Sustainability

The sustainability framework is an instrument to define a bespoke approach on sustainability, and provide informed, long-term sustainable development for the K64 masterplan.

The sustainability framework includes prioritisation, directives and connects to internal drivers as well as global principles and policies. It provides a vision, backed by a number of principles, and key performance indicators (KPIs) from which strategies can be derived and mechanisms identified required for monitoring and implementation. 
The sustainability framework has been developed to be adhered to in the project’s ongoing development process. The purpose of a sustainability strategy is to ensure that it reflects the client’s aspirations regarding their sustainable business strategy, new aspirations beyond that and a sustainable project implementation and operation that delivers upon those aspirations. ​
The framework provides an overarching structure and principle that aligns sustainability principles with the cross-cutting themes of the masterplan.

defines a concept of limited capacity which cannot be exceeded without negative consequences.

setting out a review on global, national and regional sustainability drivers, as well as sector-specific sustainability challenges, contextualizing the project within a wider context. This section scrutinizes goals and aspirations from the developers, national and international frameworks, as well as local policy documents.​

following review of the key drivers, emerging design concepts and engagement across the project team as part of the masterplan stage, a set of five objectives have been developed defining ambitious goals. These Key Principles are Nature First, People Centered, Connected, Resource Efficient and Diversified Economy.

are the subtopics under the Key Principles concretising and structuring these.

define specific objectives and measures in order to effectively monitor and evaluate performance. Therefor it is critical for all key results to have quantifiable indicators.

through integrating sustainability schemes into the different disciplines (Urban Design, Mobility, Landscape, Economy, Energy) of the masterplan process, as well as next steps that are considered crucial to deliver against the targets set out.

The Five Capitals model
To ensure that the development process of the sustainability framework for K64 has been robust and coherent it has been aligned with the Five Capitals model, which represents the leading thinking on sustainability.
The Five Capitals model defines a concept of limited capacity which cannot be exceeded without negative consequences. It also establishes important interlinkages and a hierarchy of nature feeding human and societal growth, enabling manufacturing and financial growth.
The Five Capitals model is based on the capital theory approach. The definition proposed for capital is ‘a stock that yields a flow of valuable goods or services into the future’. If natural, human or social capital declines, then this is not classed as sustainable. 
The Five Capitals model provides a basis for understanding sustainability in terms of the economic concept of wealth creation or capital. Organisations use all five types of capital to provide their offer. A sustainable organisation will maintain and where possible enhance these stocks of capital assets, rather than deplete or degrade them.

Key drivers and considerations
Global Trends, Drivers &amp; Best Practice On the global level there are The United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which were developed to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all by 2030. As Keflavik has a significant opportunity to contribute to progress across the UN SDGs the existing sustainability strategy is been aligned to it. Moreover, there are different Green building certifications as BREEAM, DGNB, LEED and WELL that contribute to the trends.

National strategies &amp; targets The National Strategies and Targets in Iceland are based on the global trends and documents, specifying the aims in plans and strategies. 

Regional strategies &amp; initiatives The two municipalities Suðurnesjabær and Reykjarnesbær are the key regional drivers of the development, thus their plans are considered in the strategy.

Internal aspirations &amp; local initiatives The two main players of K64 are Kadeco and Isavia, who steer development with their sustainability objectives.

The 17 SDGs are internationally recognised. The goals are integrated—they recognise that action in one area will affect outcomes in others, and that development must balance social, economic and environmental sustainability.

The EU taxonomy establishes a list of environmentally sustainable economic activities with a focus on: <ul><li>Climate change mitigation and adaptation</li><li>Protection of water and marine resources</li><li>Transition to a circular economy</li><li>Protection and restoration of biodiversity and ecosystems</li></ul>

Following the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26), Iceland reiterated its commitments. Focus areas of the COP26 were:<ul><li>Moving away from fossil fuels</li><li>Stepping up support for adaptation</li><li>Halt and reverse forest loss</li><li>Limit methane emissions</li></ul>

Through green building certification, the associated environmental, social and economic impacts during the lifecycle of buildings and other infrastructures can be better understood and mitigated.

