Visionaries have been able to experience an entire ecosystem of innovations in Vilvoorde near Brussels for several years: At the "Living Tomorrow" innovation campus, visitors are already immersing themselves in the world of tomorrow. The "Building of the Future" at the heart of the campus provides insights into smart homes, smart cities, and other cutting-edge topics, and also offers a special environment for business meetings of all kinds. As a pioneer of innovation in the construction industry, Xella is an official partner of the Innovation Campus. What distinguishes us in this regard is demonstrated by our involvement on the campus to date.
Xella plans buildings with state-of-the-art methods
Away from paper and PDF format: when construction planning went digital, Xella was one of the first building materials suppliers to use BIM (building information modeling). BIM-based, i.e., data-driven building planning, which combines all paradigms relating to the building in a three-dimensional model, saves both time and material costs and identifies errors at an early stage. The model as a "digital twin" of the planned building even serves as a communication tool, because all the players involved can view it together and at the same time from their specific perspective. For this reason, Xella has been involved in the construction of the innovative Living Tomorrow Campus since the planning phase.Another important tool on the construction site: the Hololens. These special glasses create an image that mixes the real construction site with virtually planned components, making it easier to plan the next steps on the ongoing construction site.
Xella's materials are ideal for the buildings of tomorrow
For Living Tomorrow, Xella's building materials Ytong (autoclaved aerated concrete) and Silka (calcium-silicate blocks) were also used. The energy efficiency of both materials ensures cool summers and warmer winters in the building of the future because their special material properties combine to regulate temperature. In production, they need less energy than other building materials. They are often delivered in large formats, so that the construction progress is quickly visible.
The future is what happens after demolition
Xella's materials are not only energy efficient, but also highly recyclable: both autoclaved aerated concrete and sand-lime building systems are made from mineral raw materials that are almost completely recyclable and absorb CO2 over their life cycle. The recovered material can easily be returned to the manufacturing cycle and used as raw material for new blocks.
Following the construction of the Building of the Future, Xella is now also significantly involved in the planning and construction of the "Hotel of the Future". It is scheduled for completion in September 2023. We are exhibiting our modern building materials and methods at the Living Tomorrow Campus in the Hotel of the Future.
