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Together toward a circular facade economy

Together toward a circular facade economy

How do we meet the inevitable targets in 2030 and 2050?

Companies are being asked to do more and more. So is the demand for careful handling and conservation of resources. This is often mentioned in the same breath as reducing energy consumption and emissions. In fancy words: circular, with a low environmental impact and the route to zero carbon. Many people themselves want to contribute to a livable world. To realize this on a larger scale, cooperation is needed. The Circular Facade Economy therefore wants to work together with companies in the facade industry precisely now.

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Figure 1: Business and cycle, external orientation to business opportunities.

Facade becomes facade again

The ambition of the Circular Facade Economy is: 'To develop, use and reuse building facades without unnecessarily depleting natural resources, polluting the living environment and affecting ecosystems. Building should be done in a way that is economically and environmentally responsible and contributes to the well-being of people and animals.'  

More specifically, the goal is toward 2030:

● What was once a facade becomes a facade again if possible;

● A high percentage of reuse (in any form) of what is released from the standing stock of facades;

● A high percentage application of reuse or renewable in the new generation of facades;

● in which energy use and emissions are reduced or otherwise sustainable.

The Circular Facade Economy Foundation i.o. is an initiative of five trade associations in facade construction: the Metal Window and Facade Trade Association (VMRG), the Plastic Facade Elements Industry Association (VKG), the Dutch Trade Association for the Carpentry Industry (NBVT), Bouwend Nederland Vakgroep Glas and Algemene Branchevereniging Hang- en Sluitwerk (VHS). With an allocation of an investment from National Growth Fund in the program Toekomstbestendige Leefomgeving voor de Circulaire Geveleconomie in 2023, the resources are available to get started with this ambition. 

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Figure 2: Circular Facade Economy Implementation Program steps and activities.

Circular business opportunities

The Netherlands and Europe have set unavoidable goals toward 2030 and 2050. These include reduction of CO2, reduction of application of primary extracted materials and (sometimes local) limitations of emissions and environmental impact. Also of interest to your company is the Environmental Cost Indicator (EQI) for which Life Cycle Assessments are used. The MKI is used in the Environmental Performance Calculator for Buildings (MPG), the value of which will gradually be reduced in the coming years. 

Smarter performance calculations won't get us there. Demonstrably doing better is the only way to provide a good answer. Working together also means sharing the costs of things that are better handled collectively. That means anticipating and having answers ready in time in the execution. Everything that becomes available from the existing building stock is needed to keep sufficient residential and non-residential construction. Especially with growing population numbers.

For a company, depending on the choices made and the cooperation partners, interesting individual opportunities may arise. These may differ from one company to another. Thus, each company can respond to different types of circular questions and business opportunities from clients. Business through diversity and distinctiveness. See figure (1) on page 50, the relationship between the company and possible circular opportunities (strategies) in outline.

Agreement Circular Facade Economy

The facade industry and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations entered into discussions about the goals, agreements and activities toward 2030. In 2020, the study "Exploring producer responsibility for facade construction" promised by the cabinet to the Lower House was completed. This showed enormous potential for circular construction and CO2 reduction. This agreement will be ratified in the spring of 2024. This, by the festive signing of the Agreement Circular Facade Economy by the relevant industry associations and ministries.

Team

In addition to the Steering Committee, the Circular Facade Economy Team, consisting of delegates from all five industries, has been active since November. They will engage with companies over the next six months to tease out all processes, logistics, information flows and circular business models across the entire cycle. This will form the foundation for improvement proposals, innovations and choices around return systems to score better.

Approach and knowledge sharing

The Circular Facade Economy approach consists of three components: 

● Inventory and preliminary research;

● Return system(s) preparation;

● Conservation.

Each section includes several activities, see figure (2) above.

For transfer of knowledge to companies, an additional knowledge program will be launched in 2024. This will focus on sharing knowledge with "micro learning. This means transfer in manageable short videos, blogs, knowledge cards and more. This will be given a place on the website circulargeveleconomie.nl in the course of this year and the offer will be expanded in the following years. 

The approach within the Circular Facade Economy builds on research, knowledge and experience at involved industry organizations, government and knowledge partners. For knowledge partners involved, think Hogeschool Utrecht, Technische Universiteit Delft, Hogeschool Saxion, Real Capital Systems, Platform-IO and other partners in the network. Among other things, the PerpetuAL feasibility study, completed in 2023 by VMRG and Real Capital Systems together with some 16 partners, forms the basis for the approach. In it, approaches (methodologies), opportunities for companies in the cycle and the relationship between industrialization, digitalization and circularity have been prepared.

Take an active part

In conclusion, Monique Fledderman, president of the Circular Facade Economy, would like to give companies the following: "Most importantly, the Circular Facade Economy is of and for the entire facade sector. Therefore, we like to invite companies to actively participate through the affiliated industry association. Only in this way can we optimally facilitate companies so that offered solutions fit well with the companies in the sector."  

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