The actions towards SDGs focus on: <ul><li>Sustainable fisheries and agriculture</li><li>Renewable energies </li><li>Reduction of unemployment </li><li>Sustainable urban-rural development challenges </li><li>Reduce proportion of untreated wastewater by 50% </li><li>Circular economy </li><li>Create networks of protected areas </li></ul>

Main topics:<ul><li>Clean energy transition</li><li>Carbon neutrality through carbon capture &amp; storage, transition to a circular economy </li><li>Nature conservation &amp; protection of biodiversity </li></ul>

Main topics:<ul><li>Decrease of emissions in 2030 by 40%</li><li>Carbon neutrality by 2040 </li><li>Clean energy transition in transport </li></ul>
Sectors to reduce the emissions:<ul><li>Energy -67%</li><li>Transport -21% </li><li>Waste Management -66% </li><li>Agriculture -5%</li><li>LULUCF +515% (carbon sequestration) </li></ul>

Main topics:<ul><li>Nature conservation and minimized environmental impact</li><li>Competitivity &amp; value creation </li><li>Sound and resilient countrywide infrastructure </li><li>Secure energy supply </li><li>Energy transition &amp; climate matters </li><li>Renewable energy </li><li>Energy efficiency, smart technology &amp; diversity </li><li>Benefit to society and consumers </li></ul>

Suðurnesjabær
Municipal Plan of Suðurnesjabær 2022-2034 Suðurnesjabær Municipal Plan involves the following qualitative strategies and targets:
<ul><li>Improved water quality</li><li>Increased share of renewable energies</li><li>Increasing productivity in the economy</li><li>Sustainable tourism to create jobs</li><li>Sustainable, reliable and flexible infrastructure</li><li>Affordable housing</li><li>Climate change mitigation</li><li>Ecosystems and biodiversity</li></ul>

Reykjanesbær
Reykjarnesbær Strategy 2020-2030
Reykjarnesbær Strategy focuses on the following qualitative sustainability related issues:
<ul><li>Enhance connection of residential areas with commerce and services</li><li>Improve public transport </li><li>Strengthen and support wellbeing of residents </li><li>Ecological society working towards sustainability for future generations </li></ul>

Kadeco
General objectives
<ul><li>Kadeco is striving towards economic development, resilient and flexible developments. </li><li>The project’s goal is to create an environmentally, socially and economically sustainable and resilient airport area </li><li>The plan is intended to support employment in the region </li><li>Flexibility in the development due to trends in the future</li></ul>
 Analysis of regional context for the Keflavík Airport development area
<ul><li>The project’s goal is to create an airport area which is environmentally, socially and economically sustainable, as well as resilient. </li><li>Reduced emissions of greenhouse gases to be a powerful tool for gaining support from society, improving communication with the authorities and attracting investors from the private sector. </li><li>We will attempt to build on Keflavík Airport’s position as a force for creating employment, to strengthen the current industries in the airport area and to create new opportunities for inhabitants in the municipalities around the airport. </li><li>Successful airport areas acknowledge that the development of a diverse group of customers, operations and land use are necessary for securing a long-term economic resilience for both the airport and the surrounding communities. </li></ul>

Isavia
Sustainability Policy of Isavia:
<ul><li>Isavia has set the objective of being carbon free in 2030</li><li>Minimise the environmental impact of future construction and operations through circular economy </li><li>Electricity use in the terminal building will decrease by 15% until 2026 </li><li>The proportion of sorted waste is to be 45% in 2022, 55% in 2025 and 70% in 2030 </li></ul>

The sustainability vision for the Keflavik Airport area is framed around drivers, targets and strategies at a global, regional and organisational levels. Aligned with the Five-Capital Model, the identified themes were then clustered to define overarching principles.

Consideration of themes in drivers

„Keflavík Airport area extension as a catalyst and lighthouse for Iceland‘s ambitious multifaceted sustainable development agenda.“

“Work towards adaptation and mitigation of climate change and preserve natural assets, enhance ecosystems and biodiversity and mitigate environmental impact.”

“Strengthen and support the wellbeing of residents and elevate the overall quality of living and experience for residents and visitors.”

“Create a highly connected mobility network based on sustainable, reliable and flexible infrastructure for all while supporting the clean energy transfer in transport.”

”Prioritise efficiency and circularity, and achieve carbon neutrality aspirations by clean energy, reducing resource demand and waste generation.”

“Create diversified economic opportunities that enhance resilience in support of the rapid transition to a low carbon economy, whilst attracting global visitors and green investment opportunities.”

Sustainability

Sustainability framework

Development and review process

Sustainability model

Drivers

Drivers - Global trends

National drivers & targets

Regional targets

Internal drivers

Identified themes from the drivers

Sustainability framework principles