About us

exa nordic is a structural design and project management practice that was established based on the ideology of joining the expertise of engineers and architects. With that perspective we emphasise the user experience, ergonomics, sustainability and economy both in construction and maintenance.

In close collaboration with architects we seek to harvest the knowledge and insight of engineers in the creative process at early stages of projects. By doing so we promote building design where beautiful architecture enhances its surroundings in agreement with nature and at the same time is based on good engineering principles.

We offer our clients top notch services that are based on good communication and tested project management principles. Listening closely to the needs of our clients is a focal point of our services which allows us to efficiently create designs that are compatible with the expectations of our clients and budget.

With close collaboration with other design professionals we can provide the entire spectrum of services related to building design. We are also flexible and can easily adapt to new challenges and different work flows and in that way expand the range of services of our collaborators.

The Team:

Arinbjörn Friðriksson

Arinbjörn is a certified engineer in Iceland with a MSc degree in structural engineering from Danmarks Tekniske Universitet (DTU). Arninbjörn has nearly 40 years of experience working as an engineer. His work has been much focused on structural design, building physics, and design management. The projects he has been involved in include both bridges and houses of large scale and his responsibilities cover a large range, including creative conceptual work at early stages of projects, pre-design, cost estimations, preparation of tender documents, quality assurance and project management.

Arnar Björn Björnsson (CEO)

Arnar Björn is a certified engineer in Iceland with a PhD in structural and earthquake engineering from Caltech. Arnar Björn has nearly 10 years of experience in structural design and design management and has also taught engineering courses at University of Iceland, Reykjavik University and Chalmers. Arnar has good control over most areas of structural design but special competence in earthquake engineering, structural dynamics and vibrations and steel structure design.

Arnar Kári Hallgrímsson

Arnar Kári is a certified engineer in Iceland with a MSc Degree in structural engineering from Norges Teknisk-Naturvitenskapelige Universitet (NTNU). Arnar Kári has over 10 years of experience in structural design and design management in projects in Iceland, Norway, and Greenland. Among the most prominent projects he has been involved in are projects that have dealt with everything from conceptual design from early stages to final design drawings, preparation of tender documents and cost estimates.

Águsta Gunnarsdóttir

Ágústa is a professional drafts expert with an examination from School of Building and Construction Trades in Reykjavik. Ágústa is accurate in her work, learns quickly, and applies her knowledge professionally in all projects.

Birgir Indriðason

Birgir is a certified engineer in Iceland with a MSc Degree in structural engineering from Norges Teknisk-Naturvitenskapelige Universitet (NTNU). Birgir has over 10 year experience in structural design from projects both in Iceland and Norway. His main area of interest and expertise lies within structural analysis and design, and his experience covers a wide spectrum in project scale. He is very solution oriented and enjoys working in close collaboration with architects from early stages of projects and all the way through final design products.

Bragi Þorvaldsson

Bragi graduated with a BSc degree in environmental and civil engineering from University of Iceland in 2024. His main areas of interest lie within structural analysis and design, as well as sustainability in building construction. Through his studies and work he has demonstrated high ambition and capabilities in acquiring new knowledge and gaining understanding of complex subjects.

Eyvindur Guðmundsson

Eyvindur is a civil engineer with over 20 years of experience as an entrepreneur and manager in the Icelandic construction industry. He specializes in structural design and has hands-on expertise across all project phases, from concept to completion, including construction management and supervision. His experience covers both new construction and maintenance projects for private and public clients, including his own developments. He also has strong expertise in tender documentation, cost estimation and control, and comprehensive advisory services within building construction.

Hávar Þorbjörnsson

Hávar is undertaking an internship at exa nordic. He is currently enrolled in undergraduate studies in Civil- and Environmental Engineering at the University of Iceland and is set to graduate in December 2024. Through his studies he has demonstrated high ambition and capabilities in acquiring new knowledge and gaining understanding of complex subjects. He also benefits form hands-on experience with construction work.

Helga Fanney Hilmarsdóttir

Helga is a professional drafts expert with an examination from School of Building and Construction Trades in Reykjavik. She is ambitious, precise, and quick to adopt new technology and methods.

Hildur Ingibjörg Sölvadóttir

Hildur is a professional drafts expert with an examination from the Technical College in Reykjavik. Hildur has over 40 years of experience in drafting and has throughout her career been a pioneer in her discipline in adopting new technology and techniques. Projects that she has been involved in cover almost every type of construction and a vast range in scale. Hildur has been responsible for preparing drawings of structural systems, HVAC and plumbing systems, electrical systems, as well as taking the responsibility of a BIM-manager.

Jóhannes Guðmundsson

Jóhannes is a Structural Engineer with an M.Sc. in Structural Engineering from the University of Iceland. He combines a strong technical background with valuable experience from the business sector, bringing a practical and client-focused approach to engineering projects. His experience has strengthened his project management, professional communication, and ability to translate complex technical matters into clear, practical solutions.

Sigurður Egilsson

Sigurður is a certified engineer in Iceland with a MSc Degree in structural engineering from Delft University of Technology (TU Delft). He has specialized in steel-, timber- and composite structures along with structural dynamics. Sigurður boasts both practical experience in structural design as well as research experience from working as a researcher at TU Delft following graduation.

Tómas Guðmundsson

Chartered Structural Engineer and Design Manager with approximately 15 years of experience in infrastructure and structural engineering projects, including major transportation infrastructure projects in Sweden. Specialized in transportation infrastructure projects, including underground stations, tunnels, bridges, marine structures, and complex foundation engineering in challenging geotechnical conditions. Tomas holds a MSc Degree in structural engineering from Chalmers University of Technology.

Þórey Petra Bjarnadóttir

Þórey is an engineer with a master’s degree in civil engineering from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). She has four year experience in the design of transport infrastructure in both large and small projects in Norway. She has specialized in BIM modeling, with a focus on parametric design, the development of efficient design workflows, and the creation of parametric solutions for complex infrastructure projects.