Culture and carbon reduction under one roof
Creating future-ready buildings means selecting materials that help meet climate goals. Architects and contractors need solutions that offer both performance and a lower footprint. As a leader in innovative materials, we are meeting this need together with Recticel, known for its high-quality polyurethane insulation boards. Our solution: Desmodur® CQ MS - a climate-neutral MDI via mass balance - allows insulation producers to transition to more sustainable input without compromising on quality.
“The Stekene cultural center showcases the power of collaboration across the value chain. Covestro’s innovative bio-circular MDI and our expertise in insulation solutions have enabled forward-thinking contractors like Furnibo to deliver sustainable buildings without compromising on performance.”
The Cultuurhuis Stekene is more than a building: It's a shared space for culture, learning and daily life. It’s also a best-practice example for sustainable construction in service of the community. The challenge: Reduce the carbon footprint of the building materials while meeting ISCC certification and Belgian energy performance standards – without compromising performance. Together with contractor Furnibo, Recticel delivered a future-proof solution using our low-impact raw materials.
“For Furnibo, where sustainability is a core value, choosing Eurowall Impact was a logical step towards creating a more environmentally friendly cultural center.”
Our Desmodur® and Desmodur® CQ were key to manufacturing Recticel’s Eurowall Impact range of PU insulation boards — a product line with strong performance and significantly lower carbon impact. By replacing fossil-based MDI with bio-circular feedstock via the mass balance approach, Recticel cut emissions by an average of 43%. The insulation performance remained unchanged, enabling Furnibo to meet energy goals while delivering a comfortable, future-ready cultural space.
“The Stekene project showcases how our sustainable raw materials enable the transformation of the construction industry. Through close collaboration with partners like Recticel, we’re turning circular economy ambitions into reality.”
Key benefits
- Climate-neutral: Desmodur® and Desmodur® CQ have net zero CO₂ emissions from cradle to gate.
- Seamless: No need to change proven processes, formulations and equipment.
- High-performance: Durability and thermal performance are identical to fossil-based PU insulation.
- Bio-circular: MDI with 25% bio-circular content provides a renewable feedstock.
- Reduced emissions: 43% lower CO₂ footprint versus standard PIR insulation boards.
- Compliant: ISCC-certified materials for boards that comply with building regulations.
