Icelandic Visitors Centre receives BREEAM certification
Icelandic Visitors Centre, Snæfellsstofa in Vatnajökull national park, is the first new construction in Iceland to receive both BREEAM sustainability certificate for design and post construction stage.
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Photo by Sigurgeir Sigurjónsson
The BREEAM assessment process evaluates the whole life cycle of buildings from planning to in-use and refurbishment and values series of categories, ranging from energy to ecology. Each of these categories addresses the most influential factors, including low impact design and carbon emissions reduction; design durability and resilience; adaption to climate change; and ecological value and biodiversity protection. Within every category, developments score points – called credits – for achieving targets, and their final total determines their rating.
The category issues in the overall assessment are:
- Energy efficient building solution
- Health and wellbeing of building occupants, visitors and others
- Reducing potable water consumption (external and internal)
- Materials management during construction, maintenance and repair
- Sustainable management of construction, operational waste and waste
- Prevention and control of pollution and surface water run-off
- Sustainable land use, habitat protection and creation
- Better access to sustainable transport for buildings users
- Sustainable management through construction and operation of the building
BREEAM core values is to design and construct buildings that brings sustainable value to its developments, are more efficient and generate sustainable environments that enhance the wellbeing of the people who live and work in them. The visitor center, Snæfellsstofa, received three stars out of five and the final score to 53.9% and achieved the rating "Good".
EFLA was in charge of the environmental consulting for certification of the building as well as take care of all engineering consultancy services, except electricity. Architect of the construction was Arkís and Landmótun designed the buildings site. FSR – Government Construction Contracting Agency administered construction of the project.