Green structures

Description of the action and objectives

Green Deal action

Emissions from construction in Reykjavík are largely in scope 3 and are beyond the requirements of the climate agreement until after 2030. Nonetheless, efforts are being made to reduce emissions from construction and work on the campaign for the post-2030 climate agreement period. Reykjavík City is a participant in the project management of Building a Green Future, a collaboration between the government and stakeholders in the construction industry for sustainable constructions. This project can, among other things, trace its roots back to action C.3 in the government's action plan on climate change issues. The work involves assessing the annual emission of the construction industry, setting goals to reduce these emissions by 2030, defining actions to achieve these goals, and then systematically working towards them.

 

Implementation period

Planned completion in the second half of 2030

Status: In progress

Status report on January 1, 2024

Work continues on finding ways to reduce emissions over the lifespan of buildings. This includes considering emissions from construction sites, the emissions and recycling of building materials, energy use in buildings, and shared use of existing infrastructure, among other factors. The City has participated in the Task Force for "Building a Greener Future." The City has identified how to reward contractors for using eco-friendly energy sources at construction sites. An infrastructure plan for the City is being developed in close collaboration with key partners such as Veitur Utilities and the Road Administration, among others. The eco-industrial park in Álfsnes is under development, and efforts are being made to certify more of the City's structures as environmentally friendly.

You can read more about the City's actions regarding eco-friendly construction on the Building a Greener Future website.

Older status reports

Below you can find older status reports with information on the progress of the action since its inception (if you're using your phone, it's better to turn it sideways).
  Timing Progress description
  July 2023 Work continues on finding ways to reduce emissions over the lifespan of buildings. This includes considering emissions from construction sites, the emissions and recycling of building materials, energy use in buildings, and shared use of existing infrastructure, among other factors. You can read more about the City's actions on the Building a Greener Future website. Read more here. A status meeting was held August 22 about the progress of actions and the project in general.
  January 2023 Five life-cycle assessments have been conducted on Reykjavík City buildings, and in January 2023, work was done on assessments for two buildings that are in the design phase. Reykjavík City has examined how contractors could be incentivized to use green energy sources on construction sites. Consequently, a model was developed where the quality is evaluated against the cost in construction tenders. To ensure the energy infrastructure from the beginning of construction, work is underway on the City's first 10-year infrastructure plan, aimed to be approved in the fall of 2023 as part of the City's budget. In addition, a working group has been established to consider and implement proposals about an eco-industrial park in Álfsnes, which may include accessible areas for used building materials. Work has been carried out on a tender to find a team to handle feasibility analyses for Reykjavík City and partners regarding the eco-industrial park. All the aforementioned actions are part of the measures in the Guide to Green Construction 2030. This is a joint project between the government and stakeholders in the construction industry about green construction.
  July 2022 Requirements for various environmental factors for selection of contractors for projects on behalf of the Department of Environment and Planning have been further developed. Contractors working on implementation projects have been asked to submit information on energy use, waste management, and other matters related to the projects being worked on. Increased emphasis has been placed on life-cycle assessments and environmental certification (BREEAM) for new construction and major renovations of properties. Reykjavík City participated in meetings and work on the project "Building a Greener Future." The results of the work are published in the "Roadmap to Eco-Friendly Construction 2030". Feedback on the roadmap was also submitted at the end of summer.