-11.05.2023 Partners' meeting in Poland Last year, in August, our Polish partners in the CIRCON project visited us in Iceland. Now it was our turn, and we went to Poland for our partners’ meeting last week. As we’re in the second part of the project already, we not only discussed our further steps but also celebrated our progress so far. We also had an opportunity to take a closer look at many old industrial buildings preserved as a part of the cultural heritage of the Silesian region in Poland. In the photo, you have an example of a multi-family house initially designed for industrial workers, typical for the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century in the industrial towns of Silesia. The CIRCON project benefits from a € 361,422 grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA Grants and co-funding by the national funding of Poland. Co-funding from the Polish state amounts to € 54,213. 28.04.2023 Second work package is completed By the end of April, the second work package in the CIRCON project will be completed. Recently, we had two working group meetings at which we predominantly discussed barriers (with their possible solutions) in implementing circular construction in Iceland. The outcome of these discussions will be published in the upcoming months. But maybe you have some ideas on how to facilitate circular construction and want to share them? The CIRCON project benefits from a € 361,422 grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA Grants and co-funding by the national funding of Poland. Co-funding from the Polish state amounts to € 54,213. 27.04.2023 Green Leap in Iceland’s construction sector Around 300 people took part in the Grænt stökk í mannvirkjagerð (Green Leap in Iceland’s construction sector) event discussing the transition to more sustainable and circular construction. The main message that can be taken from all of the speeches is: we can do it, but we have to work together to make the transition happen . The key lecture was given by Anders Lendager, the CEO at Lendager , who proved that circular construction is possible and dispelled the myth that circular building is always much more expensive than conventional one. His partner in Iceland, Arnhildur Palmadottir , showed her projects proving that circular construction is possible also in Iceland by playing with locally available materials. In the same subject, we presented a brief overview of new challenges and changes in the roles of stakeholders when switching to more circular construction, one of the outcomes of the CIRCON project. We also discussed other ongoing and recently completed projects, with an emphasis on those related to the Byggjum grænni framtíð - Roadmap towards sustainable construction . The recording of the meeting can be found here . The event was organised by Húsnæðis- og mannvirkjastofnun with Samtök iðnaðarins and Green Building Council Iceland. The CIRCON project benefits from a € 361,422 grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA Grants and co-funding by the national funding of Poland. Co-funding from the Polish state amounts to € 54,213. 08.12.2022 Last CIRCON meeting in 2022 At the last meeting within CIRCON this year, we discussed the first draft of the compendium of knowledge with our partners - Polish Green Building Council and Silesian University of Technology . But now, as Christmas is closer and closer, we want to wish you all the best over the holidays. See you in 2023! The CIRCON project benefits from a € 361,422 grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA Grants and co-funding by the national funding of Poland. Co-funding from the Polish state amounts to € 54,213. 01.12.2022 Nordic Circular Summit Despite the break in our meetings in the CIRCON project, we are not sleeping. Last week we participated in #NordicCircularSummit – the biggest conference on circular economy in the Nordics organised in beautiful Stockholm. There were so many insightful presentations regarding circular construction that it is hard to mention them here. For those who could not attend, keep an eye on the event’s website – presentations should be uploaded in the nearest weeks. But two blunt end messages need to stay with us: 👉🏻As Kari Herlevi from Sitra said: “It is not just about maximising value; it is about reducing the negative impacts and then moving on to being nature positive ”, and, following Nancy Bocken from Maastricht University: “There is no business to be done on a dead planet, so focus on regeneration! ”.👈🏻 Last but not least, the next #NordicCircularSummit 2023 will be in Reykjavik! The CIRCON project benefits from a € 361,422 grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA Grants and co-funding by the national funding of Poland. Co-funding from the Polish state amounts to € 54,213. 31.10.2022 First work package is completed With the end of October, the first work package in the CIRCON project is completed. As the last part of the first work package, we had two working group meetings at which we discussed the created circularity indicators, which will be a part of the primary project outcome - guidelines on the circular design. The proposed circular indicators 🏠 take into account the following: - the amount of secondary materials used in the construction or renovation process; - the amount of waste reduced during the demolition or renovation process; - building's adaptability and disassembly potential; - the potential for sharing space; - building's energy efficiency. The guidelines with the circularity indicators should be published at the latest in summer 2023. The CIRCON project benefits from a € 361,422 grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA Grants and co-funding by the national funding of Poland. Co-funding from the Polish state amounts to € 54,213. 