Circular concrete finally widely deployed in Belgium: first recycled concrete approved for mass production

Mechelen residential neighborhood Komet first to get circular concrete

Good news for Belgium's climate and environmental ambitions: the first recycled concrete has been approved for mass production, making circular concrete widely applicable from now on. This is a product of the Mechelen-based company Jacobs Beton. Consequently, the first buildings with their approved green concrete are currently being constructed in Mechelen. There, the Komet neighborhood will receive some 4,000 cubic meters of circular concrete. A milestone not to be underestimated, since all material use within the construction sector is responsible for 5 to 10 percent of global CO2 emissions, as well as 30 percent of global waste. "We can finally really do something about that, without sacrificing quality," said Alexandre Huyghe of Revive, developer of the Komet neighborhood. 

In recent years, a few construction projects using circular concrete have popped up here and there in Belgium. But this always poses one major problem: for each project, the recycled concrete must be retested and approved each time. And that concrete can then only be used for that specific project. It is precisely this cumbersome and time-consuming procedure that may now be consigned to the wastepaper basket. The Mechelen-based producer Jacobs Beton was the first concrete plant in Belgium to receive the general Benor approval for the production of its circular concrete. 

"Specifically, this means that from now on our recycled concrete is no longer tied to one specific construction project. We can now start distributing it widely because it no longer has to be tested and approved separately for each project. In other words, the big gate is now opening for Belgium. Belgium can finally start using circular concrete on an industrial scale." Kurt Jacobs, director of Jacobs Concrete. 

Moreover, the green concrete promises to be of equivalent quality to the usual standard. In terms of strength as well as ease of use and material durability, it does not fall short of the conventional alternatives. 

7,500 kilometers of heavy transport saved 

The first buildings with this new circular BENOR concrete are currently under construction in Mechelen. The buildings of the future Mechelen residential district Komet will consist of 30 percent concrete with recycled concrete aggregates, accounting for some 5,000 cubic meters. 

"We save more than 1,500 tons of natural concrete aggregates. On the one hand, we thus avoid having to drive 50 large trucks from the quarries in Wallonia to our site, or 7,500 kilometers of heavily loaded transport. Obviously a good thing in terms of C02 emissions - and for our congested roads. On the other hand, we are also reducing Belgium's construction and demolition waste mountain. And importantly: we do all this without sacrificing quality or strength of the concrete." Alexandre Huyghe, CEO of Revive 

The partners who together with Jacobs Beton made the project possible are the developer Revive, study firm VK Architects & Engineers and contractor Democo. The designs of the Komet neighborhood are by the architectural firms Binst Architects and Areal Architects. 

"As a consulting firm with a focus on sustainability, it was logical for us to enter into dialogue with Revive - given that they also place a high value on this - with the goal of using concrete with recycled concrete aggregates for the Komet project. For us, this is mainly a matter of taking responsibility. After all, our business, the construction industry, is responsible for 50 percent of all raw materials mined by humans. Moreover, we also create 30 percent of all waste, with concrete waste in particular being the culprit. So it is simply our duty to do something about it, by minimizing the amount of demolition waste." Koen Feyaerts, Project Engineer C&S at VK Architects & Engineers 

Response to COP 26  

That the Mechelen real estate project is coming up with this sustainable innovation should really come as no surprise. Project developer Revive promised several years ago that Komet would become Mechelen's most sustainable neighborhood. In addition to this circular concrete, the plans also include more than 2,000 square meters of solar panels and 15,000 square meters of greenery, and all 320 houses and apartments will be heated without fossil fuels, using heat pumps. 

Construction project partners also see their recycled concrete as a strong response to the recent climate summit (COP26) in Glasgow. 

"With this we want to make the difference between 'talking' and 'doing'. Because at the past climate conference in Glasgow, there was again mostly a lot of talking and little doing. So our message is: the time for promises is over, it's time for action. And that is exactly why we value innovation, because that is how you make a real difference. Circular concrete is the perfect example of that." Alexandre Huyghe, CEO of Revive 

The new residential neighborhood is currently still under construction. The first of the three construction phases - accounting for some 128 housing units - will be over by the end of 2022. The second construction phase will start around summer.