Extension during Phase 2
The EU Laboratory of Green Transformable Building's expansion during phase 2 is an excellent example of the benefits of combining an apartment constructed from 4 pre-fabricated circular units in the existing reversible structure of GTB Lab. The start of phase 2 was launched by the Dutch Minister of Transport and Water Management, Vivianne Heijnen, and the Deputy Mayor of Heerlen, Casper Gelderblom. The lifting of the units also symbolically marked the start of the European Center for Circular Building and Transformation (ECCBT).
The base of the units, manufactured by the Belgian company Warsco, consists of thick steel sections bolted together with insulated floors. The reversible configuration of these units makes them suitable for a take-back agreement. For this project, the units are enclosed with wooden facades, a circular steel facade with reused Jansen profiles, energy producing glazing of Soltech, circular roofing and super-insulation Bluedec in place of the profiles to avoid thermal bridges.
The intermediary steel structure between the GTB Lab and the integrated units is designed to accomodate future changes. Whereas in common building practice the profiles are designed ever thinner, the circular approach is to design structures strong enough to anticipate unknown future changes.