Projects

2020 saw the completion of the expansion of the Reykjanesbraut motorway in Hafnarfjörður. This new dual carriageway, 3,2 km long, is a part of the main route between Reykjavík and Keflavík International airport. EFLA, together with sub-consultants, was responsible for the tender design and other consultancies for the project, which involved widening the road from two to four lanes with associated drainage and lighting systems, foot- and cycle paths, extensive noise mitigation, two new footbridges, two new underpasses, widening of a road bridge at the Strandgata junction, and a new junction at Krýsuvíkurvegur.

EFLA and Statnett participated in a pioneering research & development project aimed at developing a new tower made entirely of aluminium for the 420kV transmission network in Norway. 

EFLA has provided consultancy to Agder County Municipality for strengthening of two old steel girder bridges in Agder in Norway. The bridges had formed a bottleneck for road transport in the area. The strengthening design is based on a method which has never been used in Norway before, and it has proven to be beneficial in terms of cost, workability and environmental impact.

A new pedestrian and cycle bridge connecting two neighbourhoods in the suburb of Breidholt, Reykjavik, Iceland, was opened in the autumn of 2018. EFLA's role was the detail design of the bridge along with the design of foot- and cycle paths.

A new bridge across Eldvatn, designed by EFLA in collaboration with the Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration, is the first network steel arch-bridge to be built in Iceland. The bridge is 80 meters long, carrying the 8 m wide road over the Skaftá glacial river.

A growing awareness of the environment and the importance of conserving nature has led to a greater focus on adapting new high-voltage towers to landscapes and surroundings. EFLA has therefore worked closely with industrial designers for many years to meet this challenge in a cost-effective manner with a combination of practical design and innovative solutions.

Emergency Restoration Planning for an 1100 km HVDC line

The objective of the project was to develop an emergency restoration plan for the 1100 km HVDC line considering the impacts on personnel, equipment and spares, potential failure mechanisms, response times, safety and operational risks. The project culminated in several documents being created detailing practical solutions on the way forward to help the utility prepare and effectively respond to an outage or failure of the line.  

Nattland school in Bergen, Norway, is for children in kindergarten age up to 16 years of age. The total size of the new school is 11.500 m². 

EFLA participated in the project in various aspects of the building's design. 

At the famous tourist destination Kjerag in Rogaland, there is a unique design towers that consists of 3 poles. Statnett is the principal, EFLA was responsible for engineering and Widenoja Design, Eva Widenoja created the design concept.

The Blue Lagoon is a unique geothermal seawater spa that is situated in a lava field south of Reykjavík and is one of the best-known places in Iceland.

EFLA Consulting Engineers has worked on numerous engineering design and consultancy at the Blue Lagoon over the years.

Icing on power lines can cause major problems for the transmission network during power line failures. The project's goal is to predict, reduce and effectively remove ice loads on the power lines in Norway.

EFLA was one of 10 partners in the research project, ICEBOX, and will lead two work packages. 

Statnett is building a 300 km 420 kV overhead transmission line (OHTS) from Balsfjord to Skaidi in Troms county. EFLA worked with Statnett from the preparation stage, by assisting with the choice of the line route and making geotechnical estimates for foundation design. Designing the towers and foundations, to assisting with project and site management.

EFLA was responsible for the mechanical and electromechanical design of new 420 kV powerline. The project involved preparation of tender documents, assistance in purchasing and technical support during the construction phase. The project was in the west of Norway close to the town of Bergen.

Kelvin Hall, one of Glasgow's most recognisable structures, was given an extensive refurbishment and development by Page\Park Architects, Harley Haddow and Graven Images. KSLD | EFLA Lighting Design was brought in to design the lighting for the ‘avenue', a long corridor stretching nearly the length of the building, the reception, the cafe, and exterior identity lighting.

This project is the redevelopment of an existing office building at 191 West George Street to create a new entrance sequence, replacing a dated atrium that has been recovered to provide additional lettable floor space.

