Search results

Energy use – designed and measured About the project The main goal of the project is to collect information on the (purchased) energy demand of buildings (kWh/m² anually; due to heating and/or cooling on one hand and general electricity consumption on the other) and compare the purchased energy and the estimated energy demand according to calculations . Partners Project partners are: - EFLA ; - the University of Reykjavik ; - Björn Marteinsson. The project received a grant from Askur – Housing and Construction Research Fund. Skoðið skýrslu verkefnisins hér

Some EPDs on cement and masonry mixtures in Iceland. Environmental product declarations (EPDs) - Insulating materials in Iceland STEINULL Steinull þéttleiki 20-75 kg /m3 FRAUÐSTEYPA EHF Multipor þéttleiki 115 kg /m3 STEINULL Steinull þéttleiki 75-100 kg /m3 Límtré Vírnet Trapisu yleiningar þéttleiki 100 kg /m3 STEINULL Steinull þéttleiki 100-200 kg /m3 Límtré Vírnet Sléttar yleiningar þéttleiki 100 kg /m3

Information on LCA and LCC. Life cycle assessment (LCA) Life cycle assessment (LCA) is used to evaluate a product or service's local and global environmental impact over its lifetime or "from cradle to grave". More precisely, the overall environmental impact is analysed, so the one occurring at all stages of the ecosystem or across the entire value chain, i.e. due to the acquisition of raw materials, production, use and disposal. The framework and methodology of performing LCA for buildings are presented in the EN 15978 standard (Sustainability of construction works - Assessment of environmental performance of buildings - Calculation method). According to the standard, the LCA results are presented for five main phases, and each phase is identified with a letter and serial number: The following software can, for example, be used to create an LCA for buildings: One Click LCA - Simple LCA calculations in the design phase of buildings Danish LCAbyg - From Denmark: Statens Byggeforskningsinstitut, Aalborg Universitet Copenhagen Green Delta’s OpenLCA – From GreenDelta in Berlin, Germany Life cycle costing (LCC) Often, Life-cycle costing (LCC) is performed together with LCA. LCC is used to analyseall the costs incurred during the asset's lifetime (e.g., product, service, building). The considered costs are, among others, purchase costs and costs associated with that (e.g., delivery or installation costs), operation costs (e.g., energy or fuel costs, maintenance costs), and end-of-life costs (e.g., disposal or recycling costs). LCC can also include the asset's residual value, so potential revenue from its reuse or sale.

About the CIRCON project. About the project The CIRCON project (full name: The circular economy in construction: eco-design of circular buildings) was realised by Green Building Council Iceland (GBCI) in cooperation with two Polish partners – a mirror to GBCI organisation Polish Green Building Council and the Silesian University of Technology. The project lasted 2 years (01/04/2022-31/03/2024). Overview The urban population is growing globally, and so does the demand for housing and accommodation. This means the growing intensity of construction-related activities and, consequently, increasing construction and demolition waste (C&DW) generation. This calls for action as, currently, C&DW already comprises one of the largest waste streams in the EU and Iceland. Even though C&DW recovery rates are high, their recovery leaves room for improvement as it is predominantly low-grade (for instance, backfilling). To preserve the value of construction materials and thus keep them on the market as long as possible, the implementation of circular economy principles in the construction sector is necessary. This would result in reducing the amount of not only C&DW produced but also the raw materials used. Building materials are responsible for around half of the carbon footprint of an Icelandic building during its lifetime. Doing so requires developing solid and systematised knowledge of circular economy principles regarding construction processes. This is why, in the CIRCON project, we aimed to create practical guidelines, emphasising circular building design as everything starts with the plan and design. These guidelines included the specificity of Icelandic and Polish construction sectors and were disseminated among the key stakeholders in the sectors. This was done to familiarise the key actors with optimal building design regarding not only buildings' longevity and durability but also their sustainability and material circulation through possible reusing of building components after its deconstruction. Main objectives The project aimed to strengthen the implementation of circular economy principles in the Icelandic and Polish construction sectors through: 1. Creation of practical guidelines on circular economy implementation in building design, including Icelandic and Polish market characteristics, needs, and specific Icelandic geographical and resource conditions. 2. Dissemination of the above guidelines among key stakeholders in the construction sector. 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. More about the project Project partners Newsletter CIRCON vefsíðu Information on EEA and Norway Grants The EEA and Norway Grants represent the contribution of Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway towards a green, competitive and inclusive Europe. There are two overall objectives: reduction of economic and social disparities in Europe, and to strengthen bilateral relations between the donor countries and 15 EU countries in Central and Southern Europe and the Baltics. The three donor countries cooperate closely with the EU through the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA). The donors have provided €3.3 billion through consecutive grant schemes between 1994 and 2014. For the period 2014-2021, the EEA and Norway Grants amount to €2.8 billion. The priorities for this period are: #1 Innovation, Research, Education and Competitiveness #2 Social Inclusion, Youth Employment and Poverty Reduction #3 Environment, Energy, Climate Change and Low Carbon Economy #4 Culture, Civil Society, Good Governance and Fundamental Rights #5 Justice and Home Affairs Eligibility for the Grants mirror the criteria set for the EU Cohesion Fund aimed at member countries where the Gross National Income (GNI) per inhabitant is less than 90% of the EU average. The EEA and Norway Grants scheme consists of two financial mechanisms. The EEA Grants are jointly financed by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, whose contributions are based on their GDP. Norway Grants are financed solely by Norway. More information can be found on: https://eeagrants.org/ Information on co-funding by the national funding of Poland The co-funding from the Polish state was granted to the project within the program: Environment, Energy and Climate Change , program area: Climate .

