'The value of relocatable interior walls is only going to get bigger and bigger'

For this edition of Archicomm, we spoke with Leo Oosterveen, industry manager at NEBIFA. We put three questions to him.

1. Are all of us in the industry (by now) circular enough?

Leo: "Yes, I dare say we have made good strides in recent years. But, let's not forget that we - of the interior walls - are actually only one small link in the entire chain. You will therefore always have to be able to look wider. Ultimately we have to do it together and that is exactly where the challenge lies, as far as I am concerned: from building owners to suppliers... as a whole, achieving the sustainability ambitions set can be done better. There is still much to be gained."      

"At the same time, movable interior walls are not a product of recent years. Back in the 1960s, they were already being installed in buildings. Look, it is government policy to become circular by the year 2050. It's crazy to throw everything away; that's exactly why we have to stay on top of it. That is why I see it as our task to continuously send the message to, for example, property developers and real estate owners. They are an important bite in the whole chain and they too should contribute to achieving those circular ambitions."          

"At the same time, the question is whether we should want to advocate, for example, regulations that instruct us to have a minimum percentage of movable walls in a building. There is something to be said for it because right now there is too much non-commitment. Actually, I am not in favor of such obligations. I see more opportunities in showing good examples. This is exactly why we motivate building owners like the central government with the credo: Practice What You Preach. I believe that motivation will work."

2. What is (therefore) the most important message to architects?

Leo: "Don't be afraid of movable (durable) interior walls. We at the NEBIFA are your ally. In addition, if asked, NEBIFA members help with design and implementation planning of conversion projects. And yes with relocatable walls, that of course is disassembly and relocation very quickly."

3. Is the market (so?) competitive? Read: ready for the future?      

Leo: "Yes, because in general we already contribute a great deal to all our sustainability ambitions precisely by using relocatable interior walls, which are thus also reused. In addition, the corona pandemic has unambiguously proven the value of relocatable interior walls. As a result, the use of square meters in office buildings is going to change substantially. Workplace expectations and requirements are changing. Actually, this is constantly the case but because of corona it really stands out. Building managers, designers and suppliers have a common challenge. NEBIFA members have years of knowledge and experience to help owners and designers create beautiful, flexible, comfortable and most importantly circular office design. So I look to the future with confidence."