180 West George Street is located in the heart of Glasgow. It provides high quality spaces for offices and headquarters. Visitors and passers by are greeted with the impressive triple height reception lobby, with lighting designed byKSLD | EFLA Lighting Design.

Landsnet commissioned EFLA to map a prospective and survey an existing power line. The aerial data collected with the drone helped Landsnet to access reliable and accurate data for the planning, design and construction of the power line. Lidar data has been used for line digitization and ground clearance issues.

Statnett is working to reinforce and expand the main grid in the South West of Norway. EFLA is responsible for the design of the all foundations, towers and hardware.

E.ON Elnät Sverige built two 130 kV lines to connect a wind farm in Stamåsen to the local grid. The lines consist of wood poles except where they cross the river Faxälven.

EFLA was responsible for tower spotting, all necessary field work, preparation of all drawings, lists and material specification.

Three reports were done regarding the access to and improvement of sanitation facilities at popular tourist destinations. A status analysis was conducted throughout the country and cost estimated for future development, maintenance and operations. Proposals for future actions were likewise made.

Vattenfall Eldistribution AB, is building a 43 km 150 kV OHTL from Brattmyrliden to Moliden. The line consist mainly of wood poles with few composite poles where poles are located in swamp/farmland. The line will be built parallel to an existing 400 kV line.

EFLA did a flood and waterline report with calculations in 16 waterways in North-Norway. The report included cross-sectional measurements and erosion assessment.

The project involved the design of a wastewater treatment plant for the town of Akureyri as well as an environmental impact assessment of the project and various advice on licensing and assessment of the recipient of the wastewater.

In 2015 PCC started construction for a silicon metal plant in Bakki located in the municipality of Norðurþing in the northern part of Iceland. The operation commenced in 2018. SMS Group and M+W Germany are responsible for the construction.

EFLA designed the buildings in Bakki, supplied a design and building manager and is part of the site management team.

The project included design and assistance with development of the Raufarhólshellir cave and surrounding area for tourism. The parking lot was expanded, a service building was built together with all necessary facilities, and trails, pelts and lighting designed inside the cave. 

Each year, Iceland's transmission system operator's Landsnet publishes Kerfisáætlun (System Plan). The plan includes studies of the transmission system, and a project plan for the next years, plus some future scenarios of the evolution of the transmission system.

The aim of the project was to develop the concept of a tunnel for tourists into the Icelandic glacier Langjökull, undertake all preparation and design, and manage the projects. Due to the nature of the project, great emphasis was placed on environmental and security issues. 

The product of the project is an impressive tourist attraction, which has become very popular and received various awards, e.g. EFLA received the prestigious Darc Awards award for the tunnel's lighting design.

EFLA designed a priority bus lane on Miklabraut highway, as well as walking and cycling path, with vegetated noise barrier between the road and the path. 

EFLA was commissioned to provide a range of services relating to the design of Dyngja, a 40-resident nursery home in Egilsstaðir. 

Creativity played an important role when Landsbankinn's branch in Reykjanesbær needed new lighting. EFLAS's work during the period of August 2012 to April 2013, resulted in a mixed solution of the latest LED fittings combined with traditional recessed solutions. 

The bridge in Fífuhvammsvegur connects Iceland's largest shopping mall, Smáralind, with the commercial and office tower at Smáratorg plaza. The area is densely populated and this zone is one of Iceland's busiest.

The lighting design's main objective was to enrich the bridge and its surroundings with appealing warmth and decoration lighting. Therefore, the design is programmable and colour and intensity can be adapted for different intention. 

On road Fv710 in Bjugn municipality north of Trondheim, EFLA designed three road sections. The work involved the design of new walking and cycling routes along existing roads as well as upgrading current roads. Along with the road design, drainage systems, street lights, road signs and markings were redesigned and tender documents made. 

The project consisted of the preparation and design of a 132-kV underground cable between Fitjar and Helguvík in the Reykjanes peninsula to connect a new substation providing power to a silicon production plant (United Silicon). 

