Bank planting

The Netherlands is a water country. Swamp, banks, streams and creeks, it belongs to this country.
In many places the natural vegetation has disappeared and in other places work is being done on new aquatic nature. And that requires strong, healthy riverside plants! HelkantPlant grows it organically. Reed is themain core of the nursery and there are also about twenty other native species.


HelkantPlant not only grows the plants, they are also given a place in all kinds of applications along the
waterfront. For example, the company makes floating plant islands (such as the Dobbertuin), planted coconut rolls and mats and helophyte filters. All these applications provide attractive and ecologically healthy surface water and they are an excellent habitat for waterfowl, amphibians, fish and insects.

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Knotweed panel

The knotweed panels are made from the exotic usury plant Japanese knotweed. By means of heat and pressure, the dried plant is pressed into a mold and then trimmed with a laser cutting machine.

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Kombucha

‘Biotic’ is an ongoing material research on the possibilities of a biologically grown material. In this project microbes are used to grow a biological material which is made of bacterial cellulose. Bacterial cellulose is made using yeast and bacteria in a fermentation process. During this process bacteria spin nano fibers of cellulose and produce a layer on the surface. When this layer has dried, it becomes a solid material that has comparable properties to leather. The material that the living microorganisms create is biodegradable, strong and has a high flexibility.

The goal of the project is to show the possibilities of this material and design within the properties of the material. The material, both in wet and dried phases, has various material properties. For example when the material is still wet, a texture can be applied and when the material has fully dried, the applied texture is still visible in the material.

The color can also easily be changed due to the high absorption of the grown material. After the growing process the studio experimented with different natural plant dyes and dyes made from fruit waste, to see how these dyes can affect the color and texture of the material. The experiments resulted in a collection of fabrics with different colors, translucency, applied textures and patterns.

Tomatoleather

BIOPHILICA TRANSFORMS GREEN WASTE INTO A PLANT-BASED LEATHER ALTERNATIVE THAT IS COMPOSTABLE, RECYCLABLE, ESTIMATED CARBON NEUTRAL, AND MADE LOCALLY.

Sourced from green waste, Treekind™ by Biophilica is plastic-free (free of PU, PVC and any other petrochemicals) making it recyclable as green waste and home compostable. It is also non-toxic and estimated to be carbon neutral. Treekind™ by Biophilica is patent-pending.

Leather is one of the most environmentally harmful textiles with its carbon footprint, water usage and waste. Treekind™ offers a sustainable, circular alternative to leather and its synthetic competitors to support the transition to manufacturing and consumption that is local, carbon zero, and sustainable.

Bas Froon

Craftsmanship, digital production and circular design meet in this acoustic interior panel. Designer Bas Froon not only used sustainable materials in his design, he has also used regional materials and producers as far as possible. Because the panel is easy to dismantle, all parts and materials can be simply recycled at the end of the product’s economic life.

The soft outer layer of the panel is made from Texel wool combined with recycled fibres from jeans. This wool is not often used in the Netherlands, as it is easier to import cheap wool from distant countries. Indeed, 95% of all Dutch wool is actually destroyed. The sides are made of flax composite and give the design rigidity. The acoustic inner layer is made entirely of recycled jeans. The combination of hand-painted areas and digital micro-moulding techniques produces a visual bas-relief effect.

Bas Froon believes that groundbreaking solutions for tomorrow can only come from an integrated approach to commercial innovation and product development. New business models must be developed through ‘design thinking’, while at the same time respecting today’s industrial reality. Product development must build on the latest technologies and innovative materials, without losing sight of the realities of the market.

Froon therefore focuses mainly on physical products, and on how they can help meet the needs of tomorrow’s markets and users. Alongside his work as a researcher and designer, Froon also helps companies with complex innovation issues involving new materials, sustainability and digital production techniques.

Merdacotta

This tableware resembles terracotta in appearance, but it is not. This ceramic is made of cow dung and clay. The idea arose when farmer Gianantonio Locatelli in northern Italy realized that his 2,500 cows produced about 100,000 kilos of manure and started the Merdacotta project together with architect and designer Luca Cipolletti.

Merdacotta is Italian for “baked poo” and consists of cow dung, Tuscan clay and straw in varying amounts depending on the application. Methane and urea have been removed from the manure during the processing so that it is odorless. The baking process and the unleaded glaze make this tableware suitable for eating and drinking.

This object is part of the Design by Nature collection of Museum de Fundatie. On this page you will find more information about this exhibition and you can visit it digitally via a video tour.

Balancing landscapes

Klarenbeek & Dros made this landscape of modular elements, 3D printed with Algae Biopolymers from Wierwaar. In these elements green algae grow on hydrogels, capturing carbon whilst producing oxygen. This project explores the use of new vegetation; Skipping plants and replacing them for one-cellular chlorophyllic organisms (Algae). These have higher growth rates and higher photosynthetic efficiencies than terrestrial plants, so they are more efficient in capturing atmospheric (CO2 > O2 conversion), and easier in maintenance. The project is shown on a table beaten from seaweed. 

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Nabasco® 8010

This hard material consists of various residual flows: reed fibers from nature reserves and from the water authorities (now mostly composted or incinerated), cellulose fibers from recycled toilet paper that is recovered at water treatment plants from sewage sludge (Recell®), softening lime (a by-product) from drinking water companies and a partially biobased resin made from residual materials from biodiesel production. These materials are mixed into a kind of dough. This dough is pressed at 140℃ degrees to the desired product. Blue-green algae and natural indigo have been added in different proportions for different color shades. Tiles with reed fibers are distinguished from tiles with cellulose fibers in the texture, where the reed fibers are more visible on the surface.

made from

  • Bio-composite made from reed fibers from nature reserves and from the water board that would otherwise be burned or composted.
  • Cellulose fibers from toilet paper recovered from sewage sludge from water treatment plants.
  • Softening lime from drinking water companies.
  • A partial (50%) bio-resin made from residual materials from biodiesel production.

Manufacturing process

  • Calcite (softening lime), cane or cellulose fibers and the resin are mixed to form a so-called Bulk Molding Compound or BMC.
  • The BMC is hot pressed (at 140°C) into sheets or molded parts that can optionally be finished with a high-quality environmentally friendly PVC-free foil for UV protection.
  • The sheet material is easy to process with various techniques, such as engraving, milling, lasering and water cutting.
  • At the end of its life, the material can be ground for reuse in new biocomposites.

Applied

These tiles are specially made for The Exploded View Beyond Building. These are special because of their color, design and the use of cellulose. It is an exponent of the standard product line.

Nabasco® 8010 is used in building and construction (modular design facades, waterworks), signaling (traffic signs, hectometre posts, information panels; among others via POL), street furniture (including via Velopa), mobility and industrial design.

Environmental impact

  • The raw materials are sourced as locally as possible in order to save on transport energy.
  • Production takes place with the lowest possible environmental impact.
  • At the end of its life, the material can be completely reused in new bio-composite.
  • Nabasco® 8010 is >85% bio-circular and made from reed fibers from nature reserves and from the water board that would otherwise be burned or composted.
  • Except for the resin, all raw materials come entirely from Dutch residual flows.

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Lemix / Claytec

Lemix clay construction board is a good replacement for the plasterboard.

Some advantages of the material:

– Moisture regulating

– Neutralizes harmful substances from the air

– Very good acoustic damping

– Non-combustible

– Vapor open

– Prevents mold formation

– Naturally pure product (natureplus certified)

– Easily recyclable or compostable

– High heat accumulating capacity

Ekoplus Bouwstoffen BV is a wholesaler specialized in ecological building products. Realizing a healthier living and working environment is becoming increasingly important within current building practice, and the application possibilities have expanded enormously. They supply a wide range of sustainable building materials of high quality to customers in the Benelux.

Specialized in loam and lime, you will find a wide range of plasters, which have been specifically developed to contribute to a healthy living environment.

TROBOLO® tiny dry toilet

This TINY dry toilet from Trobolo is made of wood in round shapes. As the word ‘dry toilet’ says, it works completely dry, without water, without chemicals. Thanks to a built-in ventilation, the contents are dried and all odors extracted, which ensures that the toilet is always fresh.

It is equipped with a urine separator, just like in our body, urine is separated from the faeces, thereby allowing the faeces to dry out together with the paper. The urine is drained separately, this can be done in two ways: connected to the sink drain or it is collected in a special urine collection tank with automatic, simple mixing installation. Here, urine is mixed with rainwater or tap water (⅛) and can be used directly in the garden! After approximately 2-4 weeks, the bucket with dried material can then be taken out and put in a compost bin. After approx. 1 year you get clean, safe and mineral-rich compost.

With a dry or compost toilet you save approximately 15,000 liters of drinking water per person per year, which is approximately 45 liters per day

Ecosave doesn’t think of urine and faeces as a waste product, but as a very valuable raw material in our biological cycle. The Trobolo TINY dry toilet is 1 of the 28 compost toilets in the ECOSAVE range with which they complete the cycle.

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Overgrown Wall

Concrete is a versatile building material, but it has a significant carbon footprint. Holcim aims to reduce CO2 emissions from concrete production to, ultimately, zero. In addition, Holcim is working on circular construction methods (concrete recycling and alternative fuels). 

We use the findings of research into the lifespan and sustainability of concrete for the development of a prefab concrete product that contributes to solving climate challenges. This permeable and vegetated concrete meets technical and ecological requirements of climate adaptation. The vegetated wall reduces heat in the inner city, buffers rainwater, acts as a biofilter, saves valuable space as a vertical garden and promotes biodiversity.

A vegetated wall radiates less heat and allows rainwater to evaporate. This keeps the urban areas cool during extreme heat.

Made of

The vegetated wall is composed of two layers. The first layer is a structural concrete layer. The second layer consists of porous concrete (substratum). The composition of the substratum is diverse and can consist of open-pore mineral rocks, recycled materials, and organic matter. The substratum can also consist of the original local soil. The choice of substrate is determined by its water permeability, weight loading, protective effect for the wall, and suitability for the vegetation type. For example, the substrate must be able to retain sufficient water, because it is in this layer that the vegetation emerges.

Production Process

Currently, the vegetated wall is still in the development phase. Tests are being conducted with different types of porous concrete, vegetation and watering.

Applied

The vegetated wall consists of precast concrete elements that can be used in both the (housing) construction and infrastructure sectors. The technology behind it is still under development. Holcim will start with infrastructure projects. Think of applications such as quay walls, noise walls, city parks, bridge piers, transformer houses, retaining walls and airports. Later, this technology will also be applied in (residential) construction, for example to create vertical gardens at houses, apartments, vacation parks, offices, utility buildings and distribution centers.

Environmental impact

With precast concrete you have more control over the production process and you can pour the concrete under optimal conditions and let it cure. Then, under conditioned conditions, you can allow the wall to vegetate. Precast concrete is faster to produce, which can speed up the overall construction process and have less impact on the environment. And with circular construction in mind, let’s not forget that the vegetated wall consists mainly of mineral material, which is ideally suited for circular use.

Good to know

There are many interesting benefits to the vegetated wall, and surely even  more to discover. Green walls add tremendous value to the urban environment and to biodiversity. A vegetated wall acts as a biofilter, regulates the temperature of the building and cools the inner city. They also offer benefits acoustically and aesthetically. Vegetated walls retain some of the rainwater, slowing down peak runoff. Vertical gardens also provide valuable space savings, creating unprecedented opportunities. Vegetated walls can help us take groundbreaking steps forward environmentally.

Growth opportunities

Climate change causes all kinds of problems in the urban environment. That is why governments actively pursue an incentive policy for green roofs and walls, with subsidies and tax breaks. At the European level, legislation is increasingly driving the construction of vegetated roofs and walls. Although the Netherlands is still lagging far behind neighboring countries in terms of greening, now that property owners and developers are also beginning to see the benefits, our country will surely soon become greener. It is important that the economic and social advantages of greenery will soon outweigh the additional construction and management costs.

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Luma Algae Plaster

This plaster is based on a unique mix of excavated earth and a small amount of biobased materials. Clay plasters are CO2 neutral.

Made of

  • Earth component from Brussels
  • Biobased element from Belgium

Production process

  • In many yards, earth is excavated in preparation for the foundation.
  • The first step is the excavation.
  • Then, BC materials springs into action to deliver the soil instead of distant transports to mines or quarries.
  • Then it is edited and transformed into a mix.
  • And as a final step, the clay plaster is sold to contractors who will apply it

Applied

Clay plaster can be used as a wall finish.

Environmental impact

  • The wall patches are totally reusable (not just recyclable).
  • They do not contain any toxic substances and are CO2 neutral.
  • The use of local soil ensures a large reduction in transport and therefore emissions.

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Kastar

Kastar is a mixture of earth that contains a lot of gravel to be able to carry out rammed earth. The mixture can be used for monolithic walls and floors. The mixture is packed and delivered in big bags of 1000 kg at the right humidity for immediate export. The Kastar is preferably left visible.

Kastar can be compared to exposed concrete, both are very monolithic and have a comparable thermal inertia, but only Kastar can regulate the humidity of a room, is completely vapor permeable and improves the acoustics of a room.

Made of

  • Brusselian sand from Brussels
  • Recycled sand from Brussels
  • Yperian clay from Brussels
  • Recycled gravel from Brussels

Production process

  • The mixture is poured into a formwork in layers of 15 cm and then stamped into layers of 9 cm thick.
  • For non load-bearing interior floors, the mixture is drawn like a traditional screed and then tamped down to 10 cm thick.
  • After the floor has dried, it must still be protected against abrasion and waterproofness.

Applied

Kastar is used for non-load-bearing interior walls and floors.

Environmental impact

It is important to work more locally; much of the pollution now resides in transport. Because we transport earth all over the earth. These materials are mined locally, in this way a lot of transport and therefore CO2 emissions are avoided.

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Aquatecture Compact Water Harvesting System

Aquatecture is a compact and modular water harvesting system designed to collect falling rainwater in the urban environment. It can be installed as a façade panel on buildings, making water harvesting an integrated building feature. It can also be used as free standing elements in landscapes, providing water-harvesting stations at various nodes throughout cities. Aquatecture encourages a more convenient and closer engagement between people and their daily water resources.

68% of the world’s population is expected to live in cities by 2050. As a result, urban water needs will increase and place paramount pressure on water systems.

