more circular projects, more knowledge

cepezed learns by doing, but that certainly does not mean it is non-committal. We collect data, survey innovations and organise “learning from each other” in the cepezedacademy and lunch lectures. For example, cepezed’s sustainability coordinator, Sonja Draskovic, recently updated us on the lessons learned from the circular project Universe.


At present, most of our ongoing projects are based on reuse. We are therefore well aware that the circular economy is not a given. Fortunately, we are not alone in our passion for circular construction. The renovation of Universe is a good example of this. This 27-year-old office building in Binckhorst, The Hague, is one of the most ambitious circular projects we are currently working on. It is currently in a shell condition and is being redeveloped into a government office with high sustainability ambitions on behalf of the Rijksvastgoedbedrijf (Central Government Real Estate Agency).

committed builder
Universe is currently in the TO phase, says Sonja. In a circular project, this phase involves searching for and inspecting the final donor materials. Because Universe is being realised within a Design & Build contract, builder J.P. van Eesteren, the main contractor of our consortium, has been involved from the very outset. By joining early on, J.P. van Eesteren committed to the programme of requirements, including the ambitious sustainability requirements, which we maximised in the tender phase.

from day one
During the tender phase, we worked with the Universe team to assess how much reusable material the building itself would yield. And from day one, additional material was sought from circular suppliers and demolition companies, including Verwol and Adex. Sonja noted that the demand for specific circular materials needs to be spread across several companies in order to be worthwhile. This has to do with the time frame in which circular materials become available and are offered. In the short period between vacancy and demolition, they must be tracked down, examined in relation to the design, and assessed against the programme of requirements and ambitions.

network is crucial
Because the market for circular materials is not centrally organised, a network is crucial. Fortunately, J.P. van Eesteren has such a network, and we are also establishing more and more contacts ourselves through our growing number of circular projects. The circular renovations of the Rijkswaterstaat offices in Utrecht and Delft, which we are currently working on, are on a par with Universe. Even more radical are our projects in Heerde and Oss, where we are even relocating entire parts of buildings. We are designing a Circular Centre for the demolition company Lagemaat using the remains of the Provincial Office in Arnhem and expanding the De Lievekamp theatre with the former venue of the Zuiderstrandtheater in Scheveningen. Through these projects, as designers, we are gaining more and more confidence in the uncertain process of gathering materials.

lessons learned
Due to the uncertainty about the availability of materials, the design of a circular project is a broad outline. It is a framework that can accommodate different materials. That is why it is important to manage the client's expectations well, Sonja points out. For the renovation of Universe, this is being done with a mock-up of fragments of the meeting rooms, office spaces and corridors. This allows the acoustics to be tested, but also provides an opportunity to present the intermediate results to the Rijksvastgoedbedrijf and gather feedback. For example, when searching for reused climate ceilings, it is important to know what level of damage a client finds acceptable.

not fifty but ninety percent
To facilitate the search for attractive carpet tiles, we designed a pattern of strips in different shades of a single colour, giving us more choice. And when harvesting interior wall and ceiling systems, our experience has taught us to pay attention to the connections as well as the aesthetic quality. This avoids the need to redesign complicated links. For the ceilings, we use ninety percent recycled and/or renewable material at Universe, where initially fifty percent was requested. The percentages for floors, roofs and non-structural interior walls are also higher than those requested.

let's do it!
The high percentages are partly inspired by the Sustainability Roadmap, with which the Rijksvastgoedbedrijf is working towards circular, nature-inclusive, fossil-free, CO2-neutral and climate-proof government real estate by 2050. The team spirit can be summarised as “Yes! Let's do it!”. This unwavering enthusiasm alone makes us delighted to be working with J.P. van Eesteren, Moss, cepezedinterieur, A. de Jong, Nelissen, Swinn, Smits van Burgst Beveiliging, Verwol, Adex Group and Anew Flooring on the design and realisation of the Universe renovation.