Arnhildur Pálmadóttir nominated for the Nordic Council Environment Prize 2024

Arnhildur Pálmadóttir, architect is nominated for the Nordic Council Environment Prize 2024 for her interdisciplinary interest and focus on the reuse of building material. There are eight nominees and the prize will be awarded in Reykjavík in the fall.

This year, the Nordic Council Environment Prize honours sustainable construction, focusing on transformative (also called adaptive) recycled architecture and regenerative construction. 

Construction accounts for approximately 40% of global CO2 emissions, an unsustainable figure at a time of increased demand for new buildings. In its text describing the theme, the adjudication committee emphasised what we pass on to future generations.

The winner of the 2024 Nordic Council Environment Prize will be announced in the autumn (to be updated) and the prize will be awarded at the Session of the Nordic Council in Reykjavík, Iceland. The winner will receive the Nordlys statuette and DKK 300,000.

About the nomination:

With her entrepreneurial attitude and an interdisciplinary interest Arnhildur Pálmadóttir inspires and encourages changes in urban planning, architecture and construction of buildings. In her projects she focuses on reuse of building material and sustainability of construction and future use. 

Pálmadóttir's work focuses on integrations and finding solutions with a focus on long-term use. She runs the Icelandic branch of the Danish architecture and innovation company Lendager, which specializes in sustainability and circularity in construction. She also teaches at the design department at the Iceland Academy of the Arts, she has written articles and texts related to innovation, technology and sustainability in design and construction, and she has given lectures on the subject. 

Pálmadóttir has designed buildings with half the carbon footprint of conventional buildings. She investigates the possibilities of controlling active lava flows into forms to create buildings, she uses LCA’s actively as a decision-making tool throughout the design process, designs with circularity in mind and with a focus on creating opportunities for leading a more sustainable lifestyle.