05.08.2022 Our visit in Drangar As a part of our partners' meeting in Iceland, we visited one of the rare European examples of rural buildings redefined and reconstructed in the spirit of the circular economy - Drangar. Drangar, located in Skógarströnd, is a complex of former farm buildings (a tractor shed, a cowshed, a farmhouse, and a barn) built in the 1980s and operating as such until 2001. After 12 years of falling into disrepair, the new owners brought it back to a new life by cooperating with architects from Studio Granda. Now, the buildings serve as guesthouses (former tractor shed and cowshed) and private accommodation (former barn and farmhouse). * Myndin að neðan: Dawid Franke. Preserving the character of the buildings' was the idea standing behind the renovation. That is why the primary structure, the shape, and arrangement of windows and doors, were kept. Furthermore, even though some of the roofs had to be replaced, they were not wasted. Their elements were used - the corrugated tin was used as shuttering for new concrete walls, and the timber structure was transformed into solid dining tables. The floor in the cowshed, crossed by concrete slats and steel grills, was replaced by a terrazzo floor, while the concrete slats and the steel grills were used as terrace paving and headboards in the guestrooms, respectively. Last but not least, most of the existing concrete walls remained. The materials preservation involved not only the construction materials themselves. For landscaping, earth from the site was used. Also, the manure from the cowshed was used as a fertiliser around the property in the owners' ambitious forestry project, currently scoring at around 50,000 trees and seedlings planted. The last stage of the project was renovating the old farmhouse, which was designed solely by the Drangar owners, naturally using the remaining materials left from the previous renovations. So now, only one non-restored element in Drangar – is a hay tower from the 1950s. When asked about it, one of the owners said, 'every respected guesthouse or hotel needs to have an old ruin, so we also have one'. This, however, does not mean the end of the Drangar project, as the owners are full of energy and motivation to continue developing their premises. More information about Drangar: Home The CIRCON project benefits from a € 361,422 grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA Grants and co-funding by the national funding of Poland. Co-funding from the Polish state amounts to € 54,213. 04.08.2022 Partners' meeting in Iceland After a short summer break, CIRCON started again. We started with a partners' meeting in Iceland. At the meeting, we discussed data on the Polish and Icelandic construction sectors collected so far. We also discussed real-life examples of implementing circular economy principles in construction and the main project outcome - the compendium of knowledge. Eventually, we planned our further steps. The CIRCON project benefits from a € 361,422 grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA Grants and co-funding by the national funding of Poland. Co-funding from the Polish state amounts to € 54,213. 15.07.2022 July's partners' meeting Even during summer CIRCON team does not rest. Today we had a partners’ meeting with PLGBC Polish Green Building Council and the Silesian University of Technology. We discussed a draft version of the circularity indicators, which will be part of the main project’s outcome – guidelines on the circular design of buildings. The CIRCON project benefits from a € 361,422 grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA Grants and co-funding by the national funding of Poland. Co-funding from the Polish state amounts to € 54,213. 15.06.2022 Time for a summer break – three working group meetings already behind us On 15th June 2022, we met for the third time and intensively discussed existing circularity indicators found in the open literature (and there are many of them - around 30!). We also tried to formulate the main criteria that should be considered when assessing circularity in the Icelandic context. And now it’s time for the summer holidays! The CIRCON project benefits from a € 361,422 grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA Grants and co-funding by the national funding of Poland. Co-funding from the Polish state amounts to € 54,213. 15.06.2022 Can the circular economy help solve the Icelandic construction sector’s challenges? The construction sector is facing increasing pressure due to the urgent need for more housing available in the capital area and the inevitability of the transition to circular and sustainable solutions. Can CIRCON contribute to easing this burden? A small piece of information was published regarding that in Frettabladid under the link: Link The CIRCON project benefits from a € 361,422 grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA Grants and co-funding by the national funding of Poland. Co-funding from the Polish state amounts to € 54,213. 07.06.2022 Our second working group meeting On 7th June 2022, we met for the second time. This time we discussed the role of different stakeholders in implementing circular economy principles in the construction and at which stage of building life implementing them has the highest potential. Eventually, as there is no universal definition of a circular building, we debated what it really means that a building is circular. The CIRCON project benefits from a € 361,422 grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA Grants and co-funding by the national funding of Poland. Co-funding from the Polish state amounts to € 54,213. 25.05.2022 The first working group meeting is behind us On 25st May 2022, our working group of experts representing the cross-section of the Icelandic construction sector met for the first time. We discussed the importance of implementing a circular economy in the construction sector, the main obstacles/challenges related to that and how we can accelerate the transformation of the sector into a more circular one. In the photo, you can see our views on the primary motivations for circular economy implementation in the construction sector. Can you think of any other one? The CIRCON project benefits from a € 361,422 grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA Grants and co-funding by the national funding of Poland. Co-funding from the Polish state amounts to € 54,213. 04.05.2022 A new project on circular economy started in GBCI On 1st April 2022, GBC Iceland launched a new project on circular economy CIRCON - The circular economy in construction: eco-design of circular buildings. The project will be realised for 2 years with two Polish partners - the Polish Green Building Council and the Silesian University of Technology. The CIRCON project benefits from a € 361,422 grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA and Norway Grants and co-funding by the national funding of Poland. Co-funding from the Polish state amounts to € 54,213.

