Contact
Birgir Örn Smárason
Research Group Leader
birgir@matis.is
The group works systematically to increase sustainability and value creation in food production, strengthening Icelandic products and industry.
We focus on life-cycle assessment (LCA), environmental impact mapping, and robust carbon-footprint calculations from raw materials to consumption. We study how to expand food supply while safeguarding resources, notably via circular-economy solutions and by-product valorisation.
We enable system-level transitions by developing data and modelling pipelines, operational protocols and standards. We integrate nature-based solutions (NbS), climate adaptation and mitigation, and the energy transition into value-chain design to reduce emissions, build resilience and improve overall sustainability. We also assess emerging proteins and ingredients and their social, economic and environmental performance.
The group leads and contributes to innovation and research projects and provides advisory services to companies and public bodies—from baseline measurements and data collection to strategy and implementation. Our goal is transparency, comparability and practical tools that accelerate the transformation of Iceland’s food system.
Examples of research projects currently being worked on:
- Orkunýtni fyrir grænar fiskveiðar – Bætt orkunýtni, lægra kolefnisspor, orkuskipti og stafrænar lausnir sem stuðla að aukinni sjálfbærni í sjávarútvegi á norðurlöndunum
- KÍM – Kolefnisspor íslenskra matvæla – þróun aðferða og útreikningar á kolefnisspori helstu matvælaflokka
- MarineGuardian – Sjálfbærari fiskveiðar og verndun vistkerfa í Atlantshafi og Norður-Íshafi
- NATALIE – Hvernig geta náttúrumiðaðar lausnir verið mótvægi við áhrif loftslagsbreytinga í Evrópu?
- GIANT LEAPS – mat á virðiskeðjum og sjálfbærni nýpróteina og skilgreina framtíðarfæði sem stuðlar að betri umhverfi og heilsu