The World Expo takes place once every five years and is the exhibition where the world showcases its greatest innovations of the moment for six months. Leadax has the honour of waterproofing the Dutch Pavilion at World Expo 2020 Dubai with circular building materials, such as its lead replacement and roofing materials. Both products are the most sustainable in their category. PVB waste from laminated glass, such as car windows, is used by Leadax as a raw material for its reusable products.
Waterproofing the Dutch Pavilion is part of an exclusive sponsorship agreement between Leadax and the Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland (RVO), part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During the World Expo, Leadax is also organising several symposia for its international network at the pavilion. These will focus on the topic ‘Circularity & Profitability in Construction’. The Dutch Pavilion is entirely dedicated to sustainability, circularity and innovation. The building will therefore be demolished at the end of the World Expo, after which the materials can be reused.
Circularity
For Roeland van Delden, CEO of Leadax, this is a dream come true: “For almost 30 years, I have been coming to the Middle East to do business with waterproofing products, and now I am coming to showcase the future in waterproofing and roofing. This transition from a linear to a circular economy makes me proud.” Independent ageing tests show that Leadax products have a minimum lifespan of 30 years. They can be recycled up to seven times, putting PVB waste into a circular stream, instead of being incinerated or dumped.
Eiffel Tower
Expo 2020 Dubai is the 35th edition of the World Expo since 1851, which will take place in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the past, for example, the Eiffel Tower in Paris and the Atomium in Brussels were built for the World Expo, the electric locomotive was introduced there and this grand event represents technical, social and sustainable progress of mankind. “It is therefore a huge honour for Leadax to join illustrious innovations of the past with this,” states Bob Oostelbos, Leadax’s Global Director Business Development & Public Affairs. Expo 2020 Dubai will take place from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022 and more than 20 million visitors are expected.
