Reinventing supermarket architecture with sustainable sandwich façade panels for greener retail spaces, as adopted by Colruyt

Pilot product: Sandwich façade panel
Location: Ghent
Technology: Alkali-activated concrete
Ash type: Co-combustion bottom ash
Ash replacement level: 30% of the binder

This pilot reuses co-combustion bottom ash (from municipal solid waste and sewage sludge) in alkali-activated concrete for producing 50 m² of paving blocks. After metal removal and milling, the ash replaced 20% of silicate-activated GGBFS in the binder, with a thin cement-based top layer on each block.​

UGent coordinated and tested, ResourceFull developed the mix and production, Veolia supplied the ash, and SECO ensured quality. The project demonstrates how waste can be valorized into durable products, closing loops and promoting circular economy principles.

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