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- Útgefið efni - Annað | Grænni byggð GBCI
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. Frekari upplýsingar um dæmi í bæklingunum: CityLoops verkefnið Útboðskröfur í Osló Stovner sundlaugin Útgáfur Nordic Sustainable Construction verkefnisins Útgáfur 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.
- Become a member | Grænni byggð GBCI
How to become a member of GBCI ()? Become a member of GBCI As a member of GBCI you are a part of a group of dedicated professionals interested in increasing the emphasis on environmental issues in construction, design and planning. Mynd: Ástrós Steingrímsdóttir Membership categories for 2026: 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 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 Become a member Thank you for submitting! Send 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 (for example access to GBCI's networking groups on certifications, LCA, procurement and circularity in construction) ; - 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
- About us | Grænni byggð (GBCI)
About Green Building Council Iceland. Members Join GBCI Green Building Council Iceland The Green Building Council Iceland (GBCI) is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) established in 2010 to encourage sustainable construction by inspiring and empowering people to work for the common goal of creating a healthy, sustainable built environment that promotes well-being for all. Mynd: Ástrós Steingrímsdóttir We realise our mission on multiple fronts by: - promoting environmental awareness and green action planning for the building and infrastructure sector; - lobbying authorities to pass legislation that will direct the market in a more sustainable direction; - educating, connecting, and motivating stakeholders involved in the urban planning and building sector. As one of over 70 members of the World Green Building Council, we share the goal of catalysing the uptake of sustainable built environments with the Green Building Councils' network. The main areas of our focus are: - decarbonisation of the built environment; - supporting resources regeneration by promoting circular economy principles in the construction sector; - encouraging a built environment that delivers healthy, resilient, and sustainable constructions. Currently, our organisation has arouhnd 60 members working towards their goal of making the building sector an active player in creating a more sustainable future and a healthier society. Our members Summary of our activities in three main areas: INFORMING → We produce and publish diverse educational materials. → We participate in various research and development projects. → We organise and participate in educational events, panel discussions, and public meetings on sustainable construction. ENCOURAGING → We encourage market players to contribute and show social responsibility in action. → We encourage the public sector to reward projects that meet certain environmental requirements with economic incentives. → We promote the circular economy to be used as a guiding principle in the design, construction, and operation of buildings. CONNECTING → We bring together people from all over the community with the goal of sustainability in the local environment. → We actively cooperate with our sister organisations, especially in the Nordic countries, through projects and events. Join GBCI
- Our team and board | Grænni byggð GBCI
Team Board Team and board GBCI's team consists of five 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 Katarzyna Jagodzińska CEO of GBCI kjag [at] graennibyggd.is PhD in energy and material recovery from waste Aðalsteinn Ólafsson Project manager adalsteinn [at] graennibyggd.is Electrical Engineer and MSc in environmental and natural resources Hjördís Sveinsdóttir Project manager hjordis [at] graennibyggd.is Business B.Sc. and a student in Environment and Natural Resources Ástrós Steingrímsdóttir Project manager astros [at] graennibyggd.is Civil Engineer B.Sc. Hanna Þráinsdóttir Communication and advocacy manager hanna [at] graennibyggd.is Media, Culture, and Communication M.A. 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 Anna Kristín Hjartardóttir Secretary and vice-chairman anna.kristin.hjartardottir [at] efla.is Architect and project manager at EFLA Sunna Hrönn Sigmarsdóttir Treasurer sunnasigmarsdottir [at] gmail.com ÍAV Anna Sigríður Jóhannsdóttir annasj.ark [at] gmail.com Registered architect Alex Ingi Espersen alexe [at] cowi.com Manager of improved buildings, indoor quality and maintenance team at COWI Bergþóra Góa Kvaran bergthora.kvaran [at] uos.is Specialist at Umhverfis- og orkustofnun Sigríður Ósk Bjarnadóttir sirry [at] hornsteinn.is Director of the Environment and quality division at Hornsteinn
