power to renovation

On our latest loose-fixed Movie Night, therefore, the short film Power to Renovation ran. The film was made by HouseEurope! and was introduced by architects Ivan Avdic (cepezed) and Jasmine Montina (Ector Hoogstad), both members of Architects Climate Action Network NL. After the screening, there was a lively discussion about the arguments presented in the film. The examples of our own office practice were, at the very least, just as convincing.

no more demolition
For years, reducing or even completely stopping demolition has been a topic of discussion among architects, with former State Architect Floris Alkemade being one of the most prominent advocates. With the establishment of the citizen initiative HouseEurope!, this idea has been taken to the next level. HouseEurope! is currently collecting signatures to form an official committee within the European Union and Architects Climate Action Network NL (ACAN) is supporting them in this, together with the IABR and the Academy of Architecture Amsterdam. The petition should lead to new European regulations, making renovation faster, cheaper and easier.

the film
The film features experts and shows practical examples of renovation as a sustainable alternative. Every ‘minute’ in Europe, a building is demolished, which not only is a waste of material and energy, but also erases stories. cepezed is aware of this and, whenever possible, advocates for the preservation and transformation of buildings where the client initially considered demolition and new construction. Examples include Wega.punt, a small parking garage for the Police in The Hague’s Binckhorst district, and the office building Vitrum in Amsterdam.

logical
At the start of the evening, Ronald Schleurholts (partner at cepezed) briefly introduced these projects. At Wega.punt the proposed demolition concerned the entire building, at Vitrum it had concerned the iconic footbridge over Parnassusweg. The alternative designs were deemed so logical by the clients that there was no debate. The option of not demolishing was not even more expensive. Ronald pointed out the costs involved in organising demolition in an existing city, such as closing off streets. "Architects are the ones who can say something," he concluded his presentation, "so they should."

reconsidering our value system
Should architects be activists? Jasmine quotes civil rights activist John Lewis as an answer to that question: “If not us, then who? If not now, then when?” She stresses that ACAN transcends the private interests of firms: “The choice against demolition is a choice to reconsider our value system, it is a paradigm shift.” Ivan: "HouseEurope! wants to make renovation the new standard through EU legislation. But it’s also important to take back the initiative in other ways. To figure out what we can do, as one of the parties in the construction chain, we need a good understanding of money flows.”

sustainable alternative
The discussion after the film mainly concerned these financial flows. According to Menno Rubbens, director of cepezedprojects, the problem lies in pricing: “There needs to be a price on CO2, I’ve been saying this for years. Building materials should be more expensive, and labour should be cheaper. The fragmentation of the construction chain is also a problem. It encourages everyone to focus on their own profit and reduces engagement. The greater picture disappears, and so does the impact of decisions.”

solution
In general, at cepezed, we believe it is better to focus on the solution rather than the problem, as the film does. Leon Thormann (structural engineer): “The film is quite bold, while the petition addresses three humble demands, regarding taxation, assessments, and CO2.” Jasmine: “The film sheds light on parts of our industry we often don’t think about. The petition by HouseEurope! is in fact solution-oriented, presenting renovation as a proven, sustainable alternative. For example, instead of mandatory risk assessments, as we have now, it proposes mandatory potential assessments.”

Would you like to know more about HouseEurope! and the petition?

Straight to the petition?

Would you like to know more about transformation projects by cepezed, and about our vision?
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