The substation is a Static Var Compensator (SVC) installation, meant to regulate voltage fluctuation and increase the power quality of the 220 kV transmission system at the site. This is done with reactors and capacitors controlled with power electronics (thyristors) operating in the range of -100/150 MVAr. The SVC installation is the first part of a 400/220 kV substation scheduled to be built in the future. 

Ellingsen is an Icelandic retail company that specializes in traveling, outdoor activities and hunting products. The company was founded in 1916 in Reykjavík and has been a cornerstone in Icelandic retail history ever since. In 2006, Ellingsen built new headquarters at Fiskislóð 1 in Reykjavík. 

EFLA designed various systems for the building, including the sanitary-, heating-, drainage-, cooling-, ventilation-, snow melting-, and pressurized air systems. 

EFLA Consulting Engineers oversaw the acoustical design of Höfðatorg. Fire safety and fire system design straties for the car park and risk analysis and fire design.

Eskja hf. launched a new high-tech pelagic freezing plant at Eskifjörður in Iceland. The plant is 7000 m² in size and all production processes are automated. Graphic analysis of the catch with touchless freezers ensures maximum product quality.

EFLA was responsible for the building design of Eskja new freezing plant, including the main/structural diagrams for the pelagic freezing plant. 

Síldarvinnslan hf. (SVN) is a fish processing plant located in the East of Iceland, that mostly produces fish for human consumption.

EFLA has for many years provided SVN with a total service in the field of electrical design for power distribution and industrial control, such as power distribution design for medium and low voltage systems and control and SCADA systems for automation. 

EFLA was commissioned to provide a range of services relating to the design of a facility for children and teenagers with psychiatric problems. 

The building's upper floors include offices and the reception, whereas the ground floor has wards and a cafeteria. A footbridge connects the building to an existing older building and overlooks a small pond. 

Located in southeast Iceland's 12,000 km² Vatnajökull National Park, the Skriðuklaustur visitor centre serves both as a display and conference centre. Vatnajökull National Park occupies about 12% of Iceland's total landmass and is Europe's largest national park.

EFLA was commissioned to provide a range of services relating to the design of a critical range of systems used in the visitor centre's structure. 

Linking the towns of Bolungarvík and Ísafjörður in Iceland's West Fjords, the road around the Óshlíð mountain side opened in 1950. Although primitive by today's standards, the road was considered a major project at the time. From the beginning, the road was exposed to avalanches and rock falls. Despite several improvements and mitigations through the decades, in 2008 a decision was made to construct a tunnel to bypass this dangerous road.

Statnett in Norway hosted a design competition for a new 420 kV transmission line tower type that would blend well into a densely populated urban district in Olso. 

EFLA submitted three proposals for new high-voltage power pylons and won the top two places, the STRAW and the SENTINEL.

EFLA was commissioned to provide a range of services relating to the design of Mánatún 3-17, apartment buildings and parking garage in Reykjavík.

EFLA was commissioned to provide a range of services relating to the design of a 1.950 m² annex to Breiðholt College in Iceland, including 12 class rooms as well as the school's canteen. 

Statnett has been performing voltage upgrade on the existing 300 kV overhead transmission lines (OHTL) with duplex line configuration. In addition to the voltage upgrade, the OHTL's thermal capacity was upgraded. 

EFLA has worked with Statnett since 2009 on all phases of these projects, first with the preparation and planning, including development of work methods, processes and program tools. Later, with design, support during construction and as-built documentation.

The project included renewal of electrical equipment, lighting, telecommunications equipment, traffic controls and more in undersea tunnels.

The project included roads, underpasses, bridges and walkways lighting design, as well as effect lighting in roundabouts and underpasses.

The project included the design, programming and commissioning of traffic control system for large vehicles in single lane tunnels.

EFLA made assessments on traffic noise in various areas of Rogaland state in Norway on behalf of Statens Vegvesen which is the Norwegian Road Administration.

Industrial noise was also assessed.

