A new centre has opened on the northern edge of Rotterdam – unlike anything the city has seen before. De HER is a gathering place, circular hub, and environmental park dedicated to reuse. The building includes office spaces leased to sustainability-focused entrepreneurs, exhibition areas, co-working facilities, a café, and more. An adjacent recycling park allows residents to drop off materials and products for reuse.
The development of De HER aligns with the municipality’s goal of becoming 100 percent circular by 2050. At De HER, Rotterdammers can actively participate in this ambition and discover the true meaning of circularity.
Sustainable and recycled materials from demolition and renovation projects were used throughout the construction. A majority of these materials were salvaged from a former laboratory in Delft. To enhance acoustic comfort, approximately 900 square metres of second-hand acoustic ceiling tiles were given a new lease on life and installed throughout the structure.
Sourcing Acoustic Tiles for Ceiling Reuse
Installers Murre-De Visser Afbouw were responsible for all interior finishing work at De HER. To secure second-hand tiles, the company reached out to Rockfon, with whom they regularly collaborate. One of their most recent projects was at RGO College, where five containers of old ceiling tiles were collected for recycling through the Rockcycle take-back programme.
"I contacted multiple recycling collection partners about their availability of ceiling tiles. Instead of collecting these for recycling, we sorted through the undamaged ones and delivered them to Murre-De Visser Afbouw", explains Corné van Meer, Area Sales Manager at Rockfon.
Since the white tiles were sourced from various projects, colour mismatches were inevitable. "This aesthetic challenge was discussed extensively and did not pose any issues. In projects where visual consistency is a priority, a more detailed sorting process would be essential", adds Van Meer.
"Clients typically prefer that second-hand materials are not visibly distinguishable", says Jeroen Zandboer, Sustainability Advisor at BAM Bouw en Technie. “This wasn't the case at De HER. That doesn't necessarily make the project easier, but it does ensure that you can reach compromises more quickly".
Ceiling Reuse: Key Market Learnings
De HER was a valuable learning experience for all parties involved. Zandboer highlights the importance of improved documentation to strengthen the reuse market. "For many, circular construction is still new", he says. "This brings new challenges – such as fire safety implications. Some materials at De HER, like the steel and fire-resistant frames, were re-inspected. Proper documentation is crucial. Material passports could help stimulate recycling".
Suppliers play an important role in providing used products, according to Zandboer. This, however, isn't always feasible according to Luuk Almekinders, project manager at Murre-de Visser Afbouwsystemen, largely because of the high durability of ceiling tiles. "Recycling has traditionally been more viable than reuse – both economically and aesthetically. Ceilings are typically dismantled only when necessary, meaning the supply of suitable second-hand tiles is limited. However, for materials that qualify, reuse strategies are certainly worth exploring".
Logistics also require careful planning. "The process between demolition and reconstruction takes time. During this period, all collected second-hand materials should ideally be stored indoors. Storing an entire building’s worth of materials requires significant space. For De HER, a temporary hub was used as a solution", says Almekinders.
