20 Nýbygging Alþingis: Smiðja
20 Nýbygging Alþingis: Smiðja, Iceland
Building use | Office | Stories above ground | 5 |
Location | Tjarnargata 9, 101 Reykjavík | Basement area | 1307 m2 |
Client | Framkvæmdasýslan - Ríkiseignir | Structural system | Reinforced concrete |
LCA consultant | EFLA | Façade type | Stone |
Year of completion | 2023 | Roof type | Flat roof |
Reference area | 5962 m2 (gross floor area) | Heat demand /source | District heating |
Smiðja is the new office building for Alþingi, Iceland’s parliament. It has five stories and includes a parking basement. During the design and construction of the building, various sustainability metrics were considered, including energy consumption, waste management, land use, and transportation to and from the site. The building is constructed from reinforced concrete, is externally insulated and clad in natural stone. In order to increase its sustainability, the stones used in the construction, blue ore, grey ore, gabbro and liparite, were responsibly sourced from the foundations of previous construction projects, minimising the need for new materials and reducing the environmental footprint. The life cycle assessment was conducted as a part of the BREEAM certification process.
Assessment method
LCA scheme compliance | BREEAM |
LCA tool version | One Click LCA v 0.33.0 |
Life cycle stages included | A1-A5, B4-B6, C1-C4, D |
Material emission data | Generic and EPDs |
Material decarbonisation scenario | — |
Energy calculation method | — |
Energy, dynamic scenario | LCA study for country specific district heat mixes based on Orkustofnun, OneClickLCA 2017. country specific electricity mixes based on IEA, OneClickLCA 2016 |
LCA results: Life cycle modules
[kgCO2e/m2 reference area * year]
%
[kgCO2e/m2 reference area * year]
The system boundary includes key modules from product, use and end-of-life stages.
In the second figure, Operation includes B6, while materials include A1-A5, B4-B5, C1-C4.
In the third figure, Upfront includes A1-A5, scenarios include B4-B5, C1-C4, and D is shown separately.
In the second figure, Operation includes B6, while materials include A1-A5, B4-B5, C1-C4.
In the third figure, Upfront includes A1-A5, scenarios include B4-B5, C1-C4, and D is shown separately.
LCA results: Building elements
GWP / reference area [kgCO2e/m2 reference area]
Material inventory: All materials
Life cycle modules: A1-3, B4-5, C1-4
Life cycle modules: A1-3, B4-5, C1-4
Building element quantity / reference area [kg building element / m2 reference area]
GWP of building element / building element quantity [kgCO2e / kg building element]
Material inventory: All materials
Life cycle modules: A1-3, B4-5, C1-4
Life cycle modules: A1-3, B4-5, C1-4
Building element quantity per building reference area is a measure for the material intensity, while element impacts per element quantity is a measure for the elements’ carbon intensity relative to their weight.
LCA results: Products
Product quantity / reference area [kg product / m2 reference area]
GWP of product / reference area [kgCO2e/m2 reference area]
Material inventory: Top 10 products with the highest impacts
Life cycle modules: A1-3, B4-5, C1-4
Life cycle modules: A1-3, B4-5, C1-4
Construction product quantity per building reference area is a measure for the material intensity, while product impacts per building reference area is a measure for carbon intensity.