The main objective of this project was to detail design all concrete structures of the Kárahnjúkar Dam and issue associated construction drawings. The dam is by far the largest hydroelectric power in Iceland.

EFLA created strategies for wind energy utilization to implement in municipal plans already under revision or for municipalities interested in reviewing their policies and strategies in relation to energy utilization.

The project was the design of and consulting on fibre optic systems in a rural area of Fjarðabyggð in East Iceland.

EFLA did a preliminary design/project design and a feasibility study for a wind farm in several potential areas near Hafið, a lava plain above Búrfell mountain in South Iceland.

In addition, EFLA did studies and research for the project and assisted with the environmental impact assessment. EFLA also provided data and assisted with preparation for the Master Plan for Nature Protection and Energy Utilization.

EFLA programmes, tests and commissions Þeistareykir geothermal power plant's control system as well as designing the power houses wireless telecommunication systems.

Statnett, Norway's electrical transmission company, is building a 160 km 420 kV OHTL from Ofoten to Balsfjord in Troms county.

SCADA systems upgrade and replacement for Norðurál primary aluminium smelter.

Upgrade of old SCADA systems at the Norðurál primary aluminium smelter and replacement of old SCADA software to increase safety and reliability.

EFLA Consulting Engineers participated in the construction of a data centre expansion for Verne Global, the leading colocation operator in Iceland, where EFLA's scope was a turnkey package for the mechanical control systems.

Opened in September 2009, the Mjóifjörður bridge represented the final phase of improvements to the Djúpvegur route in Iceland's Westfjords, along with another EFLA project, the 25 km road traversing the Arnkötludalur valley.

EFLA was asked to perform traffic counting and analysis for the intersection of Vesturlandsvegur and Borgarbaut in Borgarnes. EFLA used a drone to perform this study.

EFLA was commissioned to provide a range of key design services in the construction of a new residential neighbourhood at Urriðaholt in Garðabær, one of the towns in the Reykjavík conurbation. 

Located at the southern end of the capital area, Hafnarfjörður municipality has a population of 25,000 and is home to eight primary schools. 

EFLA was commissioned to conduct a survey of safe ways to schools in the municipality and pedestrians crossings, and draft proposals for improvements. 

EFLA, in collaboration with Studio Granda architects, have designed a bridge on the newly constructed road Fellsvegur crossing the Úlfarsá river in a suburb of Reykjavík. The bridge is 46 meters long over three spans, made of concrete. The bridge deck is post-tensioned. 

EFLA, in collaboration with Brownlie Ernst and Marks Architects, has carried out the tender design of a new foot- and cycling bridge at the Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo.

The project also involves the design of a new layout of footways and roads, drainage and lighting systems, a landscaping scheme, new configuration of electrical and communications cabling in the area, geotechnical design, environmental studies and the auditing of existing nearby buildings. 

Tender design of a system of foot- and cycleways, bus lanes, bridges, drainage systems for surface water, cabling and electrics, lighting, landscaping, geotechnics and environmental engineering. 

EFLA was commissioned to conduct a preliminary design of an upgrade of a footpath to a segregated foot- and cycle path in Reykjavík municipality.

EFLA is currently working on the preliminary design of a new bridge crossing the Ölfusá river, just north of the town of Selfoss in the south of Iceland. The bridge will be a cable stayed bridge, the first of its kind in Iceland. The two main spans of the bridge will be 145 and 155 meters long, the longest bridge spans in Iceland to date. 

EFLA prepared a report, where information is gathered on the development of total gain of electricity supply to an electrically heated home that uses 30,000 kWh / year and 85% of the energy goes to heating. 

Furthermore information on taxes and subsidies are compiled. The development of cost is shown since the Electricity Act came into force in 2005 and until 2017. 

EFLA Consulting Engineers was retained by Norðurál Helguvík ehf. and Reykjavík Energy to pre-design a 90 MWe Geothermal Power plant at Hverahlíð in the south of Iceland. Three geothermal wells where drilled and confirmed steam to support 45MWe. 

