This article was first published in "Stadszaken" on March 14, 2024. Stadszaken is recognized as a platform that offers constructive criticism within the field of urban development, covering a wide array of topics. The complete article is available in Dutch at the provided link.

Flexible housing units are fundamentally designed to be easily implementable and sustainable. However, Reboxd, one of the suppliers for the two thousand units from the Dutch Government Real Estate Agency, also works in a circular manner. The company transports used modules from Scandinavia to refurbish them into flexible housing in the Netherlands. "In Zeeland, almost everything was accomplished within twelve weeks."

It seems like a brilliant discovery. In various Scandinavian countries, fields are filled with units awaiting a new purpose. These modules, having served an average of fifteen years as temporary classrooms or offices, have a much longer lifespan. Reboxd saw them as the foundation for flexible housing.

These modules are primarily used in lease arrangements in Scandinavia. These arrangements do not account for maintenance, and once the term ends, little is done with them," explains Mark Reichmann, Director of Business Development at Reboxd, to Stadszaken.

And that's a pity, especially since Scandinavia sets high standards for its housing construction, including these modular units.

Reichmann believes the choice for circular flexible housing is made too infrequently. "Many flexible housing providers aim for sustainability but still opt for new construction. We believe a product should be sustainable from the start. That's why we bring the modules to the Netherlands and then refurbish them according to the customer's wishes."

Finding the Right Module

The modules, mostly constructed with a wooden frame, are stripped upon arrival in the Netherlands. This is followed by the refurbishment, also known as 'upcycling': from installing new windows to connecting multiple modules. Besides the option to stack them, the modules are also, on average, 30 percent larger than requested, offering more possibilities.

Two people can live in one module. Such flexibility benefits the clients," says Arie van der Neut, an architect at Reboxd. "But it also works the other way around: based on the demand, such as from starters or refugees, we look for the most suitable module in Scandinavia.

Custom refurbishment according to project demand is central to Reboxd. Naturally, the client's wishes also determine the costs. "But we save costs by selecting modules based on demand," Van der Neut says. "With standard-sized flexible housing, clients sometimes have to make adjustments afterward."

Twelve Weeks

In Yerseke, Zeeland, Reboxd realized 36 circular flexible housing units suitable for 102 Ukrainian refugees in just twelve weeks.

A few conditions were advantageous from the start: the municipality and Mayor José van Egmond were determined to achieve this by Christmas, and discussions with residents went relatively smoothly. But almost everything else also occurred within twelve weeks.

Right after the agreement, we immediately filed for the building permit. With eight weeks, that quickly becomes the most limiting factor," says Van der Neut. "Once the signature was in place, we started gathering the suitable modules.

"On one ship, the 105 modules of 28 square meters then came our way, while we began working on the foundation in Yerseke." A local contractor handled the refurbishment and finishing. One of the concessions was the quality of the facade finishing, Van der Neut points out.

Energy Neutral Upon Request

Are Reboxd's delivered flexible housing units also sustainable in their execution? "They last fifty years, including later relocations," Reichmann responds.

The houses do not initially meet the BENG (Nearly Energy Neutral Buildings) requirements, as Scandinavia adheres to different sustainable standards. To comply with the highest Dutch standards, additional sustainable installations must be added.

That is possible upon request, promise the men from Reboxd. "For customers, that's an investment choice," says Van der Neut. But opting for the most sustainable refurbishment isn't always wise.

The modules in Yerseke are planned for five years. If you apply split units and heat pumps, there's a chance they'll have to be removed for a new destination.

164 Houses for the Dutch Government Real Estate Agency

Reboxd, which, besides reusing Scandinavian modules, also works on new construction products, primarily serves as an organizing party in the process. Customers are mostly municipalities or housing corporations.

The company is also part of a framework agreement with Aedes, in which the industry association agreed last year with 36 construction companies to provide movable houses to housing corporations.

Reboxd is one of the nine suppliers of flexible housing for the 2,000-tender from the Dutch Government Real Estate Agency. Their share consists of 164 module houses. Of all the companies, Reboxd is the only one that reuses old existing modules in this way.

Reboxd also maintains good contact with student housing providers, municipalities, and the COA (Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers). Among other things, student housing is planned, for which the relatively large modules from Scandinavia are also well-suited, according to Van der Neut.

The supplier has already made arrangements for 30,000 Scandinavian modules.