Húsasmiðjan and circular solutions in the construction industry

Húsasmiðjan has implemented a variety of circular solutions to minimize waste and ensure that the value of raw materials is used in the best possible way. The company's operations generate various materials, and the goal is to keep them in circulation with responsible use. By promoting reuse and recycling, waste and environmental impact are reduced. In the fall of 2022, Húsasmiðjan began a systematic collaboration with other companies to find solutions that reduce waste. The company had worked on environmental issues before, but with increased cooperation and analysis of the largest environmental impacts, it has been able to implement even better processes and deliver good results. The amount of waste has decreased by 25% since 2022.

Recycling of foam plastic

One solution is reusing white expanded polystyrene (EPS) from products sold at Húsasmiðjan. The plastic is sent to Tempra in Hafnarfjörður, where it is used to produce insulation panels. Húsasmiðjan collects the expanded plastic in bags and uses space in truck trips to deliver it to Tempra. The project began at the end of 2022 and has grown since then; in 2023, 40 m³ of pure expanded plastic were recycled and thus avoided its landfilling. Expanded plastic is 100% recyclable, and the equipment that produces the insulation panels delivers maximum utilization of raw materials and only uses water, steam and air in production.

Video about foam plastic waste

The construction of Húsasmiðjan's new office building in Selfoss also revealed an opportunity to use EPS in a new way. The steel frame of the building was protected with coloured EPS that would otherwise have gone to landfill but was instead used as foundation insulation in a new building nearby, saving 45 m³ of plastic.

→ More about Recycling EPS can be found here.

Plastic film recycling

Reuse of timber

Other circular solutions