- Green shovel | Grænni byggð GBCI
2025 2024 2023 2022 Græna Skóflan The Green Shovel is an award for buildings that have been built with outstanding environmental and sustainable values. Information about the award itself and the award winners can be found here. Græna Skóflan - The Green Shovel The Green Shovel Award The Green Shovel Award was awarded for the first time on Green Building Day 2022. It is a recognition of a structure that has been built with an excellent ecological and sustainable focus. The award has its roots in action 6.9. in the Roadmap to Green Building Construction 2030 (6.9. í Vegvísi að vistvænni mannvirkjagerð 2030 - in Icelandic): About the Award In winter 2021, a competition took place among the students of the Iceland University of the Arts (Listaháskóli Íslands) to design the trophy. Hekla Dís Pálsdóttir won that competition, and the trophy was based on her design. In 2022, the trophy was made of Icelandic graystone. Arngrímur Guðmundsson was in charge of preparing working drawings, Steinsmiðjan was in charge of cutting the graystone, and Stálnaust did the water-cutting. The Green Shovel for Renovations In fall 2025, a call for nominations for a new award called The Green Shovel for Renovations was sent out for the first time. The Green Shovel for Renovation is a recognition for buildings that have been renovated with an excellent ecological and sustainable focus, to promote the renovation of existing structures. Renovation projects that have truly demonstrated an environmentally friendly impact upon completion will receive higher weight. 2025 Nominations for The Green Shovel were open from early August to early September. This year, nominations were received for numerous outstanding projects that required careful and detailed review by the jury. The jury was composed of the board of GBCI, and the awards were presented on GBCI day on October 8th. One of the main focuses of the jury this year was that the project demonstrated clear innovation, how it is possible to step beyond traditional solutions and thus shed light on what is possible when creative thinking and implementation go hand in hand. The holders of both awards, The Green Shovel and The Green Shovel for Renovation, are strong examples that can serve as encouragement and inspiration for other future projects. The Green Shovel 2025 The jury's conclusion states about the building: The project demonstrated that even within the current regulatory and legal environment, it is easy to reduce the carbon footprint and reuse various building materials in parallel with universal design principles in a successful way. Compared to a comparable building, Háteigsvegur's carbon footprint is 50 percent lower. Háteigsvegur emphasizes accessibility for all, cost-effectiveness, the use of high-quality and healthy materials, as well as creating a homely environment. The building that received The Green Shovel for 2025 is Háteigsvegur 59. Háteigsvegur 59 is owned by Félagsbústaðir. The following parties were involved in design and execution: →Architect/Head designer: Arnhildur Pálmadóttir, s. ap arkitektar →Fire safety: Örugg verkfræðistofa →Structural design: HANNA verk verkfræðistofa →Utilities design: Varmboði →Electrical installation design: Verkhönnun →Project owner: Félagsbústaðir →Inspection: VSB verkfræðistofa →: Vinahús ehf. → LCA and LCC: VSÓ Ráðgjöf Project partners in material development and reuse are BM Vallá , Gluggagerðin , SSJ Steinsmiðja/ Grafa og grjót , Egill Árnason/Junckers parkett and Húsasmiðjan . More on H59 The Green Shovel for Renovations 2025 The jury's conclusion states about the building: Menningarleg og söguleg þýðing þessa mannvirkis sameinast framtíðarsýn, þegar horft er til umhverfislegra þátta sjálfbærnis og má þá nefna atriði eins og að endurnýta eins mörg byggingarefni og hluti og hægt er en núverandi burðavirki er frá 1957, hanna bygginguna þannig að auðvelt sé að taka hana niður, velja heilnæm og endurvinnanleg efni og einnig að hugsa um að draga