The Importance of Student Services (FS) in the Fight Against Climate Change

Graphics: Margrét Aðalheiður Þorgeirsdóttir

Translation: Brynjarr Þór Eyjólfsson

In an ever-changing world where technological advances occur at an increasingly rapid pace, we must not forget that humans and nature are connected by strong bonds, though we may also say that disconnectedness has come about because of the movement of a massive number of people to cities around the world. Cities as such have developed unbelievably quickly due to changes in technology, and various movements in urban planning have arisen. The current prevailing movement is characterised by sustainability, as climate issues have been in the spotlight the last few years.

Climate/air quality and planning

Different types of pollutants can be found in the atmosphere, but they differ in that they can have either a local or global influence. Air pollution is a term Icelanders have been hearing more and more often in the last few years, but before then it was barely known. We often talk about greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, ozone, and so-called halocarbon (CFC), and these affect the (global) climate. Airborne particles, NOx, and carbon monoxide are among the substances that impact (local) air quality, and in that context, the biggest cause of pollution is vehicular emissions and other impacts related to cars, such as studded tires that tear up the road. 

To counteract the release of these substances, we need to tackle the root of the problem, which, among other things, is city traffic. It is crucial that city planning consider other transportation solutions. As already mentioned, the leading movement in this area has concentrated on the sustainability of cities, and one part of this is the advent of the “20-minute neighbourhood” concept. One of the objectives of the greater Reykjavík area’s current regional development framework[1] is that the city be shaped by the criteria it lays out. The “20-minute neighbourhood” concept means that residents should be able to walk to the neighbourhood centre within 20 minutes and that all major services (such as schools and grocery stores) should be distributed throughout the neighborhood. Active modes of transportation and improved public transport also play key roles in getting people from place to place, which is good for the environment as well as air quality.

The campus and its future prospects

If we take the idea of the “20-minute neighbourhood” and apply it to the university, with the area centred around Háskólatorg, then it stretches across a 1.6-km distance in all directions. It would extend, for example, to Grandi, Skerjafjörður, and Norðurmýri. However, the school area is much smaller, characterised by instructional buildings on either side of Suðurgata and student residences, the majority of which are south of Sturlugata. There are plans for the City Line (Borgarlínan) to run through the area along these streets.

 Recently, news broke that the University of Iceland is interested in acquiring Bændahöllin, better known as Hótel Saga, and formal talks have already begun.[2] There are ideas about moving the Faculty of Education into that building and to also use it for offices and student housing. This is in accordance with the university’s policy of having all of its operations in one place. On the radio programme Flakk, there was a discussion about the university area and it turns out that a framework strategy for the area is in progress, the main idea being the same: to form a proper “campus” as is common in other parts of the world. Student Council President Isabel Alejandra Díaz said on the television programme Baráttan: 100 ára saga Stúdentaráðs that students’ dream would be to have a more sustainable university community, more dynamic public transport around the university area as well as more green spaces.[3]

What does Student Services have to do with this?

Student Services’ main project has been to oversee student apartments, which have, in large part, been built near the university, but also at Lindargata, Brautarholt, and Skógarvegur. University life thrives around the clock when students can, with no worries, secure housing as close as possible to the university; otherwise, Vatnsmýri can become rather lifeless after 5 o’clock on any given day.

FS also provides the important local services that are needed if we are striving for sustainability and a 20-minute neighbourhood. Háma and the Student Cellar each offer food and drink as well as a place for students to enjoy themselves alone or with a good group of friends. Student Services preschools also play an important role, as one of the reasons that students here use public transportation less than students abroad is that they have children and have to get them to school, which is not always near their homes. Thus, FS preschools, located close to student housing and to the university buildings, help shorten students’ travel times. 

The biggest complaint residents in student housing have is the lack of a real grocery store. Krambúð is certainly right in the middle of the housing area, but students want and need a discount store. The closest ones are located too far away, right at the border of the 20-minute neighbourhood out at Grandi, and it is extremely difficult to get there without a car. Student Services runs the student bookstore, Bóksala Stúdenta, as well as the student co-op, Kaupfélag, which does not sell groceries. Vísindagarðar presents the perfect opportunity to meet the needs of the people who live nearby. Finally, we may mention the bakery on Fálkagata, sorely missed by engineering students and now standing empty. It would be nice to get a café there or even bring back the “shopkeeper on the corner”, which older generations will remember – though he could never take the place of a discount store.

[1] Svæðisskipulag höfuðborgarsvæðisins 2015-2040. 2015. SSH.

[2] Helgi Vífill Júlíusson (March 17, 2021). Kaup Háskólans á Bændahöllinni í formlegt ferli. Fréttablaðið.

[3] Baráttan: 100 ára saga Stúdentaráðs, episode 4. February 24, 2021. RÚV.