Excellent facades: great in sustainability and pleasing to the eye

For 65 years Scheldebouw has been the address for excellent facades, which can be found all over the world. The approximately 400 employees search daily for the optimum in aesthetics, technology and manufacturability, making even the wildest ideas a reality. "Since our establishment in 1958, we have grown into a permanent partner of top architects and developers from all over the world," says Hans Jansen, Lead Concept Designer at Scheldebouw. "Demanding clients, who constantly want to distinguish themselves. Facades are image-defining for their buildings. Moreover, attention to sustainability is growing."

Efficient use of materials

Scheldebouw's business model fits this seamlessly. "Because we design and produce each facade project-specifically, we are not dependent on standard systems. Instead, we actively seek solutions in which materials are used efficiently and smartly," Jansen said. "We use the minimum material required, within the aesthetically imposed frameworks and without compromising on quality and performance. By also offering facade maintenance to our clients, the technical lifespan of our facades can be extended considerably and the need to replace materials soon after the warranty period disappears." 

First EPD for custom made facades

"A significant portion of our CO₂-emissions is in the materials used to produce our facades," says Janneke Verkerk-Evers, Sustainability Leader at Scheldebouw. "Where in the Netherlands the term MPG is used, Scheldebouw in England is mainly concerned with the CO₂-impact from design to completion: the embodied carbon. For this, knowledge of all materials and their environmental impact is essential." Scheldebouw has developed several tools that can help clients and architects make environmentally conscious choices. And it doesn't stop there. To demonstrate the operational and material-related carbon footprint of its facades, Scheldebouw started a process several years ago to achieve demonstrable and certified calculations. These efforts were rewarded in 2022 with a certified Environmental Product Declaration (EPD). "This makes us the first company in the world that can issue a certified environmental product declaration on its custom-made facades," Verkerk-Evers said. "With this we can show developers even more clearly how our facades contribute to the sustainability issue and what influence certain design choices have. With this we show commitment to the market. We deliver what we promise." Highly sustainable is also Scheldebouw's "Closed Cavity Facade. Here the performance of the double-skin facade and the ease of maintenance of the single-skin facade come together efficiently, resulting in high performance and low maintenance costs.

Sustainable facade renovations

Scheldebouw also has the knowledge and experience in the field of renovation to compare different facade concepts and advise clients. "This combines our knowledge of the environmental impact of materials (LCA/MPG) and of the performance of facades at the building level," Verkerk-Evers said. "What modifications of facades can we do so that we can achieve the greatest possible aesthetic and energy improvement with the least possible environmental impact? Ultimately, renovation and reuse of facades will drive our market. That this is possible, we see with projects such as Koningskade in The Hague, where a now 50-year-old facade by Scheldebouw has been renovated with care and can last for years again. Ultimately, limiting environmental impact is the most sustainable solution in renovation."

CO₂ Performance Ladder

Scheldebouw will soon have itself certified according to the CO₂ SKAO's Performance Ladder and in this regard step 4 is the ambition. This places Scheldebouw among the best performing companies in the sector. "As an organization, we are very aware of our CO₂-emissions," Jansen says. "We are actively looking for ways to save on this. For example, we recently had PV cells installed on the roof of our production and the facades of our offices have new high-tech facades, such as our Closed Cavity Facade." Verkerk-Evers: "We are also taking various initiatives to reduce CO₂-emissions from our chain. Waste reduction, conscious material choices, more efficient use of raw materials and optimization of all transport movements make an important contribution to this. CO₂ We save money together. We are happy to take a leading role in this."

Scheldebouw is one of the three "main brands" within the Permasteelisa Group, the largest facade builder in the world with over 5,700 employees and 40 branches in 30 countries.