úr orkufari í allri notkun byggingarinnar. Mannvirkið se m hlaut Grænu skófluna fyrir endurbætur árið 2025 er Stöng í Þjórsárdal. Stöng er í eigu Minjastofnunar Að hönnun og framkvæmd stóðu eftirtaldir aðilar: →Arkitekt/Aðalhönnuður: SP(R)INT STUDIO →Burðarþolshönnun: VSB Verkfræðistofa →Landslagshönnun: SP(R)INT STUDIO →Verkkaupi: Minjastofnun →Framkvæmd endurbóta : Langeldur →Umsjón framkvæmdar : FSRE Meira um Stöng 2024 Opið var fyrir tilnefningar mannvirkja til Grænu Skóflunnar frá maí og fram í miðjan ágúst. Í ár voru mörg afburðagóð verkefni tilnefnd og krafðist mikillar gaumgæfni dómnefndar. Það gefur góða tilfinningu að sjá natni hönnuða, framkvæmdaraðila og verkkaupa aukast með hverju árinu að þessu leyti. Dómnefnd var skipuð stjórn Grænni byggðar, og voru verðlaunin veitt á Degi Grænni byggðar þann 25. september. Vistvæn mannvirkjagerð er margbrotin og að mörgu að hyggja. Áhersla á lækkun kolefnisspors byggingar var í ákveðnum forgangi hjá dómnefnd, en einnig var tekið mikið tillit til samfélagslegra áhrifa mannvirkisins. Í niðurstöðu dómnefndar segir um mannvirkið: Mannvirkið ber með sér vandaða hönnun og samræmingu allra sem að verkinu koma. Hún gefur sterka tilfinningu fyrir mannlegum skala og næmni gagnvart notandanum. Vellíðan notandans er hér í fyrirrúmi auk þess sem efnisval og meðhöndlun þess er unnin á forsendum umhverfisins og arkitektónískrar fagurfræði. Byggingin er vottuð af Svaninum - Norræna umhverfismerkinu sem einnig er hvatning til annarra hönnuða að nýta sér, til aukinnar vistvæni. Niðurstaðan var einhlít þó svo að mjótt væri á munum Mannvirkið se m hlaut Grænu skófluna árið 2024 er Urriðaból - leikskóli í Garðabæ Urriðaból er í eigu Garðabæjar. Að hönnun og framkvæmd stóðu eftirtaldir aðilar: →Arkitekt/Aðalhönnuður: HJARK → Arkitekt: Sastudio →Burðarþolshönnun: Exa nordic →Lagnahönnun: Teknik →Raflagnahönnun: Lota →Hljóðvistarhönnun: Myrra →Landslagshönnun: Teiknistofa Norðurlands →Verkkaupi: Garðabær →Verktaki: Þarfaþing →Eftirlit: Strendingur → Aðalverktaki: Eykt ehf. Hönnunargögn og lýsing 2023 Opið var fyrir tilnefningar mannvirkja til Grænu Skóflunnar frá því í lok apríl til 15. ágúst. Mörg framúrskarandi verkefni voru tilnefnd í ár, og voru mannvirkin fjölbreytt, allt frá stórum stofnunum til tilraunakenndra smáhýsa. Dómnefnd var skipuð stjórn Grænni byggðar, og voru verðlaunin veitt á Degi Grænni byggðar í lok september. Í niðurstöðu dómnefndar segir um mannvirkið: Þessi bygging bar af. Allt frá upphafi markaðist hönnun mannvirkisins af sjálfbærni, hvort sem litið er til framkvæmda- eða rekstrartíma. Áhersla var lögð á efnisval, innivist, orkumál og góða umhverfisstjórnun. Lífsferilsgreiningar og líftímakostnaðargreiningar voru notaðar við ákvarðanatöku í hönnun. Dagsbirtugreiningar voru framkvæmdar ásamt hljóðvistagreiningum. Sem dæmi má nefna að hljóðverkfræðingur skoðaði sérstaklega kröfur um hljóðvist fyrir notendur með sérstakar heyrnar- og samskiptaþarfir. Segja má að einstakur metnaður hafi verið lagður í að tryggja vellíðan vistmanna samhliða því að draga úr neikvæðum umhverfisáhrifum byggingarinnar. Það var mikill samrómur innan dómnefndar og ég held að við séum sammála um að hér sé á ferðinni verkefni sem sýnir: • Framúrskarandi hönnun • Fer lengra en að uppfylla bara skilyrði • Setur ný viðmið fyrir aðbúnað hjúkrunarheimila með vistvænum áherslum • Tryggir samfélagslega sjálfbærni Mannvirkið se m hlaut Grænu skófluna árið 2023 er Móberg - hjúkrunarheimili í Árborg. Móberg er í eigu Sveitarfélagsins Árborg og Heilbrigðisráðu neytisins, og er rekið af HSU. Að hönnun og framkvæmd stóðu eftirtaldir aðilar: → Umsjón hönnunar og framkvæmda: FSRE → Arkitektar: Urban arkitektar ehf. og Loop Architects (DK) → Verkfræðihönnun: Verkfræðistofa Reykjavíkur ehf. → Rafkerfahönnun: Liska ehf. → Ljósvistarhönnun: Liska ehf. → Brunahönnun: Mannvit hf. → Landslag: Hornsteinar arkitektar ehf. → Hljóðhönnun: Brekke Strand (NO) → BREEAM: EFLA hf. → Algild hönnun og ráðgjöf: Harpa Cilia Ingólfsdóttir → Aðalverktaki: Eykt ehf. Hönnunargögn og lýsing 2022 Early this summer, the nominations for the award were opened. Numerous nominations were received from various sources across the country, and the nominations spanned a very wide range of civil engineering, from smaller bridge projects, single-family houses and extensions, to large-scale service facilities and apartment buildings. After a review by a jury, which, this time, was