Without gluing, puddling and sealants. 100% dismountable and movable

With its new premises, PCS Gebouwautomatisering not only wants to create space for the growth of the family business, it also wants to offer its employees a healthy and inspiring working environment. This ambition goes hand in hand with the terms "sustainable" and "circular.

The new commercial building for PCS Gebouwautomatisering is being built at the Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht business park. In principle, the construction of the business premises for Van Baaren Aannemers belongs to the regular assignments, but the high standard of sustainability changes that. Project leader Gerco Vonk explains. "PCS wants to build circularly. This means that a building is completely demountable and can be rebuilt at another location. Adhesives, poultices and sealants are therefore out of the question. Connections are made with bolts, screws and tape."

Bolting and taping

During construction, Van Baaren discovers that caulking and gluing occur more often than imagined. Situations for which alternatives must be devised occur almost daily. "For example, the core of the building is constructed of precast concrete elements surrounded by a CLT construction," Vonk says. "In places where the materials border each other, bolting is now done and the seams are sealed with compriband. The wall finish in the washrooms is now a ceramic plate that is screwed, and the bituminous roofing has been replaced with TPO and EPDM. Only on rare occasions is an exception made for product-specific materials."

Malleable

A challenge of a different order arises with the durable, timber support structure. Here the structural properties differ from those of a steel structure. "A wooden structure is somewhat ductile and that has an impact on all the aluminum facades. We added additional steel beams so that the façade does not transfer its forces to the wooden elements but to the steel support structure."

Investment in the future

Incidentally, Vonk is also pleased with the additional challenges. "It's new and that puts you on edge all over again. Moreover, this is an investment in the future. Just a little longer and circular construction will be the norm." Meanwhile, the structural work has been completed and the finishing is in full swing. Now it is up to the installers to deal with PCS's environmentally friendly ambitions. After all, the pipes may not be connected with glue, but must be joined in the traditional way. At the same time, the benefits are becoming apparent. The large windows and wooden supporting structure, frames and doors create a pleasant, comfortable building that merges with its surroundings. In early 2024, PCS Gebouwautomatisering will move into the second floor. The first floor will be leased.