Stilla: sustainable acoustic panels

Tracimat puts circular construction on the map in Flanders

The construction sector plays a major role in the production of waste and the use of natural resources. It must take responsibility for reducing waste streams and reusing or recycling valuable materials. As the Flemish demolition management organization, Tracimat believes in the opportunities that circular demolition offers for the future. It advocates close collaboration between clients, architects, demolition experts, demolition contractors, and material buyers from the very start of the demolition process, with safe and high-quality materials as the ultimate goal. Together with these stakeholders, Tracimat is laying the foundations for a future in which recycling and material reuse become the new standard in construction.

To reduce waste streams and use our raw materials more efficiently, it is essential for the construction sector to adopt a fundamentally new direction. Our cities, buildings, and infrastructure contain a wealth of reusable and recyclable materials, representing a major opportunity for the industry. Tracimat traces materials from demolition and renovation projects from their origin onward while ensuring quality assurance. In this way, the demolition management organization aims to restore user confidence in recycled and reused materials.

Collaboration as a building block

At present, the prevailing mindset in the construction sector is that demolition should be carried out quickly and, preferably, cheaply. According to Tracimat, this means important opportunities are being missed. The greatest opportunities to return as many materials as possible from demolition and renovation projects back into the supply chain lie precisely at the beginning of the demolition process. That is why it is important for stakeholders in the chain to respond quickly to circular opportunities.

Tracimat bridges the gap between theory and practice. “To truly get circular demolition off the ground, it is crucial that demolition contractors and demolition experts are involved around the table with the different stakeholders in the chain at an early stage,” says Lies Mertens, project manager at Tracimat. To optimize material reuse, not only demolition contractors and demolition experts but also clients, architects, and buyers need to be involved early in the process. By bringing all parties together, the expertise of different stakeholders can be combined so that reusable and recyclable materials can be applied as effectively as possible in new projects.

Stilla as an advisor

At this stage of the demolition process, Stilla takes on an advisory role. As a producer of circular acoustic panels, Stilla is not only a buyer of materials, but also guides and supports clients and architects who want to build circularly. “Stilla offers a valuable service. Architects and clients often have good intentions but do not know what the possibilities of circularity are or how to get started. At Stilla, they have a direct point of contact,” says Lies Mertens. With its knowledge and experience, Stilla is a valuable partner for anyone who wants to step into the circular story.

According to Lies Mertens, architects and clients play an important role in implementing circularity in construction because they are involved throughout the different phases of the demolition and construction process and are responsible for drafting the specifications. “If you want to translate circular ambitions into practice, the architect must also translate them into the tendering phase,” notes Lies Mertens. Clients and architects can seek guidance from organizations such as Stilla, which are leading the way in the world of circularity.

Quality

Although attitudes in society are changing, critical voices still regularly question the quality of circular materials. To better guarantee quality in reuse and recycling, Tracimat, as a demolition management organization, provides a quality assurance system that includes a demolition follow-up plan in which demolition experts analyze and inventory the materials — including hazardous materials — in buildings that are to be demolished. “Our strength lies in having experts who carry out inventories and inspection visits with the aim of obtaining clean materials that can be maximally reused within the circular construction economy.” Thanks to Tracimat’s tracing system, the quality of materials released from demolition sites can be guaranteed, enabling buyers such as Stilla to create new, high-performing, and circular products using high-quality materials, both today and in the future.