made up of the board of Green Building Council Iceland, one structure was chosen to receive the prize. The jury felt this project stood out quite a bit in many areas. What the jury's verdict said about the structure: During the preparation of the structure, care has been taken in setting goals for the project, both in terms of the social activities that the structure accommodates and the specifications that should be included in its design. When solving the design, a life cycle analysis (LCA) was used for the structure as a whole, which supports the credibility that the building is environmentally friendly and prevents greenwashing. A comparison of the environmental impact of building materials was also made, and the designers' choice of materials was based on its results, which shapes the building's overall and natural appearance. The construction instructions and the project's goals were reflected in the contractor's work and the owner's follow-up with BREEAM certification of design and construction will confirm how the project's sustainability goals will be achieved. The project was a renovation of an older building, where every effort was made to make the best use of the existing concrete structure. This ensured that the construction process was easier than otherwise and prevented the unnecessary production and transportation of new building materials. As such, the building is a worthy model for future reconstructions of older structures. The structure that received the Green Shovel in 2022 is the Brákarborg preschool in Reykjavík at Kleppsvegi 150-152. Brákarborg is owned by the City of Reykjavík . The following parties were responsible for the design and implementation: → Arkís arkitektar ehf. ; → Efla hf. supervised the life cycle analyses (LCA); → Arkamon ehf. was in charge of structural design; → Teknik verkfræðistofa ehf. designed the piping; → Liska ehf. designed the electrical system and lighting; → Kanon arkitektar ehf. were in charge of landscape design; → fire design was in the hand of Mannvit hf. ; → the contractor was Þarfaþing hf. ; → BREEAM certification was under the supervision of Verkís hf. Design data and description
- Byggingarurgangs2022 | Grænni byggð GBCI
Mapping and guidance on the utilization potential of different construction waste About the project The project is about the mapping of different streams of construction waste, and examine which materials are generally suitable for continued use , which can be recycled and which materials must be discarded due to their chemical content. Overview The main goals are to assist parties in the building sector to reuse the construction material waste that is generated and thus contribute to construction waste being handled according to circular economy principles, and the value of construction waste does not deteriorate. The project is realised together with VSO Consulting . The project received a grant from the Icelandic Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate. Skoðið útgáfu verkefnisins hér
- World GBC | Grænni byggð (GBCI)
About World Green Building Council and Europe Regional Network. World Building Council The Green Building Council Iceland is a member of the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) since November 2018. WorldGBC is an umbrella organisation of over 70 Green Building Councils around the world enabling its members to work closely on reducing emissions from the building and construction sector by 2050. If you want to know more about the WorldGBC and its activities, courses, and events, click here . From World Green Building Councils AGM, which GBCI's CEO, Áróra Árnadóttir, and GBCI´s project manager, Katarzyna Jagodzińska, attended. Europe Regional Network WorldGBC network is divided into five regional networks as different regions face different challenges. We are a part of the Europe Regional Network (ERN), gathering not only European Green Building Councils but also key regional partners from the construction and materials sector, and thousands of other members. The ERN's mission is to ensure that sustainability is embedded across the whole sector value chain by leveraging the power and knowledge of our network to transform the European buildings market. To know more about ERN activities, click here . From World Green Building Councils AGM, which GBCI's CEO, Áróra Árnadóttir, and GBCI´s project manager, Katarzyna Jagodzińska, attended.