Made of


Stainless steel. The materials for this application have been selected mainly because of durability to withstand water. 

How it works

This panel is designed to harvest water. Due to the vertical position of the panels, the rain water that drips over the open structure is collected and transported to a storage tank. This water can be pumped back into a building’s grey water system. Treated greywater can be reused for garden watering, irrigation, toilet flushing or laundry washing. Ultimately, the goal is to create potable water from the harvest and allow buildings to become independent water nodes in the cityscape. 

Applied


The panels are made up of a modular system and can be integrated into the shell of architecture. They can easily be installed onto existing buildings or incorporated into new architecture. The panels can also be installed as free standing elements in landscapes or open public spaces. 

Environmental Impact


It has been designed as a modular system, so that it may be retrofitted onto existing buildings or easily integrated into new construction. It can be demounted easily from a surface and remounted somewhere else, which increases its life cycle. Aquatecture also aims to take into account the use of recycled metal in the production process. 

Benefits

  • Collecting water on the vertical facades can help cool buildings in the summer. 
  • It contributes to urban blue infrastructure within the city by providing a platform for water where it is needed in the city, rather than diverting water all away.
  • The panels enable water to become a more visible feature in the urban environment. 
  • The design of the surface compliments a building’s aesthetic quality. 
  • A great benefit is food safety. The ultimate goal is to make the harvested water potable. A food safe material like stainless steel makes this goal attainable.  

Growth opportunities

Studio Sway is researching the CO2 emissions associated with the production of Aquatecture, so that they can see where this can be reduced. The goal is to have the lowest possible embodiment of carbon.

Studio Sway aims to partner with municipalities and governments to join efforts to address the urban water management challenges of today and the future. Aquatecture can be used worldwide and the next steps are to develop and scale up the water vapor harvesting technology so that the panels can have more impact in, for example, Asia or desert countries. Aquatecture Compact Rain Harvesting System is currently being tested on a full scale in South Africa and the Netherlands. The project is looking for business development partners and individuals or organizations willing to contribute through development funding, investments or donations to ensure consistent and thorough product development.


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Western Red shingles roof and wall + Inland Larch decking with Staatsbosbeheer

Wood is the only renewable raw material that is not only cheap to process, but also stores and retains CO2 after it has been made into a product. In addition, the extraction of wood from production forests is simple. The supplied Western Red Cedar wood is PEFC certified and the native larch is FSC certified. 

Made from

Wood (by definition a 100% bio-based product) from British Columbia in Canada, but also (although limited) the northwest of the USA.

Production process

Shingles are produced from parts of the trunk that are not good enough to use. It is going too far to say that it is made from the remains of the tree, but it ensures that a trunk is optimally used for sustainable products.

Appliced

Wood is durable, allowing it to last for a very long time. Churches in Norway and temples in Japan have lasted over a thousand years. In North America, there are many examples of historic wood buildings from the 16th century that are still standing. Even the foundation of the Empire State Building rests on wood piles. Wood is reused in many new buildings. 

Environmental impact

  • As is commonly known, wood stores CO2 and the production process requires much less energy compared to plastic, aluminum or concrete.
  • In addition, wood has naturally occurring thermal properties. It conducts heat and insulates better than steel and concrete, so it saves even more energy when it comes to heating and cooling homes. 
  • Roof shingles and side shingles are generally not painted, so no chemical/toxic additives are required.

Good to know

The cedar tree is a symbol of endurance, eternal life and immortality. The Native Americans of North America relied heavily on Western Red Cedar. They made cribs, clothes, shelters, canoes and even coffins out of them.

Growth

The main limitation in Western Red Cedar shingles is the small scale in which it is cut compared to other woods. There aren’t many kinds of wood from northern forests, except for some alternatives in Yellow Cedar, that have such a high durability. It often has an aesthetic reason for use and will therefore not quickly become a mass product in Europe.

Decks

The decking is also made by Gras Wood Wide. The Inlands larch that was used for this comes from Staatsbosbeheer. We have no further information about this.

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Rug Juno / Ignorance Is Bliss collection

Rug ‘Juno’ is part of the ‘Ignorance is Bliss’ brand by Agne Kucerenkaite. The rug is coloured using upcycled textile dyes that originate from botanical and metal waste and by-products. Commercial textile dyeing causes a significant amount of environmental and health problems due to the chemicals used in the process, whereas natural dyeing is rarely employed on an industrial scale. ‘Ignorance is Bliss’ rugs are designed with great detail and are hand-tufted.

For the rug Juno, a total amount of 7.63 kilograms of waste was used.

Made of

The research-based project utilises industrial waste and secondary materials (such as hemp, mustard, evening primrose, and iron), sourced from the Netherlands and Lithuania, and reuses them to dye linen rugs. Leftovers of mostly organically grown plants do not contain toxic additives as they are intended for use in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Fixators and mordants used in the rug collection are natural, without threat to human and environmental health. Rugs are made from linen; a deliberate choice as it is a durable, resistant, and hypoallergenic material. Flax is versatile, cost-effective, resilient, and its cultivation requires far less water and pesticides than cotton.

Production Process

‘Ignorance is Bliss’ solutions substitute factory-produced substances with waste or create completely new formulations and materials.

  • Lithuanian partners from agricultural industries accumulate around 25 tonnes of various botanic waste per year. 
  • The conducted research with various waste streams shows that most waste can be repurposed in creative ways and become a part of circular models, such as making textile dyes. 
  • Natural fixators and mordants are used in the dyeing process to alter the colours. 
  • Dyed linen yarns are sent to the manufacturers in Lithuania who are hand-tufting rugs with a special textile gun. 
  • The total production time takes around six weeks.

Applied

The rugs are functional, aesthetically pleasing, and designed for greater longevity. They are intended for interior spaces. 

Environmental impact

  • Even though partners from agricultural industries grow sustainably, they are facing difficulties with the residue. A part of this by-product can be sold to the livestock feed, but there are no clear regulations and understanding of additional potential use. 
  • At the moment, yarns are hand-dyed with 9 natural colours that have been developed from non-toxic waste. 
  • Reusing waste decreases the need of natural resources, reduces environmental pollution, and allows materials to be used to their fullest extent. The drinking water supply and the agricultural industry are the main suppliers of waste
  • Remnants of mostly organically grown plants do not contain any toxic additives because they are intended for use in the food and pharmaceutical industry.
  • Fixators and stains used in the carpet collection don’t endanger human health or the environment.
  • Carpets are made of linen. This is a conscious choice because it is a durable, resistant and hypoallergenic material.
  • Flax is versatile, cost effective, resilient and its cultivation requires far less water and pesticides than cotton.

Good to know

Rug as a product doesn’t need special care, such as washing it often, therefore colours of the natural dyes can be preserved better. Linen fibers are long-lasting, durable, hypoallergenic, and don’t shed, compared with other types of yarns.

Growth opportunities

In order to produce in bigger quantities, the yarn dyeing process has to be industrialised. The next step is to create sustainable and reliable dyes that can be used in industrial textile dyeing and applied to diverse fabrics. The ambition is to work with the scientific community as well as technical engineers and develop new manufacturing processes and formulations, possibly collaborating with an external textile lab.

Health 

We spend around 90% of our time indoors, thus we need to consider the health and environmental impacts that products and materials have upon us throughout their life cycle. ‘Ignorance is Bliss’ adopts a holistic framework by doing a comprehensive study of materials and their footprint. 

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Seaweed Cycle / Copier replica KLM tableware from Wierwaar / Replica Jolma Vennola Kaveri

In their Seaweed Cycle project Studio Klarenbeek & Dros are attempting to initiate a local closed, carbon-neutral production cycle based on seaweed and to market it to the general public. All waste will be ploughed back into the production process, making it the first zero-waste plastic production line. 

The Seaweed Cycle will encourage circular agriculture, and the materials that the studio develops will capture CO2 for the long term in degradable, eco-restoring, sustainable and nourishing biopolymers. The material (Wierwaar) will replace products and plastics that are currently solely based on fossil oil, and offer innovative circular functionality. 

Replica Copier KLM tableware in Wierwaar

Andries Copier designed this KLM tableware in 1946 for the first commercial scheduled flights. His design was the first ‘single-use’, or disposable, tableware introduced by KLM. Passengers could take it home after their flight. 

Studio Klarenbeek & Dros chose this line to reproduce in Wierwaar because it is an early application of plastic in commercial air services, which at the time were pioneering, as well as the first example of ‘single-use’ plastics. The sector has expanded enormously in the past few decades, giving consumers great freedom, but also contributing to our current pollution problems. 

Vennola Kaveri Series, glass replicas in Wierwaar

Studio Klarenbeek & Dros chose to reproduce these two glasses in 3D-printed Wierwaar as symbols of the explosive growth in lifestyle products in the 1970s and 80s. The combination of plastic and glass provides a way of meeting the European Union’s stringent requirements for materials that come into contact with food. Major investments are needed to acquire the ‘food safe’ label for new materials. A design like these ‘Kaveri’ glasses is a clever way of combining the best properties of different materials.

This object is part of the Design by Nature collection of Museum de Fundatie. On this page you will find more information about this exhibition and you can visit it digitally via a video tour.

Soof

Design agency Fabrikoos makes circular furniture for healthy and attractive working environments. They are made only of natural raw materials or waste products. Fabrikoos products are made by a five-metre-long computer-controlled milling machine, allowing them to be produced with the utmost precision. This in turn allows them to be assembled using ingenious joints that means the furniture, including the SOOF chair, does not need to be held together with nails, screws or glue. Fabrikoos furniture can simply be ‘clicked’ into place like a puzzle. The agency’s digital craftsmanship combines traditional and industrial production techniques. Because the chair is so easy to dismantle, all the individual elements can easily be reused. Detachability is one of the first steps towards a circular economy. 

SOOF is a design by Anne-Sophie Wouters. The seat looks very comfortable, and invites us to sit for a while. The expressive connection between the tiles and the structure also creates a nice juxtaposition between the surface and the layers of the plywood. The ‘friction-fit’ gives SOOF a unique look full of contrasts. 

This object is part of the Design by Nature collection of Museum de Fundatie. On this page you will find more information about this exhibition and you can visit it digitally via a video tour.

Forest Wool

Pine trees are the world’s main source of wood. In the European Union alone, 600 million pines are felled each year. But there is more to a pine tree than just wood. Pine needles account for 20 to 30% of the mass of each tree. Tamara Orjola investigated the potential for using the billions of needles that usually remain unused, and discovered that they are a good alternative to all kinds of fibres. Using standard production techniques – crushing, soaking, steaming, carding, binding and pressing – they can be converted into textiles, composites and paper, in a process during which essential oils and dyes can also be extracted. Orjola made a series of stools and rugs from pine needles to demonstrate that this organic material is also very elegant. 

Orjola established a start-up to further develop the extraction method in order to make more refined fibres from pine needles that can also be used to make clothes.

This object is part of the Design by Nature collection of Museum de Fundatie. On this page you will find more information about this exhibition and you can visit it digitally via a video tour.

Bacteria Lamp

Bacteria are everywhere. There are actually ten times more bacteria than human cells on and in our bodies. Every living creature and every place on Earth has its own unique microbiological fingerprint. Jan Klingler uses this fingerprint to create his Bacteria Lamps, in a hybrid process of science, art and industrial design. He takes samples from people, places or things that are important to the client, cultivates them for 24-48 days, then seals them in resin to stop the growth and preserve them forever. This solidified fingerprint is then made into a unique lamp, giving the client a lasting memento of a special moment, captured in a lamp. 

Jan Klingler is an industrial designer who seeks to counterbalance our quick consumer society by making objects that have a strong and long-lasting bond with their owners.

This object is part of the Design by Nature collection of Museum de Fundatie. On this page you will find more information about this exhibition and you can visit it digitally via a video tour.

TERRA_STORY 2021 / 2019

Each type of earth has its own colour. Fabrikaat explore typical regional materials for innovative and sustainable applications at their base in Nijmegen. For centuries the river Waal has determined the landscape and use of the environment there. Fabrikaat shed new light on the alluvial clay from the river and other typical regional materials, which are becoming increasingly visible as the new Nijmegen-North area is developed.

Together with designers, scientists and developers, Fabrikaat look for new applications for Nijmegen river clay combined with other meaningful materials that have traditional meaning in this former agricultural region, such as waste products from beekeeping and dairy and poultry farming: beeswax, dairy products, eggshells and bone. And raw materials from invasive exotic species that currently pose a threat to native flora, such as Japanese knotweed, giant hogweed and Himalayan balsam. 


The result is a constantly growing set of research results and new products, like the mugs made by TERRA_STORY coated in slip made of alluvial clay quarried at several locations in Nijmegen-North. Each slip has its own colour and texture, unique to the place where the clay comes from. The number on the item refers to the map reference of the location where it was gathered. 

Eggshell ceramic

The Netherlands is the biggest egg producer in the world, at 10 billion a year. An egg provides valuable material – eggshell – that tends to be regarded as waste. Broken eggshells are often used in farming to improve the soil, however. With its EggShell Ceramic series Atelier LVDW is showing how we can reuse this material before returning it to nature. The designers have developed a strong biodegradable material from eggshells that might potentially offer a sustainable alternative to products which we normally use only once. It looks like ceramic, but weighs the same as cardboard, so it can be used in many different ways. At the end of its life, the product can still be used in farming. Atelier LVDW’s new material thus creates an extra stage in the life cycle of the eggshell. Atelier LVDW is currently working on the further development of EggShell Ceramic.  

This object is part of the Design by Nature collection of Museum de Fundatie. On this page you will find more information about this exhibition and you can visit it digitally via a video tour.

Decorative tray

Plantain and coffee are two major staples of the Puerto Rican diet. They are produced and consumed there in abundance, producing an equally abundant quantity of organic waste. Materia Madura, a sustainable materials and design company run by women, saw an opportunity, and set about using the waste in innovative potential design applications. By combining plantago and coffee waste to create a sustainable material, Materia Madura hopes to emphasise how everyday objects designed using toxic, non-sustainable materials can often be made using locally produced and thus highly sustainable materials.

This object is part of the Design by Nature collection of Museum de Fundatie. On this page you will find more information about this exhibition and you can visit it digitally via a video tour.

How do you like your eggs?

Every year the world’s 6.4 billion chickens lay around 1.1 trillion eggs. A third of all those eggs are lost or wasted because eggs have only a short shelf life and because their fragile shell does not always survive handling and transportation.

