Frida Nilsen

Towards material independence – Akranes cement factory

The scarcity and even absence of local construction materials has made Icelanders dependent on imports from other European countries; timber from Norway, corrugated steel from Britain and cement from Denmark. Located in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, Iceland is exposed to harsh climate and earthquakes. This demands high quality buildings strong enough to withstand the geologic activity. The search for a construction material that was able to withstand the Icelandic climate conditions was found in concrete in the late 19th century. Concrete soon became the most used construction material continuing to present day. However, the Icelanders were for decades still dependent on the import of the binding agent in concrete: cement. It wasn’t until after the union with Denmark was dissolved in 1944 that the Icelanders decided to build the country’s first and only cement factory, producing the only missing compound to become material independent from the rest of the world.

Frida Nilsen

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Towards material independence – Akranes cement factory