Laugavegur 176

The so-called old television house, which once housed the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service, stands by Laugavegur 176. Today, extensive construction is underway by Reitir, with plans to open a new hotel there in the fall of 2026.

Backstory

Photo: Reitir

A reuse plan for the building was carried out by VSÓ in 2021, and the results laid an important foundation for the reuse of various elements in the building. Proposals for the preservation of building components were largely followed, as a decision was made to retain the concrete structure for the most part. However, it should be noted that a considerable amount of the structure was removed due to adaptation to the changed use, and considerable reinforcement of the structure had to be undertaken following the results of an assessment, which was not expected. Plans for individual parts to be reused also went ahead, and Efnisveitan continued to distribute various building materials, furnishings, and equipment.

Despite the reuse plan, a permit was applied for to demolish the building in 2023, which was rejected by the city authorities due to zoning, while also citing environmental reasons, as the embodied carbon in concrete structures is very high. The reason for the application was that the cost of demolition and new construction was estimated to be lower than reusing the building. After the rejection, a building was designed that followed the reuse plan as closely as possible. A life cycle assessment was carried out in 2024, when the design was well advanced and no major changes have been made to the design since then. The main results of the analysis were that the lifecycle carbon emissions of the building are estimated at 4060 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents, of which 290 kg/m2 of CO₂ equivalents are embodied.

Factors that reduce resource use

The hotel is designed and built according to the BREEAM New Construction certification system and therefore follows internationally recognized sustainability criteria.

Key sustainability factors in design and operation:

• Triple glass for lower energy consumption and better acoustics

• Solutions that save water and energy in operation

• Healthy indoors and good natural light

• Non-openable windows to prevent unnecessary heat loss

• Prefabricated units widely used in both the structural and interior. The bathrooms, for example, are mostly prefabricated units from Denmark. Prefabricated units are built in workshops where standardized production ensures less waste, compared to when parts are built on site.

• Steel in the structural structure and CLT units in the closure of the external walls are two factors that reduced the use of concrete.

• Dry concrete in the floor, instead of an anhydrite infill and float on top, saves about 6 thousand liters of water per floor.

Challenges related to circularity

Not everything in the project went according to plan and there are several lessons that can be learned from the experience. For example:

1. Prefabricated units were partially used, to reduce waste. However, some of the units suffered moisture damage during transport and storage, as they were not packaged in a way that would withstand the Icelandic weather. The lesson from this is that such units need to be better prepared before transport and each one must be inspected carefully before they are landed. It is also important that the storage location is in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.

2. Another challenge was that the building and the structure was not in line with the existing drawings of the house and as a result more of the house had to be demolished than initially planned. As a result, the structure had to be reinforced with concrete elements, which meant increased costs and a longer construction period.

The project uses a variety of solutions to reduce the environmental impact of the building. Circular solutions such as a reuse plan play a major role in this process. This project can demonstrate that the reuse of buildings is a real and exciting possibility, where environmental protection and local history go hand in hand. As municipalities have begun to set climate goals and have in some cases banned the demolition of older buildings from environmental considerations, it is important for builders to adapt and learn from those who are doing well.

Photo: Reitir