In his How Do You Like Your Eggs? project Basse Stittgen made eggcups from discarded eggs, exploring the extraordinary materiality of an ordinary foodstuff and emphasising the ambiguous symbolism of the egg, which both embodies the beginning of life and is swallowed up by cheap mass consumption. 

Basse Stittgen takes a multidisciplinary approach to tackling today’s problems. Through design, he strips objects of any artifice, working on pure explanations of our problems.

This object is part of the Design by Nature collection of Museum de Fundatie. On this page you will find more information about this exhibition and you can visit it digitally via a video tour.

Espresso cup and Cappuccino cup

Product designer Julian Lechner was intrigued by the idea of making something new and sustainable from so-called waste, so he started experimenting with coffee grounds. Three years later he discovered his unique formula for transforming recycled coffee grounds and renewable resources into the robust sustainable material he calls Kaffeeform. As a result, he has been able to make coffee cups from coffee grounds. 

A group of cycle couriers collect coffee grounds from cafés and roasters in Berlin and take them to a sheltered workplace. There, they are dried and preserved. This material is then converted and shaped into cups at small factories in Germany. Each cup or mug is unique. The material slightly resembles wood, but it still smells a little like coffee.

This object is part of the Design by Nature collection of Museum de Fundatie. On this page you will find more information about this exhibition and you can visit it digitally via a video tour.

Mycelium and timber lightshade

Design studio Sebastian Cox designs and makes furniture and home accessories from a natural perspective. Its aim is to produce furniture in such a way that woodland expands rather than shrinks. The goal is for the number of woodlands and areas of unspoilt land in Great Britain to have doubled by 2040, and the design studio’s contribution is to make furniture that is good for the environment. This lamp, for example, was grown from mycelium and green wood waste (hazel and goat willow, harvested in Kent) en and is entirely compostable. Once you are done using the lamp, it can be returned to the cycle, contributing to growth rather than destruction of nature.

This object is part of the Design by Nature collection of Museum de Fundatie. On this page you will find more information about this exhibition and you can visit it digitally via a video tour.

Tree Table / Endless Vase

Blast Studio makes art and architecture using urban waste, living organisms and current technology. The work is designed for people, made by robots and taken over by fungi. They let mycelium convert coffee grounds collected from London cafés into living biological material, which they then use to make organically shaped artworks. As soon as a piece comes out of the 3D printer, it is taken over by the organisms that emerge from the mycelium, which change the shape and create unpredictable colours and forms. The living mycelium literally takes the over the form that the designers of Studio Blast devised, and adds to the aesthetic composition of their work. 

Biological Laboratory of Architecture and Sensitive Technologies (BLAST) is a group of designers with a common goal: to explore the potential connections between new technologies and living things, in order to develop new artistic and architectural making processes using digital design and digital tools.

This object is part of the Design by Nature collection of Museum de Fundatie. On this page you will find more information about this exhibition and you can visit it digitally via a video tour.

Kaumera Kimono

Seventy per cent of China’s rivers are polluted with chemicals from textile factory effluent. Those chemicals end up in drinking water, and have a major impact on human health and the environment. Concept, product and textile designer Nienke Hoogvliet is investigating how a new material made from the effluent, kaumera, might actually be able to reduce the harm. She has discovered that kaumera helps textiles absorb dyes better, thus reducing water consumption. 

It is not only the effluent from the textile industry that is a problem. The scale of textile production is equally alarming, with 80 billion garments bought every year – an average of eleven items for each inhabitant of the planet. The cheap clothes promoted by fast fashion are bought and discarded without a second thought. But a kimono is the absolute opposite. Traditionally, these garments have been passed on and cherished through several generations. 

The Kaumera Kimono is Nienke Hoogvliet’s way of acting against fast fashion while at the same time showing that there are other ways of thinking about how we wear and produce clothes. She used two natural dyes derived from the effluent, anammox and vivianite, to dye the kimono. 

This object is part of the Design by Nature collection of Museum de Fundatie. On this page you will find more information about this exhibition and you can visit it digitally via a video tour.

Agepan DWD Protect NF

AGEPAN® DWD boards are permeable wall and roof boards manufactured in dry process with and without tongue and groove profiles.

Made of

AGEPAN® Wood Fiberboards consist of (dimensions

as % by mass):

  • Wood chips, approx. 90 %
  • Water, approx. 5­9 %
  • PMDI glue (polymer 4.4’ diphenyl methane
  • Diisocyanate), approx. 3.5 %
  • Paraffin wax emulsion, 0.5­3 %

Production Process

  • The manufacturing comprises the following steps:
  • Debarking the logs
  • Chipping the wood to chips of approximately size 3×3 cm 
  • Boiling the chips
  • Defibring in the refiner
  • Gluing the fibres with synthetic resin
  • Drying the fibres to an approximately residual moisture of 2­3 %
  • Scattering the glued fibred on a forming belt
  • Pressing the fibre mat in a continuous hot press under high pressure
  • Distributing the fibre strings among raw board formats
  • Cooling the raw boards in star coolers
  • Stacking
  • Sanding the top or underside after the air conditioning phase 

Applied

These water resistant and insulating fiberboards are used for reinforcement of timber frame

constructions as a stable panel and second water- bearing layer in roof and wall. 

Environmental impact

  • Emissions into air:

 Waste air generated during production is cleaned in accordance with regulatory specifications. Emissions are below the limit values

specified by the operation license of the site, specified according to the German law.

  • Emissions into water/soil: 

No contamination of water or soil. Waste water generated by production is treated and directed into the municipal sewage system following pre­purification. Sludge generated during water treatment is used in agriculture as a fertiliser. 

  • Carbon storage: 

At an average density of 384 kg/m3 stores 639 kg CO2­ eq/m3 over their service life.

Health 

According to current information, no damage to or impairment of health can be anticipated when AGEPAN® Wood Fiberboards are used as designated. VOC emissions at very low levels are basically composed of natural wood ingredients.

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Smartty Air Clean

Thanks to the invention of Eduard van Vliet, the Smartty Air Clean is smarter than a standard plant wall. From now on, the advantages of a large plant wall will also fit into any room, whether it is an office, kitchen, classroom or a room in a hospital.

The Smartty Air Clean purifies the air, via the plants and substrates, of numerous harmful substances (for example C02 en formaldehyde) and introduces natural humidity into the room. As a result, better health, concentration, performance and mental state are achieved. The Smartty gives itself water and growing light.

Bring the power of nature inside

Made of

  • The specially selected plants substrates meet the highest cultivation standards. 
  • These plants are placed in the Smartty Air Clean, which is made of (stainless) steel. 

Production Process

  • Plants are grown.
  • The (stainless) steel parts are manufactured in (social) workshops.
  • Steel parts will be sent to the customer via drop-shipment as much as possible.
  • Customers receive plants after the wall has been placed.
  • Manufacturing and processing is largely outsourced socially to (social) workshops.

Applied

The Smartty Air Clean can be placed in all types of rooms, such as an office, classroom, kitchen, living room or a room in the hospital.

Environmental impact

  • Both plants and steel are fully recyclable. 
  • Production takes place regionally as much as possible. 
  • Transport is done via drop-shipment as much as possible. 
  • The system works on low voltage to minimize energy consumption and is controlled via a special App, which prevents unnecessary wilting of plants. The lifespan of a Smartty Air Clean can therefore extend by many decades.

Good to know

In addition to the many health benefits, the plants in the Smartty Air Clean also improve the acoustics.

Growth opportunities

Since COVID, we seem more aware of the value of healthy air with the right humidity. People also seem more aware of the purifying power of nature and it seems logical that we should bring it closer to humans. Now, people have to discover that you can match the power of nature with these air filter installations in buildings.

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CorkTess and CorkNature

In the Exploded View Beyond Building two applications of Gencork are used: 

  • Corktess explores the algorithmic creation of complex geometries on flat surfaces. This cork panel was inspired by origami paper structures that create different topologies with dynamic movements and minimal aesthetic. 
  • Corknature is a disruptive pattern that combines cork and plants that are naturally preserved, with strong flexibility, plasticity and natural vigor without any maintenance. A good example of a biomimetic and biologic approach.

Cork like you have never seen before

CorkNature

Made of

  • 100% natural and sustainable expanded cork

Production process

  • For these products, only used cork of the branches (falca) is used to manufacture the cork granules.
  • These are block clusters in an autoclave, a process that’s 100% natural, without the use of additives. 
  • This technology, developed by Sofalca, consists of injecting water vapor through pellets that will expand and agglomerate with the resin of the cork itself. 
  • This cooking process also gives the resulting cork a dark color, like chocolate. 
  • During the production of the steam, biomass is used, which is obtained in milling and cleaning the falca. That’s what makes it a truly ecological production and without waste, with a 95% energy self-sufficiency. 
CorkTess

Applied

You can find the generative cork panels across the world, in hotels, restaurants, offices and public spaces.

Environmental Impact

  • Made in Portugal 
  • 100% natural, ecological
  • 100% recyclable
  • 95% energy self-sufficient production 
  • Hypoallergenic properties water 
  • Weather resistant 
  • Preservation and respect for trees 

Good to know!

Cork offers a huge range of advantages, because it is an excellent thermal and acoustic insulator and vibration resistant. The cork color changes with exposure to sunlight (UV). Cork’s scent is natural, non-toxic and disappears with time.

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Eco-boards ®

ECOBoards Standard panels made of natural fibers represent a sustainable and green solution, which can be applied in the construction of buildings and house renovation as well as the manufacturing of furniture.

Made of 

Agricultural fibres, residue or by-products from harvests, a product that is usually burned as a waste problem. Such as straw or reed. 

Environmental impact

  • 1 piece ECOBoard (1220 x 2440 x 18 mm) can store and avoid 150 kg of CO2
  • Can reduce the harmful effects of 4 kg of formaldehyde
  • A tree with a diameter of 25 cm and a height of 2 m will NOT be felled!
  • while the amount of emission is equal to the emission of 100 kg of oxygen, or the total amount of oxygen absorbed by 1 person per year.

ECO-Boards have a NEGATIVE CO2 footprint of MIN – 0.98 kg, so they store or capture CO2 approximately their own weight. Creating a circular biobased economy by combining environmentally friendly innovations and having a major impact on our carbon footprint by storing CO2 in healthy Biobased Buildings & Furnitures

Production process

Agricultural waste is bonded together with the natural lignin of the cellulose fibers with only 3-5% additive without formaldehyde or other VOCs.

Growth opportunities

The panels are currently still made in China because there are no production facilities anywhere in the world. Before 2025 at the latest, the first production facilities will be visible in the EU.

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CIRCULAR MATTERS BLACK REED & CIRCULAR MATTERS RED REED

The Circular Matters Panel is 100% bio-circular. This means that the material can be made entirely from biobased feedstock (the vast majority of which are side streams), the material is also completely biodegradable and fully recyclable. The material can be compared to HPL and hardwood in terms of technical and processing properties: hard and sturdy but processable with standard woodworking machines. A point to improve is the water resistance: right now it’s only meant for indoors. Another thing we work on are the colors: at this moment we offer only a limited amount of colors, because of the lack of suitable biodegradable pigments. 

Your kitchen cabinet should last decades, but not hundreds of years, right? Then why put resins in it that can last an eternity?

Made of

100% of the raw materials of a Circular Matters Panel are plantbased, like i.a. brewers’ grains and reed. All feedstock come from the Netherlands and Belgium.  

Applied

The Circular Matters Panels are mainly used in interior finishing at this moment. For example as wall panels, in stores like Bio-Planet and Circuit. Or as fronts of cabinets, as in The Exploded View Beyond Building. In addition, some manufacturing companies are developing products made from the panels, which will be launched in the course of 2022.

Environmental impact

The Circular Matters Panel is completely compostable in nature, leaving no microplastics or not-natural substances behind.

Good to know

The panel is colored completely in the core, rather than just a thin layer of wood as with most traditional panels. This allows you to use it immediately after sawing, without the need for edge banding. In addition, the material is naturally fire resistant.

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Rammed Earth Wall

Loam is excavated on construction projects and can be used in making clay plasters, walls and walls in rammed earth. Clay can be reused indefinitely, so that both the production and waste processing process cost little energy.

As a finishing material in a home, loam has a moisture-regulating effect and ensures a healthy indoor climate. It is a vapor permeable material that also works as a vapor barrier and is timeless in style.

Made of

A mixture of clay and sands, mainly from Brussels soils.

Production process

  • Steel formwork is required. The loam is loosely poured into the formwork in layers of 15-20cm and evenly distributed. The soil is then vibrated with a pneumatic rammer.
  • The top is sanded so that the pebble becomes visible as a terrazzo. You can still choose to treat with an oil to close the pores (for example for a floor on which people walk.)

applied

Het Leemniscaat specializes in plastering with clay and lime and insulation with hemp and straw for both new construction and renovation.

Environmental impact

  • 100% natural
  • Moisturizing
  • Heat regulating
  • Fungicidal
  • No release of substances
  • Healthy living environment: stable environment 55%
  • Cooling in summer, warmth in winter.
  • Free from chemical additives
  • Special Features
  • No waste production, 100% reusable
  • Maximum life

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Organoid Kornbluama

Natural design is becoming increasingly important. Organoid brings nature into a building in an easy way, as wallpaper or veneer. It is made from untreated, natural raw materials such as plants, grass and hay. During the patented production process, all these raw materials retain their original appearance, feel and smell. Think, for example, of the natural surface of lavender and rose petals. All materials are residual flows from nature.

Bring the outdoors indoors.

Made of 

  • Alpine hay
  • Cornflower petals
  • Rose petals
  • Daisies
  • Variegated petals

production process

The natural fibers are mixed with binding resin by Organoid and applied on a carrier. Most often, flax fabric is used as a carrier for veneer or wallpaper. Thanks to this production process, the natural properties of the materials are largely preserved.

Applied

  • Veneer
  • Wallpaper
  • Acoustic panels
  • Carpeting

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Biolith

Biomason produces Biolith precast concrete tile with bacteria that precipitate calcium carbonate in an aggregate matrix. The calcium carbonate biocement consists of inorganic crystals formed by the bacteria at ambient temperatures. Through technology, living organisms are directed to make stone in certain shapes. The resulting product is recyclable at the end of its life and has no inherent VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds).

