The next step towards greater sustainability

Isolectra's pluggable installations included in the Dutch Environmental Database.

The purpose of the Dutch Environmental Database is to provide clear insight into the environmental performances and circularity of buildings. To that end, the database contains product sheets with information on construction products and building installations. From PV panels to window frames and insulation materials. Recently, Isolectra's pluggable installations were also included in the Dutch Environmental Database. Architects, consultants, installation technicians and other stakeholders that prescribe Wieland's GST18^® and RST20^® pluggable installation systems and use them in their projects can use the data from the Dutch Environmental Database to make accurate product comparisons and to calculate and even improve the sustainability and environmental performances of their buildings.   

Isolectra is a pioneer in pluggable installation. Over the last decade, the company has become a market leader with its Wieland brand. “An important purpose of pluggable installation is to ensure installations are industrial, flexible and dismountable,” says Casper Bontenbal, marketing manager at Isolectra. “Since the systems are fully customisable and immediately reusable, the lifespan of the installations increases significantly. In this manner, we make an important contribution to the sustainability of buildings, the efforts to close the material loop and the national government's objective of significantly lowering the environmental impact of buildings. This can be done, for example, by making a calculation of the Environmental Performance Buildings (MPG) a mandatory component of any environmental permit application for residential or office functions (>100 m2). The lower the MPG score, the more sustainable and environmentally friendly the buildings’ use of materials is.” On 1 July, the MPG forresidences was lowered from 1.0 to 0.8. The target for 2030 is to reduce this score even further to 0.5. Although the threshold value for offices is still 1.0, this will also be lowered in the future. 
 
How can you determine a building's environmental performance? 
Every construction product has a greater or lesser environmental impact. A building's environmental performance is calculated by looking at all the products used in its development. “To accurately compare products and make the right choices, it is useful to have parties in the construction sector all perform their calculations in the same manner,” Bontenbal explains. “That’s why the national government ordered the development of an assessment method that can be used to calculate the environmental performance of buildings in a standardised, independent, thorough and reliable manner. The assessment method is based around the Dutch Environmental Database (NMD), which contains the environmental data pertaining to construction products. The NMD also serves as a source of data for the calculation tools that are used to assess the environmental performances of buildings. The method is based on the life-cycle assessment (LCA) of a construction product, i.e. its total environmental impact from raw material toproduction and from demolition to recycling.” 
 
LCA study 
Recently, Isolectra successfully completed the LCA study. Over the course of circa two years, the environmental impact of its pluggable products was assessed. “Among other factors, the use of raw materials, energy consumption, waste streams and the release of toxic substances were quantified and verified by an independent and qualified LCA expert, before the products could be included in the Dutch Environmental Database with category 1 product sheets,” Bontenbal continues. The product data in the Dutch Environmental Database is divided into three categories: (1) the data from a manufacturer, (2) the data from a sector and (3) the generic data from Stichting NMD. “The category 1 product sheet gives architecture, consultants, installation technicians and other stakeholders access to the most detailed product information. They can use this information to select the construction products with the lowest environmental impact.”  

From now on, the Wieland GST18^® and RST20^® systems can be found in the NMD. The hidden costs of the environmental impact of these installations are significantly lower than those of a conventional installation.  

MIA and VAMIL 
To stimulate investments in sustainable construction products and building installations, the national government has added various attractive options. When five building materials with a category 1 environmental declaration sheet in the NMD or three building materials and one piece of equipment with a category 1 environmental declaration sheet are utilised, the clients/investors are eligible for attractive subsidies, such as the environmental investment deduction (MIA) and the arbitrary depreciation of environmental investments (VAMIL). “This is possible on the condition that a return agreement is reached with the supplier,” Bontenbal emphasises. “That is not an issue for Isolectra, which is happy to accept returned pluggable installations after they have been used, so they can be tested, recertified and reintroduced on the market. This comprehensive approach is necessary even for those who do not use these subsidies, because it is the only way in which we can guarantee the high quality of our technicalproducts during their second, third and subsequent life cycles.” By extending the life cycle of its products (Reuse, Repair and Repurpose) and by reducing material usage wherever possible (Refuse, Rethink, Reduce), Isolectra has reached the highest rung on the circular ladder.