Benelux's most circular office building stands at Kamp C

Kamp C wants to make a strong commitment to the transition in the construction sector from traditional processes to circular building. With 't Centrum, both users and the environment are encouraged to deal with raw materials differently. Waste flows are reduced to a minimum and efforts are made to ensure sustainable energy supply and water management. There is also a strong focus on raising awareness and changing behaviour, and reducing the energy needs of users. Experiences with alternative forms of partnership as well as financing and earning models will be shared with the wider public. With 't Centrum, Kamp C wants to show how circular building is possible and give the construction sector a boost.

The well-considered circular design and the conscious choice of materials, techniques and innovative business models make this building a catalyst for circular building in Flanders and beyond. The building is designed according to a modular standardised grid. With the concept, the consortium aims to effectively demonstrate that the building is easily relocatable and expandable.

"Major players in the office market, such as Immobel, predict that the demand for sustainable buildings will increase in the coming years. With 't Centre, we want to encourage as many construction companies as possible to jump on that bandwagon. This is not only good for the climate, but also for employment in the construction sector, which is one of the economic spearheads in the province of Antwerp," says Province of Antwerp.

"That we need to build future-proof is clear. 't Centrum was built with this in mind," clarifies Emiel Ascione, project manager at Kamp C.

Innovative applications

The office building consists of standardised modular walls, floors, columns and beams. The elements are in timber frame structure, GL and CLT on the one hand. This way, we get a building that is easily adaptable, expandable and renovable, and the components are easily recoverable, thus retaining their value in the long term. Building with deposits now becomes possible. All the materials used can be found in a Building Information Model (BIM) to which the materials passport is directly linked. BIM is a digital model that bundles all data of a building and with which all building partners cooperate.

't Centrum uses an innovative building management system. The building management system contributes to optimising and minimising energy consumption, but will also co-direct preventive maintenance, ensuring that it extends its lifespan. The building management system itself is equipped with wireless sensors, this avoids a lot of metres of cable and makes the installation easy to expand or downsize.

The life cycle assessment (LCA) analysis shows that the environmental impact of the building is very low. Compared to traditional buildings of similar size, it saves about 800 tonnes of CO2 (comparable to capturing about 70 hectares/100 football fields of forest).

A BEO field provides heating and cooling. Cementless screed and foundations were specially developed for 't Centrum. The cementless foundations were realised through the Interreg project URBCON. By using the URBCON concrete composition in these foundation blocks, 22 500 kg of secondary raw materials could be used and 13 000 kg less CO2 was emitted compared to using traditional foundations. The floor consists of shell insulation and a green wall will purify grey water. The furniture of the Info Centre at Kamp C was reused and upcycled and is part of the office furnishings.

Circular economy

For the cladding, wood from the former event venue Hangar 26 in Antwerp was reused. The Antwerp custom-made company Kunnig gave the wood a thorough refresh. The wooden beams were given a second life as facade cladding in 't Centrum.

Circular showcase

Kamp C staff were given a new workplace in 't Centrum. The building is a showcase for circular construction and serves as inspiration for new initiatives and innovation. Kamp C wants to showcase as many materials and techniques as possible in 't Centrum. Additional info will be available soon on site or online.

You can also visit 't Centrum with a guide. For a guided tour, you need to make an appointment by emailing email hidden; JavaScript is required or from 10 June via the website www.kampc.be.