Traditional cement production is responsible for more than 8% of global CO2 emissions – that is four times more than the aviation industry.

Made of

  • About 85% recycled aggregate.
  • About 15% biocement.

Production Process

It takes less than 60 hours to make a fully cured Biolith tile.

  • Cleaning and mixing recycled aggregate.
  • Bacteria and nutrients are added to it.
  • This is pressed into prefab moulds.
  • The tiles are fed with a patented nutrient mixture of cement-forming components.
  • Afterwards, the tiles are cleaned and polished for use in construction projects.
Biomason bioLITH® tile curing in the Concrete Development and Production Center in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA.

Applied

Biomason Biolith tile is suitable for outdoor and indoor, vertical and horizontal use in commercial, institutional and residential construction projects. They are currently used in projects across Europe and North America, including at the H&M Group headquarters and Martin Marietta’s office.

Environmental impact

  • The absence of traditional cement ensures a much lower CO2 footprint.
  • The production process is also radically different from traditional cement production, eliminating the inherent high carbon emissions.

Growth opportunities

The global tile, cement, and precast concrete markets are in the hundreds of billions of dollars. Within these markets, the demand for better sustainability and diverse options for climate-friendly materials is growing as awareness increases and regulations are introduced around the world to combat climate change. It is necessary to scale up the technology to meet the demand for biocement and to compete with traditional products. Their goal is that biocement should reduce 25% of the global carbon emissions from the concrete industry by 2030.

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Ecolve

Ecolve is a bioreceptive alternative to concrete. Ecolve consists of recycled materials from the traditional concrete industry which are bound together with an innovative binder that stimulates the growth of CO2-absorbing mosses. In this way the built environment transforms from gray to green. As a result, our landscape will actively contribute to the absorption of pollution, while improving its ecological value, water retention and microclimate.

Every second breath you take is produced by algae and mosses.

Made of

  • Ecolve consists of 25% of an innovative bioreceptive binding agent that serves as an alternative to cement and is based on residual flows from traditional industries. This binder stimulates the growth of CO2-absorbing mosses.
  • This binder is combined with recycled aggregates from the traditional concrete industry. They are currently also developing lightweight variants based on biobased materials.

Production Process

  • The aggregates are extracted from the existing building stock by partners with urban mining.
  • The bioreceptive binder is then assembled from raw materials.
  • The whole is then cast in special 3D-printed molds made of recycled plastic. Both the material and the molds can then be recycled and reused. They are currently investigating this.

Applied

Ecolve makes every unused area in the built environment functional and contributes to a greener future. The material was previously developed for ProRail and NS, for use at stations, retaining walls and noise barriers. Over kilometers long, our infrastructure can contribute to lowering our ecological footprint. Lightweight variants are now also being developed for architectural applications. For example, green north facades can be developed that are specifically designed for growth and do not require irrigation.

Environmental impact

  • Ecolve tries to reduce the ecological footprint during both production and use.
  • In production, circular materials and sustainable manufacturing methods are assumed. For example, in addition to using recycled and recyclable materials, the 3D molds can be reused much more often compared to traditional wooden molds.
  • In use, the material has the potential to absorb huge amounts of CO2. Previous research shows that moss absorbs about as much per m2 as an adult tree. They are currently investigating how this translates to the Ecolve panels.
  • All materials have their origin from the Netherlands.

Good to know

In addition to the absorption of pollution, the material offers many advantages. By designing correctly for and with fouling, maintenance costs such as maintenance and irrigation can be reduced. In addition, the moss surfaces offer many advantages in the built environment. Mosses, for example, can absorb up to ten times their own weight in moisture and thus contribute to water retention. Their porosity also improves urban acoustics and biodiversity by creating ecosystems for small animals and insects.

Growth opportunities

Ecolve is still in full development. Crucial in this are the successful validation of biological aspects, indexation of its circularity, construction certification and scaling up of production.

The material is currently an alternative to constructive concrete and lightweight variants are being developed for facade applications based on biobased aggregates.

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Regional Building Method

Bouwtuin is committed to radically improving the sustainability of the (self) construction chain and (re)developing affordable circular building methods and products that enable a hybrid application of natural materials in architecture. The natural materials are processed into demountable (prefab) building elements, such as facades and roofs. In this way, the raw materials can return to the landscape from which they came and form food for the accretion of a new generation of materials.

Made from

The raw materials can be divided into three basic categories:

  • Soil
  • Wood
  • Fiber

Natural residual flows from the region are used for this, which are released during agricultural activities (including sand, clay, straw) or during nature management (including wood, twigs, reed), but cultivated construction crops (including hemp, flax) are also used.

Bouwtuin also uses biobased connecting materials, such as wooden dowels and flax rope, but does not shy away from the use of reusable technical connecting materials.

Facts

REED

Reed is a typical Dutch building material, it grows well in water-rich environments. Today, however, about 70% of all thatched roofs in the Netherlands are covered with Chinese thatch. The reed is of good quality and is about €10 cheaper per m2 of roof. Since reed cutting is a labour-intensive process, it is difficult for Dutch reed cutters to compete with Chinese reed (source: thatcher René Aasman).

SOIL

In the Netherlands, earthmoving for, among other things, nature development and construction projects, releases an estimated 40 to 45 million tons of clean and slightly contaminated soil and dredging sludge each year, which in accordance with legislation and regulations can be directly reused and used as raw material for various forms of earth construction (report point Soil Quality-Bbk Decree)

WOOD

Only 10% of a tree is used as quality wood for construction. A large part of the wood is used for a lower value, for example as raw material for the paper or match industry.

Production Process

Bouwtuin uses a low-tech construction method, in which we assemble raw materials in their purest possible form within prefab building elements. This approach makes it possible to make different combinations each time, in response to the possibilities of a region.

  • Obtaining natural resources:
  • Earth (sand, clay, loam) : earthmoving companies
  • Wood:  nature conservationists
  • Fibers (straw, reed, cattail) : farmers and nature conservationists
  • Wood is used to make the framework and structure of our building system, while earth and fibres mostly form the infill and finishing of it.
  • All parts are demountable and can return to the natural cycle via composting.

The importance of local

Bouwtuin works from a regional value chain, consisting of suppliers of natural raw materials (including farmers, nature managers, earth-moving companies) and artisans, so that we know the origin of the materials we use. This way of working was developed during the action research in the Hilversum region and the Gooi & Vecht region. Here the (im)possibilities of the reintroduction of natural material use were sought. On the basis of a series of facade workshops, the essence of the different materials (earth, wood and reed) and the architectural palette of the region was sought.

Applied

Bouwtuin uses a low-tech construction method, in which the raw material is assembled in the purest possible form within prefab building elements. This approach makes it possible to make different combinations each time, in response to the possibilities of a region.

Step one is obtaining natural raw materials:

  • Earth (sand, clay, loam): earthmoving companies
  • Wood: nature managers
  • Fibers (straw, reed, bulrush): farmers/nature managers
  • The supports of the building system are made with the wood and the filling and finishing of these with the fibers and earth.
  • The parts are detachable and can return to the natural cycle through composting.

Environmental impact

  • The exact impact of our Bouwtuin method has not yet been quantified, but based on the following characteristics, there is a positive impact:
  • The regional value chain and limited transport have reduced CO2 emissions. The use of residual flows that would otherwise be incinerated prevents CO2 emissions.
  • Trees and crops such as reed, straw and hemp absorb CO2.
  • A wet crop such as reed prevents peat soil oxidation and contributes to water purification and storage.
  • No external energy is used for the production of earth stones and stucco. The material is air dried.
  • The parts are detachable and can return to the natural cycle through composting.
  • ‘Architectural horticulture’ contributes to meaningful jobs and a healthy building culture.

Good to know

The Bouwtuin method has an open and low-tech character and makes custom-made applications of regional natural materials possible in an affordable way. The detachable prefab elements offer room for (regional) variation and contribute to recognizable and valuable regional architecture. The simplicity of the method makes it possible for clients to build their own, which means that costs can be saved.


Growth opportunities

Bouwtuin sees great potential in the application of its services for small-scale housing in the context of urban periphery densification, rural areas or facade renovation of post-war housing. The reliability with regard to the availability of the regional material is still a pain point and can be organized by entering into long-term partnerships. For upscaling and as a dot on the horizon, the Bouwtuin foundation envisions transforming itself into a regionally based Bouwtuin cooperative of farmers, nature managers, builders and designers in the spirit of cooperative Agricultural Banks at the beginning of the 20th century.

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ReLife

ReLife was founded with the aim of combating CO2 emissions, combating pesticides and soil pollution and offering ecological and natural alternatives in the construction world.

Did you know that planting hemp contributes to the fight against these problems? The hemp plants can absorb a large amount of CO2, they grow so fast that there are no weeds, because of the phytoremediation the plant purifies the soil and the hemp shives can later be used as insulation that can also block the heat of the sun for up to sixteen hours under your roof.

Forest of the future

Pro Suber (freely translated from Latin; for cork) informs about the use of 100% biobased expanded cork as insulation within the Dutch construction sector. Pro Suber promotes and supplies the (expanded) cork to professionals & processors as well as to private individuals. Based on the reasoning that due to an increased demand for cork, more cork oaks will be needed in the future, one of the goals is to actually place more cork oaks, which can provide us with this good material with versatile properties and applications in the coming generations. This is happening under the guise of #hetbosvandefuture. Another way to ensure that we have more of the cork material available in the future is by making sure that we make and keep the already present cork available within the residual flow; we call it cork upcycling. The high-quality availability of this cork from the Netherlands is done by De Eker B.V.

Making cork circular

Within the Exploded View, this all comes together within the tree box that was made for the cork oak from #hetbosvandefuture. The frame is made of 100% biobased expanded cork, which is filled with cork granulate made available by De Eker, made from bottle cork collected in the Netherlands. Biobased, renewable and circular come together here.

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Nabasco® 8010

This hard material consists of various residual flows: reed fibers from nature reserves and from the water authorities (now mostly composted or incinerated), cellulose fibers from recycled toilet paper that is recovered at water treatment plants from sewage sludge (Recell®), softening lime (a by-product) from drinking water companies and a partially biobased resin made from residual materials from biodiesel production. These materials are mixed into a kind of dough. This dough is pressed at 140℃ degrees to the desired product. Blue-green algae and natural indigo have been added in different proportions for different color shades. Tiles with reed fibers are distinguished from tiles with cellulose fibers in the texture, where the reed fibers are more visible on the surface.

made from

  • Bio-composite made from reed fibers from nature reserves and from the water board that would otherwise be burned or composted.
  • Cellulose fibers from toilet paper recovered from sewage sludge from water treatment plants.
  • Softening lime from drinking water companies.
  • A partial (50%) bio-resin made from residual materials from biodiesel production.

Manufacturing process

  • Calcite (softening lime), cane or cellulose fibers and the resin are mixed to form a so-called Bulk Molding Compound or BMC.
  • The BMC is hot pressed (at 140°C) into sheets or molded parts that can optionally be finished with a high-quality environmentally friendly PVC-free foil for UV protection.
  • The sheet material is easy to process with various techniques, such as engraving, milling, lasering and water cutting.
  • At the end of its life, the material can be ground for reuse in new biocomposites.

Applied

These tiles are specially made for The Exploded View Beyond Building. These are special because of their color, design and the use of cellulose. It is an exponent of the standard product line.

Nabasco® 8010 is used in building and construction (modular design facades, waterworks), signaling (traffic signs, hectometre posts, information panels; among others via POL), street furniture (including via Velopa), mobility and industrial design.

Environmental impact

  • The raw materials are sourced as locally as possible in order to save on transport energy.
  • Production takes place with the lowest possible environmental impact.
  • At the end of its life, the material can be completely reused in new bio-composite.
  • Nabasco® 8010 is >85% bio-circular and made from reed fibers from nature reserves and from the water board that would otherwise be burned or composted.
  • Except for the resin, all raw materials come entirely from Dutch residual flows.

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Thermo Hanf Combi Jute


Thermo Hanf Combi Jute is a high-quality insulation material made from the industrial fiber hemp plant. A natural product with an exceptionally good insulating effect. The unique thermal, acoustic and moisture-regulating properties of the hemp fiber undeniably contribute to a healthy and sustainable living environment.

Sustainable building with top quality hemp materials without harmful substances. Extremely comfortable and healthy living with minimal environmental impact.

Made of

fiber hemp

Production rocess

The fibers are extracted from the bark, the outside of the stem. Hemp fibers are strong, very flexible and very light, which is a huge advantage, especially in construction.

Applied

Hemp insulation products are suitable for thermal and acoustic insulation of roofs, facades and floors in new and existing buildings. This material is the wonderful natural alternative to synthetic and mineral insulation materials. In addition to traditional building techniques, our product is extremely suitable for timber frame construction. When using Thermo Hanf Combi Jute in ‘vapour-permeable’ building constructions, the unique qualities of this natural product come into their own even better.

Environmental Impact

  •  CO2 negative, so very good for the environment
  • Highly breathable: ideal for a comfortable and healthy living environment
  • Temperature and moisture regulating: comfortable and good for the wallet
  • Very strong insulating, both thermally and acoustically
  • Lightweight: much less strong supporting structures required

Growth opportunities

New applications for industrial hemp are constantly being developed. HempFlax continuously works on the development and innovation of products.

Health

  • Prevents mold formation
  • Extremely suitable and extra effective in ‘vapour-permeable’ building constructions
  • Does not cause skin and respiratory problems, so healthy to work with

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Typhaboard

Typhaboard  is made from typha (cattail), a plant that grows quickly and easily in all kinds of swamps around the world. Typha’s production fits perfectly with sustainable landscape management.

Made of

  • 50 % Cattail (Typha Angustifolia)
  • 50% magensite

Applied

Can be used as insulation board, construction board, inner wall or rigid filling.

Environmental Impact

The use of cattail has many positive effects on the environment:

  • Stop subsidence
  • Stop CO2 emissions from soil Storage CO2 in plants
  • Water and soil purification
  • Mining fertilizers
  • Nature restoration & increase

Good to know

This material is heat and sound insulating, moisture buffering and fire retardant. It also has a high percentage of polyphenols which gives natural protection against fungi and insects.

