An important link to the future
Circular building is all about sustainability and future-proofing, and Pilkington Netherlands is happy to make a positive contribution to this with its glass solutions. Two leading projects, House of the City Helmond and House of the City Amersfoort, demonstrate how Cradle to Cradle certified® (C2C)-certified materials and the innovative platform Madaster are used to create a sustainable future.
The House of the City of Helmond was Pilkington's first major project to use C2C-certified insulating glass products. The city hall exemplifies the vision of architect David Hess of Kraaijvanger Architects, to create buildings with maximum resilience, that can be adapted to changing needs over time and where parts can be reused. "The building sector plays a key role in sustainability, because we contribute to the use of raw materials like no other, but we are also responsible for a lot of waste," explains Gerrit Maring, sustainability coordinator at Pilkington Nederland.
"With C2C, we can ensure that the materials used are healthy and can be reused in the future." Gerrit explains that Material Health, as it is called within the C2C concept, is one of the five pillars of Cradle to Cradle. "It ensures that harmful substances are absent or reduced to an extreme minimum so that they are kept out of the cycle."
The House of the City of Amersfoort goes even a step further. Here, there is a requirement that all materials used be registered in Madaster, a platform co-founded by architect Thomas Rau, who is seen as a major pioneer in the field of circularity and reuse of materials. "Madaster acts as a digital land registry for materials and products and provides a detailed overview of all building materials used. Including materials passport containing the origin, composition and reusability. It fits perfectly into our circular vision," said Gerrit, who believes Madaster will contribute to creating a sustainable construction sector. "The platform is in line with Dutch and European ambitions to make circular construction the norm and is an important link for the future."
The use of Cradle to Cradle certified materials not only affects the projects themselves directly, but also indirectly through European regulations. Gerrit emphasizes that developments such as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Ecodesign Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) are increasingly demanding sustainability and transparency.
"The CSRD requires companies to report on their sustainability initiatives. Cradle to Cradle and Madaster are perfect tools to get that done. The ESPR also encourages the production of reusable, repairable and sustainable products, exactly what Cradle to Cradle capitalizes on."
Madaster is compliant with European and national laws and regulations. There are already an awful lot of (inter)national circular building projects from European countries registered in Madaster, projects in which the C2C method has been applied. "This is without a doubt the way to build a sustainable future," according to Gerrit. "With our Cradle to Cradle Certified® Silver certification, Pilkington Netherlands is in an excellent position to meet these requirements and reduce its carbon footprint," Gerrit continued.
Pilkington Netherlands therefore sees in these developments a positive trend for the construction industry. "This is why we are keen to work with it on the front end and are involved in several construction projects with a Cradle to Cradle requirement." Currently, the company is working on C2C recertification. "Cradle to Cradle and Madaster not only help us to work more sustainably, but also to be prepared for future laws and regulations. Together with our partners, we are building a circular future, where healthy use of materials and reusability are key," he concludes.
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