AVS. Arkitektúr verktækni skipulag - 01.12.1997, Qupperneq 52

ENGLISH SU
This issue of AVS focusses on the
importance of effective planning, with
particular reference to the construction
industry in Iceland.
PAGEll URBAN LIGHTING
A proposal for a new street-lighting
plan for central Reykjavík was
approved by municipal authorities in
1997, based on work carried out since
1995 to achieve a consistent lighting
scheme for the old districts of the city.
Most lighting arrangements have hither-
to been based purely on technical con-
siderations, but the new proposal aims
to complement the old buildings with
suitable lighting, for which higher costs
are acceptable. The scheme allows for
five types of lighting, including 8-10
metre-high lampposts on main roads, 4-
5 metre-high lampposts on residential
roads with a 30 k.p.h. speed limit, spe-
ciality lamps for certain old, renovated
districts, and floodlighting for certain
buildings and works of art.
PAGE17 ICELANDIC CON-
STRUCTION INDUSTRY IN 2005
The Federation of Icelandic Industries
recently organised a brain-storming
project, with the objective of creating a
"Future vision" of the construction
industry in Iceland in the year 2005.
This is some of what they foresee:
strong, profitable companies of all sizes,
collaboration with companies abroad.
Icelandic companies take the lead in
development of building techniques for
harsh northem climatic conditions.
High standards of design, maintenance
and environmental awareness. Icelandic
contractors active on the intemational
market. Employment in construction
will be an attractive prospect, due to
good salaries and other benefits. Tax
burdens on constmction are reduced,
and an effective system of tenders is
developed. Professionalism, a high
standard of education and training, and
effective quality control will be the hall-
marks of the construction industry.
Emphasis is placed upon research and
development. This is the target for
2005.
PAGES 22-38 PARTY POLICIES
ON ICELANDIC CONSTRUCTION
AVS asked spokesmen for each of
Iceland's political parties to discuss
their party policies on construction.
PAGE 22 INDEPENDENCE PARTY
Parliamentarian Sturla Böðvarsson
describes the Independence Party’s pol-
icy as being based upon the importance
of stability, faith in private enterprise
and limited state intervention. He
emphasises the importance of design
and good technical training, and use of
the tender system. Direct participation
by state institutions in matters of design
and construction should be reduced.
PAGE 26 WOMEN'S ALLIANCE
Kristín Halld's Alliancem. Direct partic-
ipation by state institutions in matters of
design and constmction should be
reduced. in private enterprise and lim-
ited state intervention. He emphasises
the importance of design and good tech-
nical training, and better planning at the
government level, and emphasises the
importance of environmental factors,
together with research and develop-
ment.
PAGE 29 PROGRESSIVE PARTY
Parliamentarian Hjálmar Arnason
speaks for his party. He argues that
greater stability will lead to increased
availability of finance, and hence stimu-
late business and construction. He sug-
gests tax reforms to increase the avail-
ability of investment capital.
M M A R Y
PAGE 33 SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC
PARTY
Parliamentarian Guðmundur Arni
Stefánsson explains SDP policy. He dis-
cusses the problem of the influence of
regional politics in decision-making,
leading to unnecessary expenditure of
public funds. He argues that the present
system of constituencies should be abol-
ished, so that all members of parliament
would represent the whole country, and
not a single region. He suggests that the
turnkey tender approach is more practi-
cal than the traditional tender, which
often leads to tension between design-
ers/architects and contractors. He stress-
es the importance of the intemational
market.
PAGE 40 CONSTRUCTION AND
RESEARCH
Hákon Olafsson, director of the
Building Research Institute, points out
that the political parties place little
emphasis on the importance of research,
and argues that this factor is under-val-
ued. The Building Research Institute
was founded in 1965, and now has a
staff of 45. Research by the institute, in
collaboration with other state bodies,
has yielded considerable results which
have benefited home-owners and -
builders, e.g. regarding alkaline activity
and deterioration of concrete, and inex-
pensive methods of improving water-
resistance, studies on insulation, dou-
ble-glazing, etc. More research, howev-
er, ought to be carried out in many other
fields, such as plumbing and drains, fire
studies, etc. The institute's limited fund-
ing, however, means that these subjects
cannot be pursued.
PAGE 43 HUMAN RESOURCES
AND EMPLOYMENT POLICY
Mechanical engineer Runólfur Olafsson
discusses the importance of ensuring the
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