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Totomoxtle

Totomoxtle is a new veneer material made with husks of heirloom Mexican corn , Totomoxtle focuses on regenerating traditional agricultural practices in Mexico, and creating a new craft that generates income for impoverished farmers and promotes the preservation of biodiversity for future food security.

This is also a project that  exemplifies the  power of design to transform, repair, and promote social cohesion.

Made of

Mexican corn leaves

Production Process

Totomoxtle operates in partnership with the community of Tonahuixtla, a small village of Mixtec farmers and herders in the state of Puebla. The husks collected from the harvest are now transformed by a group of local women into the veneering material thus creating much needed local employment. The leaves get dried and ironed into a backing.

Applied

Marquetry, furniture or wall panels

Environmental impact

With this project, Fernando and the community of Tonahuixtla wish to stress the importance of preserving the ancestral corn seeds, not only because of their nutritional properties, but because they might hold the solutions for the climate challenges that lie ahead as many of these varieties have been bred for centuries in incredibly hot and dry conditions.

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Dobbertuin

The floating gardens of DobberWeelde look relaxed; all kinds of plants that sway on the water in a bed of cork. But they do important work. The Float elements turn the water collection in your garden into a green wealth, they protect quays and coasts against erosion and offer a wellness for birds, insects and other creatures in and on the water. And the beauty is; the elements are pure nature! Pro Suber’s expanded cork keeps the plants afloat, making them suitable for any water level.

DobberWeelde is a collaboration between Water Schakel, Waterleider and Earth Kweek.

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CaNaDry

CaNaDry is an insulation material consisting of hemp shives, lime and a natural binder. Roofs, floors and walls can be insulated with this 100% natural and fully recyclable material. CO2 is stored both during the growing of hemp and as an application.

After installation, CaNaDry still stores CO2 from the atmosphere through the permanent carbonation.

Made from

  • Chalk
  • Hemp

Production Process

  • Sowing the hemp.
  • After four to five months, the hemp is harvested using a harvester.
  • Debarking the hemp plant, using a debarking machine. This means that the fibers and the hemp are separated.
  • Production of CaNaDry: hemp shives, lime and a natural binder are processed into a mixture using a mixing installation and drying tunnel.
  • Bagging of final product in different sizes.
  • To install:
    • Product is dumped or blown in
    • After decomposition, the product can be 100% recycled and/or used as a soil improver.

Applied

CaNaDry is used for insulation of walls, roofs and floors.

Environmental impact

  • The hemp plants purify the soil.
  • They also remove a high level of CO2 from the air. For example, one hectare of hemp can store 22 tons of CO2. Hemp can be harvested twice a year so this doubles again. This gives you 44 tons of CO2 absorption per year per hectare. To give an idea of ​​how much this is now approximately: a car emits about 120 g/km of CO2. This ensures that CO2 is absorbed that is equal to 488,888 kilometers driven. This is about enough CO2 absorption to drive twelve times around the earth from 1 hectare of hemp.
  • This is a 100% natural product and therefore recyclable, reusable and free of harmful substances.

Good to know

  • CaNaDry is moisture regulating.
  • The excellent sound insulation, which contributes to better acoustics.
  • Excellent phase shift > 16 hours.

Growth opportunities

We don’t just cause change, we need the entire chain for that. In addition to producers, it is also important that customers, architects, contractors and the government are convinced of the importance of going back to natural/ecological insulation.

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EcoCocon

Strotec is the organisation behind the EcoCocon prefab rapid construction system, which is in principle suitable for any building. It is 99% biobased and consists of 10% wood and 89% straw. It is vapour-open, but insulates optimally. Straw stores large amounts of CO2 during growth and is an agricultural residual product. Because it is harvested annually, it stores up to ten times as much CO2 per year as, for example, in wood. With this system, even CO2-negative construction can be done and other building materials are compensated.

Pleasant indoor climate with hardly any installations.

Made of

  • 89% straw
  • 10% wood
  • 1% reusable metal studs with which the elements are screwed together.

Production Process

  • Grain grows on the field (in the Netherlands enough for 75,000 houses per year).
  • Grain is harvested and threshed; the straw remains as a residual product.
  • In a production hall, wooden frames are made exactly to size on the basis of design.
  • In these HSB crates, the now dried straw is pressed (maximum 15% humidity).
  • Then the building elements are numbered and delivered to the construction site at the last minute.
  • After possible decomposition, the material can be reused and returned to nature.

Applied

The building elements are used as vapour-permeable, constructive interior-exterior facades for homes (Eindhoven, Oostmahorn, Kaatsheuvel), Sports Hall (Tegelen), schools (Almere, Amsterdam), offices (Helmond) and in combination with CLT can also be used for stacked build.

Environmental impact

  • The material is 99% biobased.
  • It makes CO2-neutral construction (or even CO2-negative) possible.
  • EcoCocon stores approximately twelve tons of CO2 per home.
  • Grain is harvested annually, which means that up to ten times as much CO2 is stored as, for example, in wood.
  • After possible degradation (fifty to one hundred years), the material can be reused per element and – ultimately for 99% – back into nature.

Good to know

  • Ecococon provides a wonderful indoor climate; even temperature and humidity.
  • Good acoustics, especially in combination with loam.
  • Fire certificate of 120 minutes.
  • Super insulation (Rc 8.3), which means that hardly any installation is required for heating and cooling.
  • Form-free construction concept (any design fits in).


growth opportunities

Because construction is a major CO2 emitting sector, the standard for CO2 emissions will be further tightened. Strotec offers a serious alternative for this with its fully biobased and cradle-to-cradle construction system. Because the raw materials are widely available, the growth opportunities are almost endless. But the problem lies in the extent to which people in the Netherlands are used to building with brick.

The fast building elements have so far only been produced in Lithuania, but a production line will be built in the Netherlands when there is sufficient sales here.

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Video

Thermally modified reclaimed roof decking

The products and building materials have had a previous life and have been carefully disassembled, where necessary they have been post-processed, in order to get a full second life elsewhere in the built environment.

Reuse of wood ensures that the stored CO2 is stored for at least an extra life cycle.

Made of

  • The thermally modified roof boarding is 100% circular and consists of a fantastic quality pine that was harvested on average fifty to a hundred years ago.

Production Process

  • Harvesting and nail-free roof boarding by A. van Liempd Demolition companies.
  • Thermal modification by usedbouwmaterialen.com.
  • Profiling by usedbouwmaterialen.com.
  • Apply to the new facade by contractor.
  • Reusable again or thermally recyclable.

Applied

The thermally modified roof boarding is intended as a circular wall cladding. This has already been applied, for example, at Eindhoven Airport and in renovation and new construction projects by housing corporations Area and BrabantWonen, among others.

Environmental impact

  • The environmental impact is very small because it concerns the reuse of materials that would normally be lost during demolition.
  • The stored CO2 of the wood remains stored in the wood for at least an extra life cycle and it also prevents the felling of trees that would be necessary to make the same amount of facade cladding.
  • Through thermal modification, the wood is preserved without the addition of chemicals.

Good to know

The shadow price of recycled products may be set at €0 in the MPG (Environmental Performance of Buildings) calculation.

Growth opportunities

Unfortunately, the product is not available indefinitely, because it depends on the quantities released during demolition. In recent years, less and less has been built with wood and roof boarding has been replaced by underlayment. At the same time, there is still a lot available and every project can give that appearance and circular story. Which benefits awareness.

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Combind Paprika

Due to the enormous amount of residual flows from the greenhouses, it is possible to convert a large amount into usable building material such as sheet material. With the use of a natural coating, the material becomes water-repellent.

The residual flow that does not end up on your plate can be processed in your kitchen cupboard.

Is made from

  • Fibers from North Limburg
  • Shredded bell pepper plant
  • Starch

Manufacturing process

  • The pepper plant grows and is tied up with plastic wire.
  • The plant is fully grown in November and is being cleared for a new season
  • It is not profitable for the grower of the plant to remove the wire of each plant separately, so it ends up in the waste pile.
  • All the material in the greenhouse is shredded and filtered to remove as much plastic as possible from the fiber, so that it can be made into sheet material.
  • Then it’s brought to the production facility.
  • Then follows the mixing, mixing, pressing and drying, in other words the sheet material production.
  • After the material is created, it is processed by means of woodworking machines.

Applied

This material is suitable for interior construction, such as wall finishing. The material can be supplied as a fire-resistant finish. The material is also suitable for furniture.

Environmental impact

  • The plant provides fiber, which absorbs CO2 during growth.
  • The binder comes from starch, which is refined from the fruit of a plant that grows in the Netherlands.
  • When the product/material is no longer desired, it can be taken, shredded and reused to produce new material.
  • This product gives a residual flow a destination again.

Good to know!

The material is light and natural, has its own aesthetic and tells something about local agriculture.

Growth opportunities

The intention is that this board is fully compostable, just like ‘Combind Hemp’. For this, a solution will have to be found for the plastic residues that now ends up in the material despite the filtering.

At the moment a small scale-up has started. In which panels of 244 x 122 cm are produced.

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Smartty Aqua Green Panel

The Aqua Green Panel is an invention of Eduard van Vliet and offers a slim water-buffering green-sloped roof solution

Would you like to bring the water-buffering power of greenery into the city?

Made of

  • Grasses
  • Flowers
  • Sedum

Production Process

  • First, the zinc patented plate is produced.
  • Once laid, the greenery can be applied with a special substrate.
  • This ensures that water can be buffered optimally without leading to thick constructions.
  • The greenery continues to grow indefinitely and can be maintained just like any other green roof.

Applied

The Aqua Green Panel will be shown for the first time during the Dutch Design Week and will hopefully make its way as one of the usual roof solutions.

Environmental impact

  • The Aqua Green Panel manages to retain the water for much longer during downpours to relieve sewers. 
  • Furthermore, the buffered water in the greenery with its special substrates ensures better air quality and a healthier temperature that has an insulating effect in both summer and winter.
  • The raw materials are available everywhere and can be delivered locally.

Growth opportunities

In both renovation and new construction, sloping roofs can now also hold large amounts of water in a smart and slim manner during downpours. A special opportunity for water boards to quickly green urbanization in consultation with housing associations.

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Resilient mycelium flooring

From agro-industrial residues to luxury living environments, Mogu Floor is a collection of bio-based resilient tiles for interior design and architecture. A perfect solution to support a fully circular approach within the building industry. Mogu Floor products consist of a high-density, mycelium composite core, combined with an exclusively formulated bio-based covering.

Made from

Selected fungal mycelium, Cotton residues, mycelium and low-value biomasses, such as corn crops, rice straw, spent coffee grounds, discarded seaweed and clam shells.

Production process

  • The core: Low-value materials (cotton fibers) are placed in dedicated bags and sterilized in autoclave; then bags are inoculated with selected mycelium strains. Once bags are ready, they are placed in a growing room at controlled temperature & humidity to allow the mycelium growth. As a next step, the fully incubated materials are shredded and an additional organic binder is added. In order to obtain a high density material, compression is applied, also allowing the mycelium to polymerize and aggregate the incubated contents ( functioning as natural glue). The core is then laminated on the top surface with a 1.5 mm of Mogu’s bio-based resin.
  • The covering: Discarded oyster, clam and mother of pearl shells are grinded to obtain natural pigments with definite micro dimensions. This powder is then added to the formulation, to allow obtaining a pigmented PU with unprecedented biobased content. As the last step the bio-PU is spread and dried at a specific temperature to achieve a suitable technical performance.
  • Lamination: to obtain the final product, the mycelium high density core and the bioPU covering are assembled.

Applied

Luxury living environments, offices and public spaces.

Environmental impact

Mogu Floor tiles consist of a mycelium composite core, coated with a proprietary formulation characterized by an extremely high bio-based content. The proprietary formulation of the bio-based PU coating utilized in Mogu Floor also replaces traditional industrial pigments with low-value biomasses, such as corn crops, rice straw, spent coffee grounds, discarded seaweed, and clamshells.

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ESB Lite

ESB (eco strandboard) is an environmentally friendly alternative to OSB (Oriented Strandboard).

A material with a light appearance that contributes to less CO2 emissions.

Made of

  • 50% Poplar wood is used as the basis for this panel. 
  • The other 50% of the panel consists of recycled wood.

Production Process

  • The chipboard is made from small pieces of wood (chips) with synthetic resin glue as a binding agent. 
  • These are pressed in layers under the influence of heat and high pressure to form sheet material with a density of approximately 650 kg/m³. 
  • Finally the panel is then glued with resin without added formaldehyde and produced in Europe.

Applied

  • Decor/stand construction
  • Interiors
  • Offices
  • Retail
  • Schools
  • Care institutions

Environmental impact

Poplar wood comes from ecological forests and through direct planting after it, part of the CO2 emission is compensated.

Good to know

The panels are lightweight and moisture resistant

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OMIYAMA / SAKAIDE

Each plank stores CO2, and thus contributes to the reduction of CO2 in the atmosphere. The wood comes from sustainably managed forests. Almost all of the products are biobased and/or easily biodegradable. The charcoal layer offers natural protection, which means that no chemicals are needed to protect the wood.  Each board is unique with its own appearance and texture. 

For every tree that is used two new trees are planted. Planting the trees back is done locally as much as possible, near Leersum and internationally. 

Made of

  • Kazura is one of the charred products. It is made from FSC thermally modified Radiata Pine. This is a fast growing tree from New Zealand.
  • The Sakaide is charred  and then brushed. The wood species used is Douglas fir from the Netherlands.
  • After brushing, Sakaide is treated with Tung oil. This oil is extracted from the seeds of the Tung tree. The best natural oil there is. 

Production Process

  • It starts with growing a tree.
  • Then the Thermal modification of the wood by Abodo (Kazura) takes place, giving it a longer life.
  • Thereafter it is charred.
  • After use, the charred wood can be recycled by using it for energy generation or composting.

Applied

This can be used for wall cladding and interior wall coverings. Zwarthouts products have been applied in various locations around the world. 

Environmental impact

  • One m3 of wood stores 800 kg of C02. 
  • CO2 is released during the charring process. In the future, a heat exchanger will use the process heat to heat the farm where Zwarthout is located. In this way,  the CO2 consumption of the houses at this location will be reduced. 
  • All products are fully compostable. 
  • The Radiata Pine absorbs 20.6 tonnes of C02 per year per hectare. 

Good to know

  • The charred products are maintenance-free, only the brushed products such as Sakaide should be re-oiled every three to five years.
  • The products protect against insects, mould and moisture. 

