Financial support National Growth Fund for circular facade economy 

The National Growth Fund is allocating 100 million to the Future Resilient Living Environment program of which 2.8 million is earmarked for the Circular Facade Economy. The VMRG is the initiator of the Circular Facade Economy concept. Together with the trade associations represented in the circular façade economy, it has been making the case for years that a window, door, frame or curtain wall can return to the façade of a building in a subsequent cycle. With this investment, plans for that circular facade economy can be rolled out.

Recycling metal

For metal facades, circularity always goes hand in hand with better environmental performance. Recycling metal requires significantly less energy. Recycling aluminum requires only 5% of the energy needed to produce aluminum from bauxite. This therefore provides a huge CO₂ reduction. 95% of the facade aluminum is recycled after use. This process can be repeated infinitely without loss of material quality. In new facades, 55% of the aluminum is already of circular origin. In recent years, a large part of all post-consumer aluminum left Europe (mainly towards Asia) and the number of European smelters halved. By closing the loop better, the use of recycled and reused products in facades can be secured and increased.

Flying start

Monique Fledderman, president and coordinator Circular Facade Economy: "The industry organizations are pleased and excited to get started together. Through the joint preparation together with the Ministries of the Interior and Kingdom Relations and IenW, we can make a flying start. The 'Agreement Circular Facade Economy' is already ready to be signed.
And then we can proceed directly with starting the planned activities. Because we are part of a larger whole under the direction of TKI Bouw en Techniek with more than 130 partners and in close cooperation with the Ministries of the Interior and Kingdom Relations and the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment, I expect that we will be able to make bigger steps. Think of being able to better mobilize needed knowledge, digitalization, standardization, pilots, government involvement or other things needed to achieve our goals."   

Reduction of CO₂ emissions

With Circular Facade Economy, the industry associations have the following in mind: developing, using and reusing building facades without unnecessarily depleting natural resources, polluting the living environment and affecting ecosystems. Building should be done in a way that is economically and environmentally responsible and contributes to the well-being of people and animals. With a production of approximately 6.8 million m² of façade per year, this industry can make a significant contribution to a circular economy and reduction of CO₂ emissions.

The plan of action for the Circular Facade Economy consists of three phases: preliminary research & inventories, preparation for setting up collective return system(s) and maintenance. The trade associations naturally involve their member companies in this process.

Collaboration

The Circular Facade Economy Platform is an initiative of five trade associations in the facade construction industry: the Metal Window and Facade Industry Association (VMRG), the Plastic Facade Elements Industry Association (VKG), Dutch Trade Association for the Carpentry Industry (NBvT), Bouwend Nederland Vakgroep Glas and Algemene Branchevereniging Hang- en Sluitwerk (VHS). Trade associations and knowledge partners are investing the same amount in addition to this 2.8 million, doubling the total commitment to 5.6 million for the next 5 years. Incidentally, this is still separate from facade companies and partners working together in other parts of the program to achieve needed innovations. 

National Growth Fund

The National Growth Fund allocates 100 million to the Future Resilient Living Environment program. Of this amount, 40 million is conditional, depending on the results of the program. The facade, and with it the circular facade economy, is part of the Future Resilient Living Environment program.

The National Growth Fund is an initiative of the Ministries of Economic Affairs and Climate and Finance. The fund is designed to make public investments that contribute to sustainable earning capacity
of the Netherlands.