Circular Economy
Circular Economy has been part of Grijsen's working method for many years. Ever since the first design, all products have been completely modular. This now appears to be a good basis for a circular approach. We notice that Circular Economy in the market of street furniture increasingly begins to live. However, it often remains with beautiful stories instead of practical applications. Grijsen does it differently, on this page you will see various practical examples of how Grijsen makes infinite use of its raw materials.
Multiple value creation
Residual products form the basis for new products
Multiple value creation and preservation are essential in a circular economy. Creating and preserving value can be done in different ways. In a traditional linear economy, value is added to a raw material once and it is discarded as waste after use. The idea of a circular economy is that there is no waste, by adding value to or preserving the raw material every time.
The basis for this way of thinking is the design of the initial product. Grijsen circularly designs its products right from the start. The modular structure of all products makes it possible to replace
individual parts, but also makes it suitable for reuse and other forms of value creation. Quality is also a high priority for Grijsen. This quality contributes to longer single life cycles, but also creates the opportunity to reuse the product more often, in whatever form.
Insect hotel
Made from leftover hardwood
In the production of wooden seating furniture, residual material is left over. These pieces of wood are of very high quality and have a sustainably cultivated origin. It concerns FSC certified wood. This residual wood deserves a useful application, in line with a sustainable interpretation of raw materials. This is how Grijsen came up with the idea of the insect hotel. It is namely not so good with insects, while they are very useful for people and environment. They even have a function that should not be underestimated when it comes to natural balance and biodiversity. The insect hotel can be used to counteract the decrease in the insect population. This way, they get all the space they need to rest and nest.
During the production of the insect hotels, responsible labor is an important spearhead, also from a CSR point of view. The product is assembled by people with a distance to the labor market. Cooperation has been set up with a local sheltered workshop. The insect hotel consists of a corten steel frame which is also used for the Constructo litter bin. This frame is fitted with residual wood and in various ways resting and nesting chambers are created that are suitable for various insects.
Bicycle bench
A new vision on an existing product
Every year, the Netherlands has to deal with thousands of discarded bicycles. A large proportion of these bicycles end up on the scrap heap. Grijsen thinks this is a shame. Often the bikes, or parts of them, are still perfectly usable. By using these bikes as frames for outdoor benches, Grijsen gives them a second life. The bicycle is also a symbol of the Netherlands. And what is more beautiful than to have them uniquely return to the streetscape?
At the local sheltered workshop, the bicycles are cleaned, refurbished, and made suitable to serve as a frame for the bench. The bench is then covered with sustainable Accoya wood. This makes the bike bench a completely circular product.
Refurbished litter bins
Re-allocation of existing resources
Constructo bins are a good practical example of a circular product. They have been sold for over 25 years. This litter bin fully complies with the circular standards through its completely modular design and rock-solid construction. Yet even a litter bin loses its efficiency over time. Therefore the 'refurbished litter bin' has been developed. Through this concept, the litter bin is taken back, refurbished, and given a second life.
Solar panels
Fully self-sufficient
In 2020, Grijsen installed 576 solar panels on the roof of the company premises. These solar panels have an annual output of around 160,000 kWh. This will make Grijsen fully self-sufficient in terms of electricity.
CO₂-performance ladder
Taking social responsibility
Besides the financial results of the company, social responsibility is also very important to Grijsen. For example, Grijsen is certified at level 3 of the CO2 performance ladder. This means that internal and external sustainability is actively looked at. The carbon footprint serves as a yardstick for understanding the emission of CO2 gases. It provides active awareness of the emissions and gives concrete tools for improvement.
Return service
Re-allocation of existing resources
Grijsen strives for a fully circular economy with its business operations. To achieve this goal, Grijsen focuses on control over its own chain. The return service is also part of this. Our street furniture has a long lifespan. Nevertheless, it regularly happens that clients wish to replace products before the end of their useful life. The 'old street furniture' will then be released. We offer a return service for this. The products are refurbished and placed back at the same location or elsewhere. For example, in organizations that want high-quality products, but where financial resources are limited. The possibilities for this are unlimited, Please feel free to contact us and we will be happy to think along with you for a suitable (circular) solution.