Growth opportunities

Zwarthout l Shou Sugi Ban sees potential to clad tall buildings with charred wood. 

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Oesterplat

It takes five to eight years for an oyster to grow into an edible product. Once it has reached that stage, the oyster is consumed in less than three seconds. Oesterplat gives the oyster shells a new purpose and thus a longer lifespan. Like any other natural marble or stone, basic care and attention will contribute to longevity, maintaining quality and beauty.

The oyster is consumed in less than three seconds. With Oesterplat at home, you can enjoy the shell for a lifetime.

Made of

Oyster plat is an engineered marble made out of :

  • 88% quartz
  • 5% oysters
  • 7% polyester resin
  • 1% pigment

Production Process

Oesterplat is produced using Bretonstone® system technology and a special process of “vacuum vibro compression”.

  • It takes about five to eight years for an oyster to grow into an edible product.
  • The oysters are collected at various restaurants in the Netherlands. It takes six to eight months to collect enough shells for one production.
  • After this, the oysters are cleaned and separated. It takes six days to clean an oyster.
  • The oysters are then air-dried and grinded. This takes two days.
  • The pile of production waste goes to nearby chicken farms.
  • Then the shells are mixed with quartz and resin, pressed and cured. This process is done in three days.
  • The plates are then ready to be cut for the final design

Applied

Oysterplat is a contemporary fossil for architectural surfaces. Its versatility, resistance, aesthetic performance, hygienic quality and easy maintenance make it the perfect material for residential, commercial and public projects.

Environmental impact

  • Oesterplat is a sustainable material made from recycled oyster shells.
  • The product is made to last. If a surface becomes dull, it can be re-polished.
  • Oesterplat is made with the sustainable marble surface of Amsterdam’s canal houses in mind.

Growth opportunities

Oysters are now cleaned by hand, which makes the process labour-intensive, time-consuming and expensive. Moreover, only prototypes have been created, so a commercial application has yet to be realised.

Mycelium Composites

Grown.bio makes products from agricultural waste and mycelium. Also known as mycocomposites, these products are an excellent building material. The material is both temperature insulating as well as acoustically insulating.  It can be applied  as underflooring or wall cladding. When used outdoors, a proper (biobased) coating is needed.

Grown.bio materials can replace styrofoam and offer a CO2-negative solution to the construction world.

Made of

  • Organic waste fibers from the Netherlands, for example hemp from Groningen. 
  • 10% mycelium (mushroom roots).

Production Process

  • The organic waste fibers are mixed and mycelium is added.
  • This mixture is put into a pre-shaped mould. 
  • In the mould, this mixture grows for five days to a rigid shape.
  • Finally the product is baked off to kill the mycelium, resulting in a light, strong and 100% biobased product.

Applied

Mycelium based products have many applications. Obviously as a construction material, replacing styrofoam. But besides that, it is also used for packaging or interior products.

Environmental impact

Mycelium-based products are CO2 negative. That works like this:

  • The agricultural flows have stored CO2.
  • These are then chopped, mixed with mycelium and grown in molds.
  • Finally, these are transported to customers.
  • These steps result in CO2 emissions, but the CO2 balance is negative because more CO2 is stored in mycelium composites.

Growth opportunities

The market to replace styrofoam is enormous, but to achieve a comparable price point is a challenge. Grown.Bio works hard to increase the production capacity in order to reduce costs.

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Marmoleum, Boring collection

Marmoleum is sustainable flooring and is made from 97% natural materials, 72% of which is quickly renewable and 43% consists of recycled content. Jute and flax are annual crops that are harvested just like wheat and corn. The extraction of resin is a continuous process, while the wood flour, a waste product of the wood industry, comes from European production forests. Limestone is available in abundance. These simple, natural ingredients together form the linoleum.

This floor covering doesn’t give bacteria a chance to grow.

Made from

  • Linseed oil from flax flowers
  • Pine resin
  • Limestone
  • Wood flour
  • Chalk
  • Jute

Production Process

  • Linseed oil from flax flowers is the main ingredient of Linoleum.
  • Resin from pine trees, limestone, wood and residual waste from the saw industry is added to this.
  • This is pressed onto a jute carrier.
  • Raw materials are purchased worldwide, but in order to keep the impact on the environment low, the raw materials are purchased as close as possible to the factories.

Read more about the production process (PDF toevoegen Forbo production process)

Application

Linoleum is a hard floor covering that has been proven in residential, public sector and commercial buildings for over 150 years. Linoleum is often used in the education, care and office segments. Linoleum found its way into an incredible number of buildings around the world. Such as in the dining room of the infamous Alcatraz prison, in the elegant dining room of the White House, in the Kremlin, the German Reichstag and in Buckingham Palace. It could and still can be found in the Anne Frank House (1938), at the French Sorbonne and in the Curie Institute.

Environmental impact

  • Marmoleum is made from natural, rapidly renewable raw materials.
  • It is unique because it stores CO2 in the product itself.
  • Due to the photosynthesis that takes place in all plants, a CO2 absorption is realized that is greater than the CO2 emissions caused by transport and production processing. That is why Marmoleum is CO2 neutral from cradle to gate.

Growth opportunity

There is still an incredible amount of potential in this most durable floor covering. Forbo does a lot of research into making the current recipe more sustainable, the circularity and modularity of this product. After 150 years, this product is still being developed and Forbo expects to continue this.

Health

Marmoleum is naturally bacteriostatic. The floor covering doesn’t give bacteria a chance to grow. Ideal in allergy-free environments such as schools, hospitals, offices and at home.

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Hemp panels

Hemp is a fast-growing crop that is grown in the Netherlands and processed into various raw materials and that has many applications. It has a very high yield of usable raw materials per hectare. In addition to the fact that one hectare of hemp absorbs more CO₂ than one hectare of forest, it also enriches the soil on which it grows. These hemp panels are completely handmade with great care. After use, the panels are completely biodegradable.

Hemp fibers are the strongest natural fibers

Made of

  • Hemp fibers 
  • Natural binder

Production process

  • The growth and processing of hemp fibers takes about six months.
  • Felt is made from the hemp fibers, which are then pressed with a natural binding agent.
  • The processing of fibers into panels takes two weeks and takes place in Zaandam. 
  • This is done manually and virtually no electricity is used in the process.

Applied

These panels may be applicable for interior use, like walls or ceilings where it does not have to have a constructional function.

Environmental Impact

  • In a period of three and half months, the hemp plant can reach a length of three to four meters, about 100 plants can grow per m2. 
  • One hectare of industrial hemp can absorb 22 tons of CO₂ per hectare. That is more than one hectare of forest can absorb.
  • Only biodegradable materials are used in the process, making the product completely biodegradable.
  • Hemp also enriches the soil on which it grows.

Good to know

Hemp panels are fairly sturdy and light, it also has an insulating effect

growth opportunities

At the moment, the material is quite sensitive to moisture. In humid situations it can lose its stiffness.

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No Waste Floor

The floor is made from 100% waste wood, which is why Herso is the first to obtain the FSC 100% recycled quality mark. It is important to preserve the CO₂ stored in wood, which is why reuse is important. The qualities of wood can be used for hundreds of years, in this way Herso makes the antiques of the future.

The entire wood stock of Herso consists of more than 450 cubic meters of waste wood, just enough to supply Amsterdam with electricity for 20 minutes.

Made from

100% waste wood, collected from the recycling center in Oss, demolition projects or private individuals who bring unwanted or discarded furniture. If it is solid wood, Herso circular woodworkers can work with it.

Applied

  • It has been used as a floor in many offices, of which one of the best known is the circular pavilion of the ABN Amro.
  • A grandstand and staircase were recently made from No Waste in the blond version at the Aeres Hogeschool in Almere. This can be viewed by everyone during the Floriade exhibition.
  • The collagens used are somewhat waterproof, so No Waste can only be used indoors. An oil is used as a finish.

Environmental impact

  • LCAs (Life Cycle Analyzes) have been calculated for all products by the independent agency Nibe, because it is important that the production process is viewed transparently and neutrally.
  • If a No Waste furniture is no longer desired, it can be returned to the production process. This can be repeated endlessly because the wood hardly loses its qualities if it is properly cared for.
  • The materials can compost well without causing problems for the environment, but it is better to return the material to the workshop in Loosbroek, to be able to make new materials from it.
  • Herso is the first to obtain the FSC 100% recycled label.

Growth opportunities

Herso is currently already scaling up; partly by using people who are at a distance from the labor market and partly by getting more out of recycling bins. But the achilles heel is that the process remains largely manual process, which slows down the scale up.

Good to know

No unhealthy glue is used, so that no polyurethane is evaporated.

Thanks to a new technique, light furniture and kitchens can be made from 100% waste wood. These are acoustically very good and strong.

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Ecolinde Natural Latex mattress

Ecolinde natural latex mattresses, the handmade cotton duvets, pillows and the bed are all 100% plant based and therefore biobased. Only some screws in the bed and the zipper of the mattress are not plant based. These allow reuse or replacement of parts. At Ecolinde they speak of 100% natural latex because the mattress cores are baked without the addition of synthetic latex.

Every year, 1,5 million mattresses are being discarded in the Netherlands. This shows the urgency for a sustainable alternative.

Made of

  • Ecolinde 100% Natural Latex (FSC) is made of the juice from the rubber tree Hevea Brasiliensis. The plantations are inspected by the international Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) for environmental requirements of sustainable forestry and good working conditions.
  • The mattress cores are baked without the addition of synthetic latex.
  • Ecolinde Natural latex for the mattress comes from Southeast Asia, the organic cotton and kapok for the mattress cover, duvets and pillows mainly come from India. The untreated Zirbe (Alpenden) wood and the linoleum based on linseed for the Lyniu (designed by Dormiente) come from Europe.

Production Process

  • Juice from the rubber tree is harvested by draining and collecting it.
  • Rubber juice is collected and goes to Europe
  • Rubber juice is whipped and baked (vulcanized) with the help of sulfur and soap into mattress cores of 100% natural latex.
  • The Ecolinde Natural Latex Mattress is made by hand in NL: the mattress cover is made of 100% organic cotton jersey and filled with carded organic cotton.
  • After the customer has received the mattress from Ecolinde at home, the old mattress is taken away. Retourmatras recycles the mattress. The recovered raw materials are used as insulation material in sports mats and recycled textiles.

Applied

Ecolinde supplies consumers throughout the Netherlands with handmade, organic and fair trade mattresses, duvets, pillows and solid wooden beds.

Environmental impact

  • Rubber trees absorb CO2 and give off a lot of oxygen. 
  • By using natural rubber, no petroleum is needed as a raw material for synthetic foam, or rubber. 
  • No pesticides and pesticides are needed when growing organic cotton and kapok and rubber tree (FSC). 
  • Organic cotton cultivation saves water. 
  • Natural latex, like synthetic latex, is not compostable. 
  • A mattress lasts 15 years. A solid wooden bed lasts a lifetime and is the antique of the future.
  • Ecolinde only works with suppliers who can comply with the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) to ensure the production of organic agriculture and good conditions in the textile industry are adhered to.
  • The plantations are inspected by the international Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) for environmental requirements of sustainable forestry and good working conditions.

Growth opportunities

Growth of rubber trees is limited in Asia and labor intensive, while demand for natural latex is increasing. Possible solution is the Russian dandelion. Rubber can be extracted from the roots of this flower. dr. Ingrid van der Meer, Wageningen University, indicates that everything from the production of the plant, to scaling up of the patented extraction process, to testing the quality of the natural rubber and testing in products such as car tires, has been carried out in the large research project DRIVE4EU. However, the chain for production and harvest, extraction and use has not yet been set up in Europe. Investors are now mainly needed.

Health 

  • Thanks to the Ecolinde beds and mattresses, there are no longer any toxic fumes in the bedroom.
  • No heat in bed and night sweats as with memory foam and cold foam and polyether mattresses.
  • The biobased materials are naturally anti-allergic.
  • It offers good support for every sleeper due to the elasticity of natural latex.
  • The scent of untreated Zirbe (Alpine pine) wood promotes a good night’s sleep.
  • Because no animal raw materials such as down and wool are used, not only animal suffering is prevented, but also allergies, vermin and moths are prevented.

Contact

Biolaminate

HuisVeendam develops products based on natural local fibers and starch. A main ingredient is cattail, also known as the ‘cigar plant’. This plant has a cleansing effect on the soil. Nature is embraced here by looking at which forces are present.

Made of

  • Cattail
  • Organic Fillers
  • Jute
  • Glue based on starch and organic fibers

Production Process

  • Biolaminate consists of a jute surface. This is provided with a natural starch-based glue. 
  • Then small-cut plant remains such as cattail are spread over the glue. 
  • After a second layer of glue, the floorboards go into a press and are ready for use.

Environmental impact

  • HuisVeendam reduces their impact on the environment by, among other things, using local materials and recycling. 
  • In addition, the CO₂ released during the production processes is compensated by working with materials that absorb and store CO₂, such as cattail. 

Good to know

The lifespan of Biolaminate strongly depends on the intensity of use. With the current quality, a unit remains usable for at least 36 months.

Growth opportunities

The current market is still focused on conventional flooring such as cheap parquet and linoleum. A handful of pioneers are already laying floors with bio laminate, but it is time that this also became accessible to the construction industry and the average consumer.

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ZOAK

The abbreviation ZOAK (in Dutch) stands for Very Open Waste Ceramics, or Very Open Waste Ceramics paving. The small tiles are produced from ceramic waste (95%) that arises during the production of ceramic tiles. In this way, this waste gets a new life. 

Due to its capillary action, ZOAK actively contributes to the water cycle (Hydrological Cycle).

Made of

95% Waste ceramics from the (for now Chinese) fine ceramics industry.

Applied

The product ZOAK is used nationally as a pavement for squares, roads, footpaths, and parking lots.

Environmental impact

  • The product ZOAK has a very favorable footprint. It even has a lower value than a concrete paver.
  • Ceramic waste is once again given a destination.
  • The effect of this product has a positive contribution to the water cycle, it absorbs water quickly, retains the water and allows it to evaporate again when it is warm.

Good to know

Zoak is also sound-reducing. 