- EPDs - Byggingarkubbar | Grænni byggð GBCI
Some EDPs on building blocks in Iceland. Environmental product declaration (EPDs) - Building blocks in Iceland PAGO Durisol D365 Standard Block FRAUÐSTEYPA EHF Unreinforced AAC building block BM VALLÁ Filigran element
- Viðburðir 2022 | Grænni byggð GBCI
Green Building Council's (Grænni byggð) events in 2022. 2022 Morning meeting - emission-free construction sites 15/12/2022 In this morning meeting, emission-free construction sites were discussed. There was a presentation on work package 4 in the Nordic Sustainable Construction project, which relates to emission-free construction sites. The Ministry of Infrastructure is responsible for that part of the project and is working on it in collaboration with Green Building Council Iceland (GBCI) and the Housing and Infrastructure Authority. GBCI's staff discussed the system boundaries of the site and solutions, but the emphasis was on discussions and a dialogue between stakeholders. The conversation was rich in knowledge, and therefore the discussion part of the morning meeting has been included in the published recording. Slides are available here . Morning meeting - The design process of the kindergarten in Urriðaholt 25/11/2022 At the meeting, Hulda Jónsdóttir , owner and architect at HJARK , presented the design process of the kindergarten in Urriðaholt. The presentation was in Icelandic. The kindergarten will be located at Holtsvegur 20 and will accommodate up to 120 children. The kindergarten's design process focused on ecological solutions, and Hulda, among other things, reviews this process considering the requirements of Nordic Swan Certification. The building will be made of cross-laminated timber (CLT) on concrete foundations. Reception of construction waste 25/11/2022 The Icelandic Industry Association (Samtök iðnaðarins ) and the Contractors' Association (Mannvirki – félag verktaka ) hosted a meeting on the reception of construction waste. You can find the recording here . The meeting was held in Icelandic. The heating supply - is there always enough? 17/11/2022 Samorka held a morning meeting on the heating utilities and the state of the geothermal resource and reserves. It was also reviewed how the government can support the sustainable development of heating systems. You can access the recording of the meeting here . Carbon footprint of construction - priorities and actions 16/11/2022 Landsvirkjun , Vegagerðin and Isavia , held an open meeting on the carbon footprint of construction and how to minimize it (including what actions are needed). You can access a recording of the meeting on the Facebook page of the event . 03/11/2022 Morning meeting - Design and implementation of Brákarborg This morning meeting discussed the design and implementation of the structure that won the Green Shovel in 2022 - the Brákarborg kindergarten in Reykjavík at Kleppsvegi 150-152, owned by the City of Reykjavík. Gyða Mjöll Ingólfsdóttir and Sólveig Ingimarsdóttir gave the presentation on behalf of the City of Reykjavík, and they both work in the construction and maintenance office of the City of Reykjavík. Gyða Mjöll is project manager for environmental affairs and Sólveig is project manager for new buildings and also project manager for construction. The presentation was given in Icelandic. There are many things that are exemplary in the reconstruction of Brákarborg. The goal setting of the project was ambitious, both in terms of the community activities and results in environmental matters. During design, a life cycle analysis was used and a comparison was made of the environmental impact of building materials, and the choice of materials was then based on the results. The building is BREEAM certified for design and construction, so the follow-up will confirm the sustainability goals. The