About the project The programme Nordic Sustainable Construction is part of Nordic Vision 2030 initiated by the Nordic Ministers for Construction and Housing. The Ministry of Infrastructure of Iceland is responsible for the fourth work package, Emission-free construction sites . Green Building Council Iceland and the Housing- and Construction Authority of Iceland support the Ministry in solving the assignment. The program is financed by Nordic Innovation, an organization under the Nordic Council of Ministers . Overview The Nordic countries are among the first in the world pursuing to set normative limits for the emission footprints of buildings. With the work package on Emission-Free Construction Sites, we are going into depth with one of the modules in a building's life cycle, the construction phase. Until now, the main focus has been on greenhouse gas emissions from the production of building materials and the operational phase of buildings. This is changing as recent studies show that construction phase emissions are a substantial part of the whole life cycle emissions. In buildings where emissions from the operational phase have been minimised, construction process emissions may be up to 15% of the entire life cycle emissions. The main contributors to emissions are transportation, construction machinery, and energy use for heating and drying. Waste and lost material also contribute to increased greenhouse gas emissions and must be considered in the construction process. Construction machinery, heating, and transportation rely largely on the combustion of fossil fuels. This has a negative effect on both global climate and local air quality, especially in urban areas. Combustion of fuels produces nitrous oxides, particulate matter, and other airborne substances that negatively affect public health. The intent of the work package is to diminish carbon and other direct emissions at construction sites, e.g., by supporting the transition towards emission-free construction sites. Including the use of emission-free power sources and planning the seasonal use of heat and light at construction sites, but also through the development of logistical solutions to conserve transportation and handling resources in a way that diminishes emissions and resource usage. Currently, none of the Nordic countries has set normative criteria for emission-free construction sites, and the Nordics thus have a unique opportunity to harmonise regulations and guidelines. To create support, visibility, and a solid foundation for an increased focus on low-carbon construction, including emission-free construction sites, a common Nordic declaration will be formulated. Steps will be taken to ensure its endorsement and acceptance by the Nordic construction industry. Progress Report - published 16th of March 2023 Throughout the first phase of this work package, the focus has been on gathering Nordic and European input to publish a report that analyses and determines the general definitions, boundaries, and terminology of the emission-free construction site area. This describes the status of the field today and is a good preparation for the next steps in the area. A standard definition of construction site boundaries and what emissions are included is a foundation for cooperative Nordic development in this field. Read the report: https://www.norden.org/da/node/79878 Network of stakeholders The work package has also established a network for cooperation which gathers the industry's stakeholders to share and gather information on innovations, gains, and prospects. There is a great interest in emission reduction in the construction process among actors in the value chain. Housing authorities and large public procurers are the main driving actors, but industry associations, building contractors, and equipment manufacturers have already started the journey. The network will facilitate brokering events on construction issues. Sign up for the network: http://eepurl.com/imRdFM Excursion to construction sites Last February, we visited the ambitious construction site in Aarhus, Denmark, The Green Construction Site of the Future. A sensory net around the site measures emissions. Biodiesel machinery is mainly used, but a 23-ton electric Volvo excavator has been tested together with a fast charger from DTI (Danish Technological Institute). The visit aimed to show real working solutions. Here you can find an interview where Lars Overgaard, the Senior project manager at DTI, talks about the project: https://youtu.be/GqktRe3k7KA The way towards emission-free construction sites - Online event An online event was held to promote the publication of the report. There, we also introduced the Nordic network of cooperation and displayed the video from the site visit to the Green Construction Site of the Future. The event's moderator was Hólmfríður Bjarnadóttir, and specialists from Volvo CE and SiteHub talked about their way towards emission-free construction sites. Recording of the event: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNRE0HAhaSw Next up During the project's next phase, the work package will focus on future research needs, collect information about Nordic funding organisations and encourage more emphasis on this topic. A report on future research needs for emission-free construction sites will be published. Emphasis will be placed on strengthening the cooperation network and encouraging debate on important topics regarding incentives, funding, barriers, and more. Upcoming activities → Nordic Declaration on emission-free construction site endorsed by the Nordic Ministers of housing and construction and by the Nordic actors in the construction industry. → Encourage and facilitate Nordic research and innovation to support emission-free construction sites. → Encourage and facilitate the development of guidelines for procurers and construction companies on emission-free construction sites and produce an online guide. Skoðið útgáfur verkefnisins hér