Growth opportunities

  • For now, Tilesystems only has the problem that it is still produced in China. There are no correct product locations in Europe that can produce this stone. Behind the scenes, Tilesystems is working on eventually starting up a European product location.
  • There is a need for a European plant for a better footprint and lower cost price. But in order to eventually realize this, Tilesystems has to make progress!

Contact

Silent reed

Silent Reed is a natural reed that is cut and selected with perfect acoustic performances. 

Made of

  • Dutch Reed from the Weerribben
  • Formaldehyde-free multiplex
  • Flexible glue

Production Process

  • First, the harvest and selection of the reed in thickness takes place.
  • Then comes the cutting of the reed to the right length into bundles.
  • Thereafter the wall panel is cut and assembled.
  • The bundles of reeds are glued to the wall panels.
  • These should dry for three days.

Applied

This material can be used as acoustic panels that absorb sound.

Environmental impact

  • This reed is locally harvested in Friesland. 
  • The reed removes CO₂ from the air all year round.

Good to know

This material has an acoustics AW-value of 1,0.

Growth opportunities

More attention for ‘biophilic design’ offers an opportunity for this material. This kind of design brings elements of the natural world back into our living environment. Silent reed, for example, could contribute to good acoustics in an office environment.

Contact

Søuld Acoustic Mats

Søuld’s acoustic products are made from eelgrass—a natural, non-toxic, CO₂-storing material—to create pleasant indoor environments that promote human health and well-being. The material’s organic properties stimulate the senses and provide interiors with warmth and tactility.

Architectural materials made from eelgrass for healthy and environmentally friendly living.

Made of

  • Eelgrass
  • Flame retardant
  • Bicomponent binder

Production process

  • Eelgrass is a natural resource which reproduces itself annually in the sea, washes ashore without any human intervention, and is dried on nearby fields by the sun and wind. 
  • The eelgrass is analyzed, sorted and classified according to colour and quality, then shredded down to shorter standardized fibres to ensure the best aesthetic and mechanical properties. Initially, the shredded fibres are impregnated with a natural, non-toxic flame retardant. 
  • The blended fibres are then formed into eelgrass batts using airlaid technology (a process which balances a low temperature with high compression).

Applied

This material is used as ceiling and wall cladding

Environmental impact

Seagrass binds large amounts of CO₂ during its growth, and if it is broken down, it would release CO₂ back into the atmosphere. By safely storing this CO₂ in sustainable building materials, Søuld’s products serve as carbon sinks, resulting in a very positive climate impact.

Good to know

Søuld’s products are manufactured in Denmark through close relationships with local partners who are equally committed to quality, sustainability, and to producing materials with lasting value. They only use compounds that are manufactured without noxious chemicals and don’t release any volatile organic compounds into the indoor environment. The acoustic panels are designed to be fully circular and with the lowest environmental impact possible.

Health

As a result of the material’s porous structure,  the acoustic mats deliver a sound absorption across a wide range of frequencies. By heavily dampening noise, the mats help to create restful and productive atmospheres within residential, industrial and public spaces, contributing to human health and well-being.

Contact

Platowood

Fast-growing wood species from sustainably managed, certified forests go through a patented process called platonising. Due to this process of hydro-thermal modification, the wood is many times more stable and requires less maintenance than other types of wood and has the properties of hardwood.

Platowood has the same properties as hardwood, while using durable, fast-growing wood species. 

Made from

Platowood uses fast-growing wood species from sustainably managed forests:

  • Spruce from FSC-certified forests in Northern Europe;
  • Poplar from FSC-certified forests in Europe;
  • Fraké, a fast-growing wood species, from responsibly managed forests with OLB certificate in West Africa.

Production process

  • In the factory in Arnhem, the untreated wood is preserved by means of hydro-thermal modification (platonization).
  • Platonizing consists of three steps: cooking, drying and baking.Only water and steam are used for this.
  • Due to the relatively low temperatures, more stable molecular compounds are formed.
  • The wood absorbs less moisture, which reduces shrinkage and swelling. Later mold formation is also prevented because sugars are broken down naturally.

Application

Platowood offers three types of wood:  Fraké, Poplar and Spruce. Platowood is mainly used for roofing and façade cladding, window and door frames, in the interior, as sun protection, in the garden and for sound barriers. The wood is often applied untreated and then weathers into a silvery tint. The wood can also be finished, for example in a RAL color or with an oil or stain on a linseed basis.

Environmental impact

Platowood strives for the lowest possible impact on the environment. 

  • Wood comes from sustainably managed forests. 
  • The way in which the production process is set up and how they deal with residual waste and recycling. 
  • Approximately 60% more CO2 is stored in Platowood’s products than is emitted (including during the process, purchased energy and transport). 
  • The steam for platonising comes from a nearby power station for which steam is a residual product. The small part of Platowood’s residual wood is converted into new energy by this power station. 
  • In addition, Platowood generates its own green electricity with solar panels.
  • Because there are no chemical add-ons, the wood can easily be reused again.

Good to know

  • Untreated, Platowood has a lifespan of at least 50 years. In those 50 years a new tree can grow.
  • Fraké frame wood has a burglary resistance that is many times better than other modified wood types and it is comparable to Meranti.

Growth

In april 2021, Platowood launched a design competition for the façade cladding of their new office building. Various innovative ideas emerged for the application of wood. This ranges from material innovations to new ways of mounting. They want to look into these ideas together with the designers. In addition, a collective of designers is designing façade panels with the residual material. This will be an optimally circular and aesthetic product with a lot of potential.

Health

Platowood has a very good thermal insulation value. The good insulation value ensures lower energy costs. 

Contact

Wonderstone

Wonderstone is a new ClayLime natural coating for walls and floors, based on clay and silica. Thanks to a waxed concrete effect, this coating offers a quality finish for the whole house.

Made from

  • clay
  • Sedimentary rock

Clay, available in abundance, is a millennia-old building material. Now it has been given a new life. 

Applied

  • Wonderstone is suited to apply on interior and exterior walls, interior floors, worktops and stairs, without the limitations of cement and without cracks. 
  • This material is VOC (organic substances that evaporate quickly) free, very easy to apply, it offers high wear resistance and is air permeable. 
  • It is available in a range of colors, can be finished in different styles and can be made stain and water resistant. 

Environmental impact

Cement is responsible for about seven to eight percent of global CO2 emissions. Claylime’s products contain no cement and are more environmentally friendly.

Contact

Cork green roof

The Green Roof developed for ‘The Exploded View’ is built of 100% natural modules based on expanded cork, as an alternative to plastic trays. This type of cork is made from the waste material of cork stopper production, which is derived from the bark of the cork oak. 

Four out of five layers of a standard green roof fully or partially consist of plastic.

Made of

  • 52% expanded cork, from Portugal. 100% natural
  • 48% wool substrate, from the Netherlands. 100% natural

Production process

  • The cork residual material is ground into granules.
  • The cork granules are baked into expanded cork in steam ovens, where it expands and binds together through its own resin, suberin.
  • The expanded cork sheets are then sawn and milled into a tray.
  • These modules are filled with a special substrate based on, among other things, natural sheep wool, developed by Dakdorpen.
  • Native flowers and herbs suitable for dry conditions grow in this substrate.

Applied

The cork modules are used on flat and slightly pitched roofs of for example houses and carports. 

The application of the cork green roof in The Exploded View Beyond Building is a test set-up in which Dutch wool, which is currently a waste product, is tested as an aggregate of the earth mixture (substrate). Sheep’s wool can keep the other ingredients, compost and ground tiles, airy. The water can also buffer and decay slowly, releasing nutrients for the plants growing in the substrate.

Environmental impact

  • The production of expanded cork is CO2 negative and no chemicals are used. 
  • The cork trees do not die when harvested; after nine to 11 years the bark is regrown and can be harvested again. 
  • The transport from Portugal to the Netherlands comes via either boat or truck, which comes with a yet to determined CO2 emissions. 
  • The wool and compost are recycled and natural products which are collected locally. CO2 emissions are therefore low and no chemicals are used. 
  • The green roof provides nectar and pollen for insects, as well as a shelter and wintering place.

Good to know

The expanded cork offers extra insulation compared to regular green roof materials. Furthermore it has good drainage capabilities which makes an extra drainage layer redundant.

Growth

Green roofs are a growing market because of the cooling and water buffering capabilities. The use of natural materials will be worth extra to the clients who often already have a preference for going green. The obstacle is the relatively high price of expanded cork. Furthermore there is more research needed on the long term behaviour of the materials. 

In the set-up for The Exploded View Beyond Building, the effect of wool on plant growth is investigated. Over the roof, from left to right, the wool percentage in the substrate increases from 0 to 50%. In the first two vertical rows, the water buffering effect of wool is examined in comparison with the “standard” recycled textile fibres.

Contact

Gramitherm®

Gramitherm® are insulation boards based on grass fiber. In the process, grass is used as raw material without creating waste.

Grass insulation panels consist of no less than 92% of biobased material and are currently the most environmentally friendly solution for insulating buildings.

duurzaamgebouwd.nl

Made of

  •  Grass fibers
  •  Jute
  •  Binding fibers

Production process

  • Grass that is not used as animal feed is currently a by-product. 
  • After mowing ‘waste’ grass,  the grass juice gets separated from the fibre. 
  • The liquid is used as a biogas energy booster to dry and process the fiber. 
  • The flexible insulation panels are made by means of Airlay technology. 

Applied

For all applications in construction and renovation such as floor-, wall- and roof insulation.

Environmental impact

  • Grass is an abundant and rapidly renewable material. 
  • Grass absorbs a large amount of CO2.
  • With the sustainable production process Gramitherm is able to create a carbon negative insulation mat (one kg gramitherm absorbs 1.5 kg CO2).

Health

  • Air quality (A+)
  • Heat and cold resistant
  • Sound absorption
  • Moisture regulation
  • Non-irritating to the skin
  • Resistant to mold growth

Contact

Mudernism

The most important residual material that remains after the purification of our waste water is sewage sludge. This sludge contains contaminants that should not end up in the surface water, so the sludge is burned after a composting procThe most important residual material that remains after the purification of our waste water is sewage sludge. This sludge contains contaminants that should not end up in the surface water, so the sludge is burned after a composting process. The residual material from the combustion is fly ash, which in Amsterdam is given an aesthetic application in the ceramic glaze.

Made from

Earthenware, fly ash and glaze.

Production process

  • Sewage sludge is the most important residual product when treating waste water. After the purification process, the sewage sludge is dried and incinerated.
  • During combustion, the ash rises and is captured.
  • The residual material after the sludge incineration is called fly ash.
  • The fly ash is used as a raw material in ceramic glaze and applied to tiles.
  • The tiles are kindled in the ceramic oven.
  • The result is tiles stained by fly ash.

Applied

The ceramic glaze can have different applications, for example on vases or wall tiles. Previous tiled walls with glaze of residual materials from the water purification process were made for water board buildings in Zutphen and on Texel.

Environmental impact

The earthenware tiles with fly ash glaze give a residual product a new aesthetic value.

Growth opportunities

In the Netherlands, more than 80 million kilograms of waste ends up in the sewer every year, which is all processed, purified, composted and ultimately incinerated. So there is no shortage of the raw material. The tiles are made by hand in a limited edition in Amsterdam. In order to scale up, Studio Billie van Katwijk seeks cooperation with a tile manufacturer.

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Contact

ALGAE TEXTILE

This fully compostable biopolymer consists of agar, glycerol and natural dyes. Agar is an algae-based gelatin substitute and glycerol is a waste product of soap production. The biofabric is colored with plant-based dyes that also determine the level of transparency and the matt or glossy finish. Algae textile is currently applied in fashion, accessories and packaging. 

Algae textile is made of:

  • Agar Agar, which is an extracted powder from a red algae
  • Natural dye, or plant based dyes from various plants like algae, pea flower or turmeric
  • Glycerol, which is a waste product of soap production

The production process

  • The material is cooked for 10 minutes on an induction plate
  • Afterwards, it is dried outside in the sun or in a drying container that is heated up by residual heat of a biogas power plant nearby.
  • The material is dyed with leftover natural textile dye baths or different plant based dyes.

This fully compostable biopolymer is based on agar: a gelatin substitute made from algae.

Applied

The algae textile has been used for several fashion collections that have a strong focus on circularity as sequins or applications. The possibilities for this material go from fashion and accessories to packaging.

Environmental impact

  • The material is fully compostable. The material is made by natural compounds and can be digested by microorganisms.
  • The CO2 emission of the material production process is close to zero.

Health

  • The material has no off-gassing and regulates the humidity of the room by reacting with the water and taking it out of the air.

Contact & info

Pressed seaweed tiles

Seaweed is a fast growing crop that does not require fresh water, land, fertilizers or pesticides while it captures CO2. Sea-Wood is a series of board materials made of local seaweeds. Together with residual flows from the wood and paper processing industry and the natural binder that is extracted from the seaweed itself, a material comparable to softboard, MDF or chipboard is made as clean and circular building material.

Even the binder of these plates is extracted from local seaweeds

Made from

  • 60-90% seaweed from the North Sea
  • Residual flows from the wood and paper processing industry are added to this
  • A natural binding agent is used, that is released from the seaweed during the making process

Production process

The seaweed is harvested in a responsible way. After it’s dried, the weed is mixed with the natural binder from seaweed in a clean chemical process, together with 10-40% fiber-containing residual flows. Finally, the plates are dried, pressed and cured. If necessary, the plates are finished with a glossy coating, which is also obtained from seaweed.

Applied

The pressed seaweed panels are now ready to be tested in practice, on a project basis. The panels can be used for (non-load-bearing) interior walls, for decorative, acoustic, insulating and fire-resistant finishes and furniture.

Environmental impact

  • This product is 100% natural, no synthetic resin or glue is needed.
  • During growth, the seaweed absorbs CO2, which is stored in the plate material.
  • Seaweed growth does not put additional pressure on land or freshwater.
  • Residual flows from the wood and paper processing industry are upgraded.
  • Sea-Wood panels are compostable. For the purpose of circularity, research is currently being conducted into the reconstruction and transformation of used plates into new plate material.

Growth opportunities

The material requires practical tests, which require pilot projects. This also contributes to the quantification of the product. In addition, (industrial) partners are needed for upscaling in order to be able to fully participate in the market.

