Case: Panel for facade construction in recycled plastic
LBE 2540-4 SavEnergy
GOP Denmark & Rodeca GmbH
Sustainable Architecture & Construction / Plastic Recycling
At the core of a circular economy quality-assured recycling is comprehensive. Rodeca GmbH reveloped appropriate recycling concepts to avoid polycarbonate waste. Production residues, particularly the ones that accumulate during the manufacturing of polycarbonate products, are high-quality and valuable raw materials.
Polycarbonate can be recycled and reused in many ways. Rodeca GmbH's circular SaveEnergy product line illustrates this: taking back the wastage of the company's plastic products as well as end-of-life sheet elements enables the resource- and energy-efficient reuse of materials no longer needed on construction sites. In doing so, the company focuses on economical and environmentally friendly production with reprocessed material, which is given a second life.
Sustainability is not only the decision for or against a product and it certainly shall not be seen as a trend. The way to build, to design, to draft architecture as well as the wise use of the existing buildings which need a renovation or a complete rework. From a sustainability point of view the demolition of an old building is as unsustainable as the build of new buildings. Both waste lots of embodied energy which can be saved when all planning parties consider new ways and closer collaboration.
Of course we can say that all materials are unsustainable which are not from a renewable and natural resource but even that would end up in a never ending scarcity which will not help to heal the wounds of the planet that we as humans have caused.
Polycarbonate is a plastic material and it is much more sustainable than many people think. A complete range of plastic materials got into disrepute because of the horrible effects that plastic waste is causing to the sea and marine animals. Therefore the prejudices against plastics are comprehensible but not always appropriate. The Polycarbonate that is used as façade or roofing systems has an average life cycle from minimum 15 years while a plastic bag or any packaging has a life cicle from minutes or days. Polycarbonate can be recycled and reused in many other ways which can double the life cycle of the material until it is finally not usefully recycled anymore.
The products core builds the LBE panels which are the heart of Rodeca’s translucent building materials. The SaveEnergy Panels show a stunning example what can be done from waste when it comes into competent hands for recycling and reprocessing.
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