Free Samples

Trespa Second Life

Sustainable program to reuse used panels, to reduce waste and CO2 emissions. Ready for circular economy.

At Trespa we are committed to extending the life of our panels by giving them a second life. By joining forces with like-minded partners, we are driving the move towards a circular economy. 

Let’s reuse used Trespa panels for a second life

At Trespa we are committed to extending the life of our panels by giving them a second life. By joining forces with like-minded partners, we are driving the move towards a circular economy. 

We developed the Trespa Second Life Program: a pioneering initiative to reuse high durable Trespa panels for other application: playground, shed, furniture, signage... 

We are convinced that we can change our environmental impact together. That's why we have introduced Trespa Second Life proram. Our ambition is simple yet impactful:
LESS IS MORE

  • Less waste
  • Less CO2 emissions
  • More longevity

Our focus is to reuse not to recycle

Why reuse?

Reusing building materials is not only environmentally responsible but also highly efficient.

Here’s why:

  • More sustainable: reuse requires less energy and fewer materials than recycling.
  • Direct reuse: the quality of Trespa panels allows them to be reused immediately, without extensive processing.

We aim to keep carbon stored for longer

Trespa panels consist of at least 58% bio-based materials (woodfibres). Forests and crops absorb CO2 from the atmosphere during their growth and continue storing it once harvested. 

Consequently, one M2 of Trespa® Meteon® FR stores approximately 12 kg of Co2 eq.  if Trespa panels get a second life this reduces the impact over their entire lifetime by ≈ 25%. 

Trespa Second Life aims to extend the period for which this carbon remains stored in the panels. 

How Trespa Second Life works

  1. Eligibility check
    Panels necessarily need dismantling, be verified as Trespa panels, not been exposed to hazardous materials, mechanically attached, and dismantled without excessive damage. 
    Trespa assesses the environmental impact of transportation to ensure its outweighed by the environmental benefits of reuse.
    Trespa Second Life is active in the Netherlands, France, Germany, and Belgium with plans for expansion to other regions.
  2. Express interest 
    Interested parties should send an email to secondlife@trespa.com and provide information about the panels.
  3. Evaluation 
    Trespa will evaluate the request for take-back.
  4. Reused and collaboration
    If approved, the panels will be repurposed for various uses like (bike)sheds, storage, garden applications, signage, and waste separation bins in collaboration with partners. 

These partners have already stared

  • Ecoborg shed made with used materials. 
  • JCDecaux circular bus shelter produced with used materials.
  • Duplex Studio with used Trespa panels. 

Frequently asked questions

Participation is free, but building owners or renovation contractors are expected to dismantle and store the panels according to Trespa's instructions.

Trespa Second Life is intended for used panels, but Trespa is interested in better understanding cut-offs regarding sizes and volumes.

To arrange take-back, panels should be dismantled without damage, placed on pallets according to Trespa's instructions, and stored in a dry, frost-free area until pick-up. Accessibility of the site by a 16,5M truck and availability of a forklift need to be considered.

Trespa will arrange pick-up in the Netherlands, Germany, France, and Belgium. For other EU Schengen zones a case-by-case approach will be taken.

We have calculated the environmental impact of transportation, including CO2 emissions, following our Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology. This ensures the environmental benefits of reuse exceed the environmental cost of transportation.

A certificate will be provided as proof of participation in Trespa Second Life to those who send back used panels or reuse them in second-life applications.

Trespa is exploring applications like (bike)sheds, storage spaces, garden applications (furniture, houses, dividers, etc.), signage, and waste separation bins.

At present, panels cannot be reused as a façade component due to regulatory constraints. Trespa is actively monitoring developments on this topic.

If Trespa cannot take back the panels, an alternative could be to reach out to circular dismantler organisations.