Sustainability and circularity in construction

The entire façade of Living Tomorrow is equipped with sensors and the Schüco IoF (Internet of Facades), a smart tag on all façade elements so that a digital identity is generated via constant monitoring. This gives a better view on the maintenance cycle and product upgrades are thus efficiently planned and executed. This ensures long-term sustainable operation of the building and extends the life of the systems.

Discover the interview with Carolyn Beliën, architect and Frank Beliën, architect and founder of Living Tomorrow.

In a world where sustainability and innovation go hand in hand, Vlinvesta proudly presents a groundbreaking initiative that is transforming the way we think about energy usage and sharing.

Insulating may be good for reducing your emissions, but the production of insulation boards themselves is not so good for the environment.

Where does sustainable construction start? What are the domains we can and should work on?

Brick manufacturer Vandersanden is launching the very first CO2-negative facing brick on the market under the name Pirrouet®. One tonne of Pirrouet® facing bricks absorbs up to 60 kg of CO2 during the curing process and throughout its lifespan. This breakthrough is due to a unique industrial application of carbonation technology.

Schüco Carbon Control makes the decarbonisation of building facades manageable. Using a modular building block principle, it enables building-specific carbon reduction at all stages of construction - from planning, construction and use to recycling.

Recticel Insulation is fully embracing sustainability and circularity. Not just hot air, Recticel suggests how to do it in six concrete steps. "If we really want to move towards a circular future, we need to ensure the actions we take are concrete."

Dive into their sustainability report, in which they state their ambitions and accomplishments regarding sustainability.

Building the home of the future also means looking into the future of the construction industry. Frederik Vaes (UAU Collectiv) and Bart Thijs, two architects behind our new ‘Living Tomorrow’ campus, see several important developments. “The soaring prices of energy and building materials and the importance of sustainability are forcing us to look beyond the latest gadgets and attractive design”, they say.

In the quest for a sustainable future, Net-Zero Energy Buildings (NZEB) stand out as a beacon of innovation and environmental responsibility. As climate change accelerates and the demand for energy continues to grow, the construction industry faces immense pressure to adopt greener practices. NZEBs offer a compelling solution by balancing energy consumption with energy production, thereby reducing the overall carbon footprint.

Recticel introduces a new range of polyurethane insulation boards containing 25% bio-circular raw materials, calculated in accordance with the Mass Balance principle.

HOLCIM organized an event in Obourg to discuss the implementation of its GO4ZERO project. The event also featured a virtual display of the project using augmented reality technology. GO4ZERO is one of the most innovative and ambitious decarbonization projects in the cement industry. GO4ZERO represents an industrial-scale implementation of Europe's Green Deal Industrial Plan.

NAV, or "Netwerk Architecten Vlaanderen," is a professional organisation for architects in Flanders. It offers various services including professional development and advocacy for the architectural sector. NAV also fosters networking opportunities and provides advice on legal, technical, and management aspects. The network is currently working on a position paper on circularity. We sat down with Sien Cornillie, an expert on circularity and energy at NAV. This interview reflects her own opinion.