building houses important social services, but the site can also be used by those who live in its immediate vicinity. The concrete structure was used continuously, and thus the carbon footprint of the building was kept to a minimum. Green Building Day 2022 30/09/2022 The annual Green Building Day was held in IÐNÓ this year on Friday, September 30, 2022. The event began with 12 interesting professional talks given by experts in sustainability in the construction sector. After the presentations, Ragnar Ómarsson, the Chairman of the GBCI board, gave the Green Shovel Award for the first time. Over 130 participants took part in the event. The event was held in Icelandic. The Facebook event can be found here. Agenda: Moderator : Kristjana Ósk Jónsdóttir → Byggjum grænni framtíð: Staða á aðgerðum á ábyrgð HMS sem eru komnar af stað (Þóra Margrét Þorgeirsdóttir, Team leader of the Innovation team , Húsnæðis- og mannvirkjastofnun); → Umhverfisvænasti fermeterinn - Sóknarfærin í samfélagslega ábyrgum rekstri eignasafns FSRE (Guðrún Ingvarsdóttir, CEO , Framkvæmdasýslan-Ríkiseignir); → Þegar núllið verður ætlunarverkið – vegferðin í átt að vistvænni steypuframkvæmdum (Sigríður Ósk Bjarnadóttir, Environmental affairs director, Hornsteinn); → Góðir hlutir gerast (of) hægt (Brynjólfur Bjarnason, Business manager and member of the sustainability committee, Íslandsbanki); → Nýr sjálfbærnisrammi í framkvæmdum (Jón Kolbeinn Guðjónsson, Head of the Faculty of Engineering, Isavia); → Sjálfbærnivegferðin hjá Regin. Hvernig náum við hámarks árangri sem fyrst (Helgi S. Gunnarsson, CEO, Reginn); → Viðbrögð við loftslagsbreytingum (Íris Þórarinsdóttir, Environmental manager, Reitir); → Ártúnshöfðinn - BREEAM vottað hverfi í Reykjavík (Ólöf Kristjánsdóttir from Mannvit – f.h. Reykjavíkurborgar ); → Lágmörkum lífsferilsáhrif virkjana (Jóhanna Hlín Auðunsdóttir, Director of Climate and Green Solutions, Landsvirkjun); → UAveiro green buildings – Dæmi um hringrásarhagkerfi í byggingariðnaði (Ragnar Ómarsson, Expert in the sustainability of structures, Verkís); → Hvernig skilar hönnun lægra vistspori í mannvirkagerð – dæmi frá EFLU (Þórhildur Fjóla Kristjánsdóttir, Energy and environmental engineer, EFLA); → Umhverfisvæn hús í Urriðaholti (Benedikt Ingi Tómasson, Executive director, Vistbyggð). Project meeting of the Nordic Sustainable Construction project in Oslo 07/09/2022 On September 7, the Nordic Sustainable Construction project meeting was held. Green Building Council Iceland is responsible for work package 4 (Emission-free Construction Sites), and the scope of the work package was presented at the meeting. More about the project can be found here . Byggjum grænni framtíð. Roadmap to green infrastructure 2030: Emissions, targets and actions 08/06/2022 On June 8, an event was held organized by Byggjum grænni framtíð about the publication of the 2nd and 3rd parts of the 2030 Environmental Roadmap . Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson, Minister of Infrastructure, and Guðlaugur Þór Þórðarson, Minister of the Environment, Energy and Climate, addressed the guests. Áróra Árnadóttir, CEO of Green Building Council Iceland, and Þóra Margrét Þorgeirsdóttir, project manager of Byggjum grænni framtíð (Build a green future), gave a talk on the roadmap after the two ministers' speeches. The event was held in Icelandic. More information about the road map can be found here . The program can be found here . A recording of the event can be accessed here . Morning meetings 02-05/2022 The first meeting (16/02) was on green building certification systems. The presentations (in Icelandic ) can be found here: Svanurinn BREEAM The second meeting (16/03) was about the circular economy and was held in collaboration with KLAK Icelandic Startups. The presentations (in Icelandic ) can be found here: Hringiða Hringrásarbyggingar SORPA The third meeting (28/04) was combined with the Annual Green Building Council Iceland Meeting. Bridge engineer, Andri Gunnarsson, presented the example of using Icelandic timber in an outdoor bridge over the Þjórsá river. The presentation summary can be found in the meeting minutes (point 6; meeting minutes are in Icelandic ). The fourth meeting (18/05) was on the concrete. The presentation (in Icelandic ) can be found here: Hornsteinn Annual Green Building Council Iceland Meeting 28/04/2022 The Annual Green Building Council Iceland Meeting took place on 28th April at 15:00 in the Verkís lecture hall. In addition to the traditional general meeting activities, the following was on the agenda: → a new project manager introduced the CIRCON project; → the winning proposal from the idea competition for the Green Shovel prize was presented; → Andri Gunnarsson, bridge engineer at EFLA, presented the use of Icelandic timber in a bridge over Þjórsá river. Minutes of the general meeting can be found here (in Icelandic ). Forum on improved energy efficiency in buildings 31/03/2022 OR / Veitur and Green Building Council Iceland held a seminar on the responsible use of natural resources and reducing energy waste. Live video on Facebook can be found here . The event was held in Icelandic. Nordic GBC Webinar #5: Circular Economy in the Real Estate and Construction Sector 10/03/2022 The event was organised within Nordic Green Building Council Network and was held in English. Agenda: → On the importance of Circular Economy (Green Building Council Finland) ; → Introducing the Nordic Network for Circular Construction (Matti Kuittinen, Ministry of the Environment of Finland) ; → State of the Art Analysis on Circularity in the Nordic Construction Sector (Sabine Barth, WSP) ; → How to work with Circularity – New Handbook by the City of Copenhagen (Jens Runge, Chief consultant & head of sustainability) ; → Practical Examples from the Field : - Regional Circularity (Sigríður Ósk Bjarnadótti) ; - Reusing concrete slabs in commercial construction (Henning Fjeldheim, Skanska Norway) . Nordic GBC Webinar #5 Nordic GBC Webinar #4: Resilience and Climate Adaptation 19/01/2022 Live video hér : This webinar was organised within the Nordic Green Building Councils initiative in cooperation with IĐAN Educational Center. Experts in the Nordic countries educated us about the dangers posed by climate change in the Nordic context and climate adaptation of the built environment. The event was held in English. Agenda: → Climate changes in the Nordic countries - The IPCC report and how climate change will act out in the Nordic hemisphere (Dr Guðfinna Aðalgeirsdóttir, Professor of Geophysics, University of Iceland)) ; → Potential impact on the built environment and infrastructure - How the effects of climate change differ between regions (Miisa Tähkänen, Expert in a sustainable built environment, GBC Finland) ; → Scenario Analysis in Climate Related Risks & Opportunities - A scenario approach to baselines for assessment of actions towards resilience and climate adaption (Sigurður Freyr Jónatansson, Expert on financial stability, the Central Bank of Iceland) ; → Climate change adaption in a man-made environment : - Climate Adaption for urban rainwater & sewage systems (Dr Kim Haukeland Paus, Engineer, Asplan Viak) ; - Sankt Kjeld’s Square and Bryggervangen, a case study (Alexandra Vindfeld Hansen, Landscape architect and Head of SLA’s R&D division sLAB). Nordi GBC Webinr #4
- Emission-free construction sites | Grænni byggð GBCI
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.
- Rannsaka möguleikana - Hringrás | Grænni byggð GBCI
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.
- Circular economy | Grænni byggð GBCI
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 .