The deliverable was a feasibility report and a detailed project plan for the development of few power plant configurations showing Capex, investment, Opex and reinvestment for reflecting the electrical price needed for the Geothermal Power Plant. 

EFLA and Studio Granda architects won a competition staged by the City of Reykjavík and the Icelandic Road Administration, for the design of three pedestrian bridges as part of a major overhaul of the city's traffic system. The project also included the design of foot- and cycle paths. 

Design of a 16.5 km long strip of a new road (Fv715) from Keiserås to Olsøy in Trøndelag in Norway. The road is part of the toll route network "Fosenvegene". 

EFLA Consulting Engineers handled supervision for the construction of the powerhouse for a 2 x 45 MWe geothermal power plant at Þeistareykir, Iceland, including all interior and exterior finishes. EFLA also supervised the laying of pipes for steam supply systems. 

EFLA has carried out the tender design of a new steel bridge for pedestrians and cyclists at Nygaardstangen by Store Lungegårdsvann bay in Bergen, Norway. 

Tender design of foot- and cycle paths, drainage system and lighting was also a part of the project, as well as the geotechnical design of an underwater landfill.

EFLA, in collaboration with Studio Granda architects, have carried out the design of a footbridge across the Markarfljót river into the Þórsmörk nature reserve in the south of Iceland. The surroundings at the bridge site are mostly untouched by man. 

It has therefore presented a challenge to the project team to provide a design that integrates the bridge with the environment. Strong winds in the area were another key criterion in the design process. 

As a part of a larger project to widen and alter the Reykjanesbraut Highway through Hafnarfjörður town, EFLA, in collaboration with Studio Granda architects, carried out the design of an underpass under the highway. 

The underpass is located at Suðurholt in Hafnarfjörður and improves the pedestrian links between the town's neighbourhoods on both sides of the highway. 

EFLA was responsible for the design of all electrical systems, lighting design and the design and commisioning of the building management system when the hotel was extended and a new conference centre added.

The project constituted project planning, tender and detail design of the Búðarháls HPP Civil Works in addition to diverse consultancy related to the project over its existence. 

At the request of Elkem Iceland, EFLA Consulting Engineers prepared a noise map and estimated the sound propagation within the company's lot. 

EFLA designed a surface water drainage system of the Solasplitten highway in Norway, so that all surface water falling on the road is channelled into sediment ponds before being released into the municipal water system. 

Noise map and sound propagation from drilling sites.

A system for environmental impact assessment of food and drink products.

The project's goal was to design a harmonized system for environmental impact assessment of food and drink products, providing reliable information for consumers and stakeholders.

EFLA measured and mapped the noise from Hafnarfjörður's harbour activity, because of a new nearby residential area. 

A life cycle assessment (LCA) was carried out on electricity transmission via overhead lines (OHL) and underground cables (UGC) in the Icelandic transmission system. 

The project aim was to assess the total environmental impacts of the country‘s electricity transmission system from a life cycle perspective.

EFLA performed a life cycle assessment of electricity generation in two research wind turbines (2 x 900 kW), situated at Hafið by Búrfell in Iceland. 

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is used to assess the environmental impact of a product, process or service from cradle to grave. The standardized method can be used to compare environmental impacts of similar products and services.

The Energy Forecast Committee is a cooperation of several major companies, institutions and organizations in Iceland's energy industry, as well as Statistics Iceland and the National Registry. 

The electricity group of the forecast committee works on electricity forecasts that are issued every five years and recalculated annually based on new data on energy use and societal development.

Veitur operates a number of sewage systems in the Borgarfjörður region of southwest Iceland serving, among other places, the communities of Bifröst, Hvanneyri, Reykholt and Varmaland.

A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was performed for hydroelectric generation from three different hydropower plants in Iceland operated by Landsvirkjun. 

The assessment was carried out in compliance with international standards ISO 14040 and ISO 14044, identifying different phases or components of the life cycle carrying the heaviest environmental burdens.