Sustainable construction of unique office building: Holbox Roermond

Hydro Building Systems Netherlands and Peters Constructiebedrijf Heijen BV recently worked together on the Holbox project in Roermond: a new, sustainable office building with a unique design. We spoke with Marc van den Nieuwenhof, area manager for the Netherlands at Hydro Building Systems and Frank de Rijk, owner of Peters Constructiebedrijf, about this important collaboration. "You need knowledge of the materials and together we can combine our areas of expertise," says Van den Nieuwenhof.

Hydro Building Systems, manufacturer of aluminum building systems, has been working on green circular aluminum solutions for years. "In the Netherlands, we supply the SAPA and WICONA brands, among others. For this project we worked closely with Peters Constructiebedrijf, which used SAPA profiles in the Holbox curtain walls and window frames," Van den Nieuwenhof explains. De Rijk adds: "We have been working with Hydro for years and its products fit our approach perfectly. The system is complete and offers many possibilities."

Sustainability as standard

The SAPA products in this project stand out for their high durability, excellent insulation value and excellent wind and water tightness. "At the basis of both systems is the Hydro CIRCAL 75R alloy, which has by far the lowest carbon footprint in the world at approximately 1.9 kg CO2 per kg aluminum," says Van den Nieuwenhof. "A minimum of 75% of the material consists of recycled end-of-lifecycle aluminum, which comes, for example, from the windows, doors and façade systems of existing buildings. The aluminum is carefully sorted and remelted into a new alloy for the production of new profile systems. Without sacrificing quality and material properties."

Challenges in delivery time and construction

As with any major project, there were challenges with Holbox. "Delivery times were tight, mainly because of the rapid construction schedule," De Rijk points out. "We had to make sure everything came in on time to meet the tight deadlines." Van den Nieuwenhof adds, "Fortunately, we have a lot of experience with large projects. Therefore, we know exactly how important it is to deliver materials on time so that construction can go smoothly." In addition to delivery times, the building's unusual architecture was also a challenge. "The window frames run at a curved, rounded angle and that requires specific profiles," says De Rijk. "As a result, we are very proud of the final result."

Confidence and forward-looking work

The cooperation between Peters Construction Company and SAPA (Hydro Building Systems) is based on mutual trust and experience. "We have been working together for years and know exactly what we can gain from each other," says De Rijk. Van den Nieuwenhof concurs: "Routine and reliability are very important in this type of project. It is important that our partners can rely on the quality and delivery." Both parties are satisfied with their contribution to the project. "Holbox eventually came to a brilliant final result and we are proud of that," Van den Nieuwenhof concludes.