Rannsaka möguleikana og tækifærin á innleiðingu hringrásarhagkerfis í auknum mæli tengt notkun byggingarefna About the project Grænni byggð works with Lendager Island , Minjastofnun , SORPA , and Verkís hf on this project. There is a noticeable interest in the Icelandic construction sector in material and product reuse; however, the reuse is in its infancy due to: a lack of knowledge among stakeholders on how to reuse construction materials and products the common belief that the reuse of materials and products is blocked by current legal regulations (e.g., building code, need for CE marking, lack of standards for reused materials/products) in Iceland. The project aims to address these aspects. The project outcome will provide an overview of opportunities and identify risks for reusing various construction materials and products. The information on the legal requirements the secondary material and products need to meet to be approved for use will also be included, followed by suggested possible directions to change these legal requirements to facilitate reuse. Mynd: Ástrós Steingrímsdóttir Collaborators The project received a grant from Askur - mannvirkjarannsóknasjóður which is funded by Húsnæðis- og mannvirkjastofnun, Ministry of Social Affairs and Housing and the Ministry of Culture, Innovation and Higher Education.

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

Bauhaus Goes North (BGN) About the project The Bauhaus Goes North (BGN) project is realised by the Green Building Council Iceland together with 13 partners and associated partners from the Northern Periphery and Arctic (NPA) region. The project received funding from the Interreg NPA Programme , co-funded by the European Union. The project aims to increase stakeholders' knowledge and facilitate the implementation of best practices that align with the New European Bauhaus (NEB) in the NPA region. The project's main focus are practices linked to circularity and resource efficiency. The NEB initiative was launched to make the European Green Deal a 'tangible experience' - offering a new cultural approach for Europe, a systemic change that is innovative, attractive, and human-centred. It has three core values guiding it: Sustainability (circularity, zero pollution, biodiversity) Aesthetics (quality of experience, style beyond functionality) Inclusion (valuing diversity, securing accessibility and affordability) Deliverables The project will deliver: a Co-Design Playbook and a Replicability Index tool aiming to ensure the replicability of identified best NEB practices, considering local contexts, competencies, capacity building and policy for supporting the transition to circular and resource-efficient economies; three annual Calls for Best Practices in NEB in the NPA Region , which aim to accelerate take-up of replicable solutions; four jointly developed demonstrator projects (i.e., a district plan, a campus and a historic building, and a sustainable island development) to illustrate the practical implementation of NEB aspects in diverse settings and contexts. Project website Overview Green Building Council Iceland is responsible for Work Package 2 (WP2) in the project: NEB Best Practices Competition: Assembling and Disseminating Exemplary Cases in the NPA Region. The main objective of WP2 is to identify best practices aligning with NEB in the NPA region. This will be done through three annual calls. The chosen winning and front-running practices will be highlighted on the Project website and circulated among various Nordic and European networks to disseminate them effectively. Eventually, the identified best practices will be a part of one of the project outcomes – the so-called Co-Design Playbook. Project partners are as follows: University College Cork , Cork, Ireland; Green Building Council Iceland , Reykjavík, Iceland; OULU University of Applied Science , Oulu, Finland; UIT The Arctic University of Norway , Tromsø, Norway; City of Bodø , Bodø, Norway; Umeå University , Umeå, Sweden; Cork County Council , Cork, Ireland. In the project, we also have 7 associated partners from Denmark, Finland, Faroe Islands, Ireland, and Sweden. Partners The BGN project's total budget is €1,632,526.95, and it benefits from € 1,019,056.94 in Interreg NPA co-financing, including 7.59% of funding covered by the European Regional Development Fund for Icelandic partners (ERDF_IS). The ERDF_IS funding amounts to € 123,930.30.

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)

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 Nordic Networks for Circular Construction (NNCC) was a two-year project aiming at accelerating the implementation of circular economy principles in the Nordic construction sector. It is financed by the Nordic Council of Ministers . The project consisted of six work packages of which GBCI and the Housing and Construction Authority of Iceland (HMS ) work towards realising Work package 6: National Fora . Other work packages dealed with, among others, analysing the barriers and possibilities in implementing a circular economy in Nordics and metrics for circularity. Skýrsla Work package 6: National Fora One of the crucial parts of sustainable and circular construction development is sharing know-how and hands-on experiences along the entire chain of construction stakeholders. This is often realised by the so-called national fora (networks) consisting of the cross-section of the construction sector. Therefore, one of the goals of Work package 6: National fora was creating such a network in Iceland to facilitate spreading the knowledge on circular construction, especially focusing on the Icelandic and Nordic context, but not excluding European and global state-of-the-art solutions. Additionally, workshops with various stakeholders were organised to strengthen the implementation of a circular economy in Nordic construction. At these workshops, the findings on the barriers to adopting circular construction (Work Package 2: Analysis of Barriers and Possibilities ) were presented, and possible solutions were discussed to define further steps necessary to accelerate the implementation of circular construction. Main objectives > Creating the network on circular construction in Iceland to facilitate sharing of know-how and hands-on experiences among Icelandic and foreign construction sector stakeholders; > Defining further steps necessary to accelerate the adaptation of circular economy in Nordic countries.

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

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)