What to do with hundreds of window boxes that are no longer needed.
What do you do with hundreds of flower boxes that are no longer needed. Usually these materials disappear into the container as waste and are then burned. At the NN Workspace 2020 project of Nationale Nederlanden, they think about this very differently and make different decisions. With 0% waste, 100% circular and the lowest possible shadow price as starting points, TRIBOO changed worthless flower boxes into valuable circular meeting tables and no raw materials were lost.
At first glance you won't tell that the table is made of waste and that is exactly the intention. 4 flower boxes are needed to make 1 circular meeting table. Layered in a high-profile fishbone pattern, this table creates a chic look. By using artisanal joining techniques, glue was not necessary.
In the design, the starting point was to create a robust table that could be used for a long time and should be able to change when desired without replacing the entire table. The wooden parts in fishbone pattern are applied to a large modular panel. This panel offers the possibility to change the top and replace it with another top made of waste. Thus, it is no longer necessary to replace an entire table but the table can simply change its appearance by replacing a panel.
The table was made in the Netherlands by Dutch craftsmen who worked with a great deal of love to give the table a beautiful appearance. Something we are very proud of. Because the tables are made in our own country, we preserve craftsmanship and provide employment. In addition, the kilometres made are minimal and that saves CO2. A win-win situation, in other words.
Not all flower boxes can be reused as raw materials as tables in the NN Workspace2020 project. Together with TRIBOO, Nationale Nederlanden offers other organizations the opportunity to provide high-profile circular meeting tables. The raw materials are stored at TRIBOO and are ready to be made into tables. In this way we can contribute together in stopping waste and reducing CO2.
NN Workspace 2020 is the project to transform the housing of Nationale Nederlanden into a place where excellent service is provided to customers and where employees work together on the future of the company. A working environment created to make every employee feel good. The project involves a total of approximately 50,000 m2 and is being carried out in the iconic buildings Delftse Poort in Rotterdam and Haagse Poort in The Hague.
A number of ambitions were formulated in order to achieve success. Facilitate and accelerate the agile way of working. Stimulate communication and collaboration. A healthy and sustainable environment for everyone with extra attention to digital applications. Attract and retain talent.
When we zoom in on healthy and sustainable as two key elements in the ambitions for creating the healthiest possible environment, Well has been adopted as a tool and deployed to the highest possible certification, PLATINUM. This gives us support and tooling to achieve the best possible result. With regard to sustainability, the following goals have been set: 100% circular, 0% waste and the lowest possible "shadow price" or Environmental Cost Indicator.
The project was not traditionally organized. In fact, from the initial phase to the final design, we worked with several potential suppliers to arrive at the most circular design possible and to make as much use of different ideas in the market as possible. NN also wanted to make sure that once the project was completed, they would be able to substantiate what they had achieved. During the project, a decision-making matrix will be used in which the stated objectives are weighted heavily.
Nationale Nederlanden finds it very interesting and fun to work with TRIBOO. They deliver products that completely fit those circular objectives. They take us into the development and knowledge of materials, binding techniques and modular constructions made on Dutch soil. They simply show us what it is made of and that appeals. In addition, they also help tell "the circular story".
NN would like to be able to show employees that this project has been realized in a completely circular way. And when they add "new" products, they are made from 3d printed recycled waste! An old discarded refrigerator made into a fantastic conference table, old chocolate molds serving as raw material for high-profile lamps. TRIBOO even has a surprise in store for the NN meeting places when it comes to their own waste but they can't reveal that yet. Besides giving a serious subject the right attention and making circular economy visible in the interior, NN thinks that the fun and appealing way they do this together with TRIBOO will bring a smile to people's faces. This brings them full circle and they realize a healthy and sustainable environment where people feel good.