More info and contact

Seaweed tiles

The raw materials for the plastics of the future are grown local in the sea. That is the statement from Studio Klarenbeek & Dros who put seaweed in the spotlight as design material. A clever finding, because seaweed stores carbon while growing. By pressing these seaweed tiles, the progressive designers show that CO2 storage can lead to beautiful mosaics.

Fungal coating

Xyhlo biofinish is a living protection layer that can be applied on wood. This coating is based on the presence of fungal cells and chlamydospores that adhere to the wood through biopolymers, which form a coating that can repair itself. Moreover, the quality improves during the first years of use, in contrast to the conventional coatings that deteriorate from the first moment.

Made from

  • Naturally occurring fungus Aureobasidium pullulans
  • Linseed oil
  • Thickener
  • Pigment
  • Natural emulsifier

Production process

The fungus is placed in a sterile and nutritious rich water solution, where it grows in a natural way. After mixing (formulating) with substances noted above, it can be applied to wood in a mechanical way (rolling, spraying).

A fungus on your house, it’s actually not that weird

Applied

The coating is already widely available and can be applied in many ways.

  • Making materials more sustainable
  • UV protection
  • Coloring of material
  • Organic, transparent black stain for consumers
  • Facade cladding for building

Environmental impact

Xyhlo Biofinish consists entirely of natural raw materials and a living fungus. The product and / or parts of the product can be reused in various ways at the end of its life. Biofinish could even provide valuable chemicals after the end of its life (upcycling). The biofinish is expected to last up to 100 years. This makes it a very sustainable coating.

Growth opportunities

Xyhlo currently produces a couple of thousand liters of Biofish per year. What forms a challenge is the unfamiliarity with the product among potential buyers. This is related to the completely new product philosophy and the conservatism in the market. Therefore a lot of communication is required to communicate the principle of the concept.

Contact

Acoustic mycelium Tiles

Mogu Acoustic tiles are certified products created by fermenting selected mycelium (the vegetative part of a fungus) on cotton residues deriving from the textile industry. The technical 3D modules include the models Kite, Wave, Fields and Plain, as functional solutions characterised by unique haptic qualities, and designed to maximise sound absorption and overall comfort in interior spaces.

Made from

Mogu Acoustic modules are made of soft, foam-like mycelium composite materials, relying on the valorization of upcycled textile residues through fungal fermentation. The tiles are biofabricated/produced by growing mycelium (the vegetative stage of mushrooms) on substrates composed of low-value residues which would otherwise be discarded (e.g. cotton fiber, hemp shives, etc.). The resulting products are 100% circular and biodegradable, with no use of petroleum-based binders, plastics or formaldehyde.

Production process

  • First, cotton residues are sterilized and then inoculated with mycelium in bags to allow proper
    growth and full colonization.
  • As the following step, the freshly grown material is grounded and laid in dedicated molds, where the mycelium keeps growing until it reaches the desired density/shape.
  • Once the growth process is completed, the products are slowly dried and finished.

Applied

Mogu Acoustic modular panels are a perfect solution for any environment, elegantly fitting professional or residential landscapes with a beautiful, responsible and emotionally engaging functionality. They are designed as three-dimensional wall panels, easy to install, in 4 different shapes, to allow maximum design flexibility. Mogu Acoustic modular panels are provided with their own easy-to-mount and screwless fixing system.

Environmental impact

  • Mogu Acoustic modules are made from 100% biobased, biodegradable materials.
  • They are produced from soft, foam-like mycelium materials grown on upcycled textile residues.
  • At the end of their life, Mogu Acoustic products can be entirely biodegraded, fully closing their life cycle loop.

Growth opportunities

Being a completely natural material, it can be sometimes difficult to fully standardize the related production process. Mogu, has established rigid protocols to allow a stable and consistent set of outcomes and they constantly run dedicated R&D campaigns to further improve our processes.

Contact

Jute Walls of BioFold

The biocomposite BioFold is made of textile waste and biobased plastics. The combination of origami and digital production techniques gives the material – besides the esthetics – important functional characteristics, such as carrying capacity, flexibility and acoustic qualities.

Made from

  • The jute walls consist of 50% jute coffee bags from coffee roasters in Amsterdam and the Zaanstreek.
  • The other 50% are PLA fibers, a biodegradable plastic.

Production process

  • The jute coffee bags, in which the coffee came to the Netherlands, are fiberized and mixed with PLA fiber into mats, using ‘needle punching techniques’.
  • With heat and pressure, the mats are processed into flat sheets.
  • Using origami techniques and digital production techniques, Samira Boon transforms the flat sheet material until it finally has these beautiful shapes.

There’s a solution for the plastic soup: PLA, a biodegradable plastic

Applied

This design is currently mainly used as interior trim.

Environmental impact

  • The material is completely biobased
  • Has a long lifespan
  • Is recyclable
  • It is an upgrade of the burlap residual streams

Growth opportunities

BioFold’s jute walls are still unknown to the general public. It is a highly rated, fairly exclusive product. There are possibilities for upscaling, so it would be available at a lower price and to a wider audience. This also requires investment.

Contact and extra info

KERLOC FACADE TILES

Kerloc is a cold ceramic material that is produced without any additional heating. The material is made of residual materials (Such as natural fibers coming from agriculture, horticulture and / or forestry), minerals and fertilizers. Kerloc is used in the outer shell of a building as facade panels and is 100% circular: it is fully reusable in its own production process.

Cold ground ceramics

The Kerloc facade tiles are made of:

  • Natural fibers coming from residual plant materials from agriculture, horticulture and forestry
  • Natural minerals
  • Fertilizers

Production process

  • The residual materials are processed into the right size. The raw materials are mixed in several steps until a homogeneous and usable mixture is obtained
  • This ceramic sheet material is produced at normal temperatures through an exothermic reaction. As a result, no ovens are used during this process, ensuring low energy consumption
  • The fiber materials are petrified during this process

Applied

Kerloc is applied in the outer shell of a building as facade cladding.

Environmental impact

  • Raw materials are locally sourced: most come from The Netherlands or adjacent countries
  • All raw materials come from natural (residual) flows
  • Kerloc tiles have a long lifespan (over 50 years) and are therefore suited for reassembling
  • Fully recyclable in its own production process

Growth opportunities

Kerloc is now KOMO certified. This means it meets the requirements of the Building Decree (falls into the BRL4101 part 11). With a current production capacity of 600,000 m2, Martens ceramics is already able to make Kerloc available on a large scale to interested parties.

Physical building qualities

Contact & info

BioLaminate with roadside grass

HuisVeendam preserves the aesthetic qualities of natural products that surround us in an ecologically responsible way. The top layer of this decorative BioLaminate consists of various types of dried roadside grasses that are harvested in the province of Groningen. The top layer is glued to the jute substratum using a biopolymer adhesive made from potato starch, which was developed by HuisVeendam LAB.

Production of BioLaminate
The final product

Curious for more detailed information?

Contact & info

Poplar multiplex

The poplar is a relatively fast-growing tree that grows close to home. By growing these trees along arable fields, the wood can be harvested every 10 to 15 years without affecting the forests. Ecoplex replants young trees immediately after cutting. The poplar wood is processed into an environmentally friendly plywood. The transportation lines from the fields to the factory are short, and planting trees ensures CO2 absorption.

Ecoplex is made of poplar wood

Production process

  • The poplar tree is the basis of Ecoplex. This tree is cultivated along arable fields.
  • The cuttings are planted in straight lines and are ready to cut in 10 to 15 years. Because of this cultivation method, there is no damage done to the adjacent trees or forest during cutting.
  • After cutting, new trees are immediately replanted. The poplar tree does not grow in forest stands with older trees or in primeval forests, simply because it doesn’t survive it these ecosystems.
  • The plywood is glued without using formaldehyde.

Applied

Ecoplex is applied as environment friendly plywood. This can be processed in many ways, for example in building interiors, stands, campers and ships.

Environmental impacts

De poplar tree is a relatively fast-growing tree that is available close to home. This means:

  • Short transportation lines from the arable fields to the factories and the buyers, and therefore low CO2 emissions.
  • Trees store CO2 during their growth and are therefore a CO2 negative building material.
  • Poplars are fast-growing trees and therefore poplar wood is a quickly renewable materials.
  • No added formaldehyde

Health

Contributes to a healthy indoor climate

Physical building qualities

Curious about more detailed information? -> https://www.biobasedbouwen.nl/

Contact & info

Hemp Combind

Local agriculture residues such as flax, hemp and rapeseed straw are the fundamentals of these Compostboards. When the boards are not usable anymore they can be put back into the earth – they are full of fibers that add nutrients to the soil.

Cabinet made of compostboard
Compost boards are fully compostable and add nutrients to the soil

Printed building elements from the water treatment plant

In The Netherlands, 180.000 tons of toilet paper is flushed on a yearly basis and burned as waste. Using a special technique, Recell Group filters cellulose from the drain and processes it into Recell. Recell is currently applied in constructions, agriculture and chemical industries – as additive, raw material or end product. Omlab 3D-prints with a paste composed of the circular residues cellulose, Kaumera and calcite.

Transforming sewage water into printed stone

The printing material is made of:

  • 60% calcium carbonate from water softening treatment by Aquaminerals
  • 5% cellulose is screened during sewage treatment process
  • 5% kaumera and/or alginate obtained during the Nereda sewage treatment process
  • 30% water
3d-printing the paste

Production process of the building elements

  • The raw materials are mixed into a firm, clay-like paste, which is 3d-printed using an extrusion printhead.
  • For printing the paste, it needs to be mixed and homogenized, this takes half an hour per half liter batch.
  • The material is then printed (half an hour per liter).
  • The material can receive post-treatment with calciumchlorate (5 minutes).
  • Forced drying of the material, to harden the object, takes 1-2 days.
  • The result is a breathing material that feels like stone or ceramic.
A 3D printed wall made of water treatment residuals

Applied

The toilet of The Exploded View is printed 1:4. But there are examples in which structures are printed 1:1. Check it out via the button below.

Environmental impact

  • No nature-unfriendly materials
  • Completely made out of residual flows from water treatment that were previously largely burned
  • The material is not baked, and therefore regenerable

Health

The material is breathable and has a positive impact on the indoor climate. The printed shape allows extra ventilation.

Growth opportunities

This product is still being developed and awaiting test results. For large-scale production, more people, (companies that operate) larger printers and co-investors are needed.

Omlab started experimenting with adding colour to the material prototype. They wil showcase this at Coda Apeldoorn on July 3th 2021. At this moment the colours come from sewage treatment and drinking water production, which results into diffrent shades of grey. Recently they started using ocher for more colour shades. At the moment they are researching how to replace that colour by using a waste stream like pulvarized coal and coagulation slib.

In addition to that they are working on a weatherproof version of the material prototype.

Physical building qualities

Contact & info

Water permeable tiles

Every seven years, each waterway in the Netherlands is dredged. By extracting, drying and sieving the dredged substance, Waterweg creates a new product – tiles! The substance mixed with a binder becomes a hardened tile by using a special pressing technique. The tiles are water-passing — unlike many other tiles — allowing rainwater to sink into the ground, thus also providing a climate-adaptive function.

Made from

These stones are made from dredged material from Dutch waterways, combined with a some cement. In the near future, Waterweg expects to be able to use a more sustainable binder, based on waste streams.

Production process

  • All waterways in the Netherlands are dredged
  • The dredged material that is extracted is later matured (natural drying process) and sieved to remove unwanted particles such as plastic and glass
  • After that the dredge is mixed with cement
  • The dredge is then pressed into a tile after which it has to harden
Picture by Jasmijn van der Linden

Dredge turns out to be more valuable than you might think

Applied

The water passing tile is the first application of this material. In the future, the material could be seen as an alternative to concrete. However, Waterweg prefers to use their material to support nature.

Picture by Jasmijn van der Linden

Environmental impact

  • The open structure of this water-passing tile contributes to a climate-adaptive city. The tiles allow water to pass through. In this way, sewers are not overloaded, but rainwater can sink into the soil.
  • The pressing technique ensures an energy-saving process compared to firing bricks, as we know from conventional bricks. On a large scale, this can save up to 50% compared to the MKI (Environmental Cost Indicator) of concrete paving stones.
  • A residual flow, namely dredge, is given a high-quality destination.
  • A clinker or tile made of dredge is lighter than a conventional brick or concrete, so there is less CO2 emissions during transport and is therefore also more suitable for locations that suffer from soil subsidence.

Growth opportunities

  • The material is not yet certified.
  • At the moment the tile still contains a little cement, the intention is to replace this with a circular binder.
  • Waterweg is scaling up production, for which they are still looking for production partners.

More info and contact

Linseed oil Marmoleum floor

This biobased floor covering has been around for over 150 years! The completely CO2 neutral material is composed of linseed oil, tall oil, wood flour, lime, jute, resin and recycled marmoleum waste. Moreover, the linseed, gum resin, jute and wood flour have a harvest cycle of less than 10 years, and are therefore quickly renewable.

The Marmoleum floor covering is made of:

  • Linseed oil
  • Tall oil
  • Wood flour
  • Lime (Calcium carbonate)
  • Jute 
  • Resin 
  • Marmoleum waste

Production Process

  • Marmoleum is produced in separate phases, starting with the oxidation of linseed oil mixed with tall oil. 
  • Through the oxidation process, a tough, sticky material is obtained: linoleum concrete. This substance is stored in containers for a couple of days to allow further reaction.
  • The linoleum cement is mixed with wood flour, calcium carbonate and -if applicable-  reused marmoleum waste.
  • This mixture is rolled onto a jute substate and stored in drying rooms to harden. The required hardness is accomplished in approximately 14 days.
  • Then, the material is taken to the grooming room and provided with a protective coating and subjected to a final inspection. The edges are trimmed and the material is cut into rolls with a length of circa 32 meters.

Applied Marmoleum

This floor covering is seen in all types of buildings: offices, schools, hospitals, and homes

This biobased floor covering has been around for over 150 years!


Environmental impact

  • De linseed oil, resin, wood flour and jute that are used in Marmoleum have a harvesting cycle of less than 10 years and are therefore quickly renewable.  
  • Locally produced resources
  • CO2 neutral
  • Cradle to Gate
  • Compostable

Health 

  • Prevents bacterial growth
  • Non allergenic

Also nice!

  • Beneficial for acoustics

Growth opportunities 

This product is already produced on a large scale. However, there is a need for more customer awareness: buyers are often still choosing for the less sustainable vinyl flooring

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