Terrabùndo is a flagship project dedicated to supporting companies towards the circular economy.
The 1,500sqm building includes workspaces, co-working spaces, a start-up incubator, consulting facilities, workshops and training centres, and an event space. It will mainly be open to entrepreneurs in the region, but also to young people and to citizens who would like to learn more about circular economy and the jobs of tomorrow, serving as a showcase for the circular economy.
The project was designed and realised with a positive impact in many different regards. Most importantly, its catalyst function to contribute to the shift towards a holistic circular economy influences a variety of stakeholders that can multiply the transformational effects. This includes everyone involved in the construction and the maintenance of the building, the occupancy and use, but also many others that benefit from the advantages of the building in the region, as well as partners in the entrepreneurial activities in the project. Other impact categories include the bioclimatic design of the building, its flexibility of uses, the design as a material bank, the choice of healthy and circular materials, the contribution to the water cycle, and the support of green mobility. The project is a start to even more inspiring visions for the future.
Project Architect: Groupe MAES Architectes Urbanistes
Building Owner: Communauté de communes Pévèle Carembault
Project Advisor: Upcyclea
⁂ Integrate Renewable Energy
⁂ Integrate Efficient Energy Systems
The building was designed to be low-energy consuming. The entire design of the building has been thought out to maximise its energy efficiency. The principles applied, with a bioclimatic design, aim first and foremost to reduce energy needs as much as possible, then implement high-performance systems for the necessary uses, and finally the production of renewable electricity completes this virtuous approach.
The different aspects of bioclimatic design of the building are the following:
Thus, the building was designed to regulate solar gain and maximize user comfort in summer and winter: these principles allow the absence of active cooling (air conditioning) for summer comfort.
In addition, the building is very energy efficient:
⁂ Healthy Materials (Design for Disassembly, Material Re-Use)
Materials have been chosen regarding their circularity and positive impact, following the principles of the Cradle to Cradle Certified® products standard, with the notion of “C2C potential” products. A “C2C potential” product thus verifies the following criteria, based on declarations by the manufacturers:
The demonstration of the “C2C potential” of the building products has been achieved for a large part of the building:
⁂ Flexibility and multiplicity of uses
The structure of the building makes it possible to create new exploitable surfaces. The building is designed to change as needed with very limited work. The architectural office carried out all the necessary studies for the creation of additional usable surfaces for the building, with a minimal need for work. Also, some spaces were designed to have multiple uses.
⁂ Healthy Materials (Design for Disassembly, Material Re-Use)
The building is designed as a material bank, which means:
The characterization of the building products via circular passports has been achieved for a large part of the building:
⁂ Enhance Water Quality, Water Management
The project is able to deal with all the rainwater by itself, thanks to a series of landscaped ditches and basins. A buffer by means of ditches and basins is planned for heavy rains in order to buffer the water that will slowly infiltrate into the soil.
Rainwater is also collected through water tanks. The collected water will be used for outdoor landscaping and for watering green spaces, replacing the drinking water normally used.
⁂ Enhance Green Mobility
Several elements were included in the project to encourage and foster green mobility in the area:
To better fit with the Cradle to Cradle Certified® principles, the project was imagined with the aim to have a positive impact. The main points of interest of “Terrabùndo” are the following:
The building itself is used as a training medium:
