Sustainability Report
Embedded Carbon
MVRDV endeavoured to reduce the environmental impact of embodied carbon as much as possible. The building’s concrete is made from CEM III/B cement, also known as blast-furnace slag cement. This has significantly lower carbon emissions compared to traditional Portland cement, because of the high content of slag, an industrial by-product. CEM III/B cement is thus a more sustainable alternative for concrete production.
MVRDV placed many of the building’s installation components in a structure made of reused shipping containers. This resulted in a more efficient design for Portlantis, with less material use and reduced construction costs. The shipping containers stand on top of the sprinkler basin, which doubles as their foundation.
Facade
The building’s facade is made of sandwich panels, which are prefabricated elements that include both exterior and interior finishes. This lightweight construction material reduces loads on the (overhanging) floors. Measuring 150 millimetres in depth, it lessens the amount of material and space required. The facade’s integrated assembly also reduces carbon emissions during construction.
Schaduwkosten
The building’s carbon footprint is unknown because the Netherlands uses a system called “schaduwkosten” (shadow costs).
Operational Emissions / Energy
Portlantis is an energy neutral building and produces more energy than it requires for building-related energy consumption, including heating, cooling, ventilation, lifts, and so on. Energy used by the exhibition itself is locally produced. This is achieved using a dedicated on-site windmill: Maasvlakte 2, where Portlantis is located, is an especially windy part of the Netherlands. The windmill produces 110,000 kWh annually.
In addition, PV panels are installed on a bus canopy and a separate shipping container building that houses installations, such as the heat pump.
- At Portlantis, 130 percent of the operational energy is locally produced.
- There is 80 percent less environmental impact from materials used.
Thermal resistance value
The facades are highly insulated, with a thermal resistance value of Rc 8.3 m²·K/W (the required value is Rc ≥ 4.7 m²·K/W). The building is therefore operationally carbon neutral.
Afterlife
The main load-bearing structure is made of steel, which does have a high environmental impact. MVRDV chose to use a demountable construction method, with all connections bolted rather than welded. The steel structure can be disassembled and reused if the exhibition centre is no longer needed, extending the lifespan of the material beyond that of Portlantis itself. In spite of this, the total environmental impact of materials used in Portlantis exceeds existing regulations by 20 percent.
As many facade panels as possible remain in their original condition, without any holes or corners cut, and can be be reused. Moreover, the building’s dimensions and window openings are based on standard element sizes — the facade manufacturer provided the Port of Rotterdam with a buy-back guarantee, ensuring the facade will taken back and reused at the end of the building’s lifespan.
The building is constructed on a raft foundation that avoids the need for concrete piles. The site can be returned to its original state if Portlantis is disassembled in the future.