Sustainability Report
Embodied carbon
Embodied carbon overview
- Material selection aimed to reduce CO2 emissions as much as possible, with 70 percent of the building consisting of renewable or circular materials.
- The load-bearing structure consists of more than 90 percent mass timber and was developed in a design and build team in collaboration with the timber supplier.
- The project has a Paris Proof indicator of 252 (CO2 emissions in kgCO2-eq per m² GFA).
- Biogenic carbon accounting has been independently verified by Climate Cleanup, with SAWA’s mass-timber structure recorded as storing 2,560 tonnes of CO2. This figure reflects the project’s verified construction stored carbon and is documented through Oncra’s Construction Stored Carbon ledger to support carbon accounting across the building’s life cycle.
Operational Emissions / Energy
Operational emissions overview
- SAWA is described as energy-neutral and has achieved an EPC of 0.
- The project aligns with international and regional frameworks, including the Paris and Glasgow Climate Agreements, the European Green Deal, the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and the Municipality of Rotterdam’s CO2 reduction targets.
Afterlife
The building follows an Open Building approach, with a primary structure that allows for adaptable internal layouts. Homes can be configured by residents over time and accommodate future changes in use. The structure is organised according to a clear grid, with partition walls aligned beneath timber beams, reinforcing this flexibility within the building.
SAWA is constructed as a fully dry, modular system using separable connections. The structural system is based predominantly on mass timber, combined with recycled materials. Instead of a concrete topping on timber floors, a dry ballast layer made from recycled roof gravel is applied. This allows components to be disassembled and reused at the end of the building’s life cycle.
Key products in low carbon design
