Byggvarubedömningen visits a school where the football field is the heart of both play and sport, to see how one of the environmentally assessed building materials is used in practice. A laminated schedule testifies to the popularity of the football field. Ball games are mixed with football matches during school hours, and even outside school hours, the area is popular among children and youth in the neighborhood. The grass covering the field is not only an artificial grass designed for circularity but also an example where a material supplier has worked with Byggvarubedömningen's lifecycle criteria in their product development.
With over 30,000 assessed building materials, Byggvarubedömningen has become an important tool for promoting more sustainable material choices. Thanks to increased demands from clients and intensive work from material suppliers to develop new products, the construction industry is making great strides in replacing materials with risky properties with more environmentally friendly alternatives.
Driven by Byggvarubedömningen's Criteria
"Byggvarubedömningen challenged us in a way that few others do by requesting a deep level of documentation and evidence. By asking for detailed chemical content, recycling proof, and validation of our take-back program to ensure our sustainability claims hold up to scrutiny"
Uniform polymer
ONE-DNA™️ is an example of a type of artificial grass where both the yarn and backing (the bottom mat that the grass is sewn onto) are made of polyethylene (PE). This differs from many traditional solutions where different materials are combined, which can affect the possibility of recycling. With a uniform polymer, the recycling process can be simplified, as the material does not need to be separated before treatment.
"Byggvarubedömningen is one of Europe's most demanding assessment bodies in the construction sector. Byggvarubedömningen looks not only at ingredients but also at lifecycle impact and transparency. Having the product assessed by Byggvarubedömningen was both a strategic and ethical decision. It is widely used by municipalities and architects in Sweden and respected throughout Europe," continues Cas Kaptein.
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A long road to improvement
For ONE-DNA™️ artificial grass, the goal was clear: to create a fully recyclable product without compromising on quality. Designing with a single polymer family was a challenge, as polyethylene is softer and less stable than other materials commonly used for artificial grass backings. It took two years of testing, failures, and improvements to develop a product that is stable, strong, and fully recyclable, according to ONE-DNA™️.
Byggvarubedömningen's assessments are based on the product's chemical content but also on a number of lifecycle criteria. Assessment of lifecycle aspects takes into account the entire product's lifecycle divided into production, usage, and waste phases.
"The chemical content of building materials is a core issue for us at Byggvarubedömningen and a central parameter for our member companies. At the same time, we look at the whole through our six lifecycle criteria, which reflect a product's entire lifecycle – from production to waste. When suppliers apply for assessment, the process often leads to increased knowledge about both chemical content and the product's lifecycle. Meeting Byggvarubedömningen's reporting requirements for chemical content often requires active information work, which not only increases product knowledge but also stimulates development," says Sofia Hietala, Quality Manager at Byggvarubedömningen.
"Actively looking at what one's product can develop within, even considering the lifecycle criteria, is possible to do. Not everything may be achievable today or applicable depending on the product type, but it can provide new ideas and perspectives when it comes to environmental and health issues."
ONE-DNA™️ used Byggvarubedömningen's criteria as a guideline to strive for the assessment "Recommended" on the lifecycle criterion Recycling.
"There were several things that helped us in the process. Among other things, through improved traceability systems, ONE-DNA™️ provides installation guidance with recyclable tape, but above all, we verified our recycling process with the help of third parties. Byggvarubedömningen's criteria helped us improve our product and led us towards increased evidence and clarity in the product's impact on the environment," says Cas Kaptein.
Enabling recycling
Is ONE-DNA™️ striving to replace natural grass with artificial grass? No, not necessarily. Since artificial grass does not require water, fertilizers, or pesticides, and also has a long lifespan of 10-15 years with proper maintenance, it is a suitable alternative in many situations. Especially where natural grass cannot thrive, such as in high-traffic urban areas, artificial grass is a suitable alternative. However, ONE-DNA™️ emphasizes that natural grass contributes to biodiversity and carbon sequestration, and therefore artificial grass should be used sparingly. When artificial grass is used, ONE-DNA™️ believes it should be designed with a focus on circularity, transparency, and reduced environmental impact throughout its lifecycle.
Nordic Surface, which installs and maintains ONE-DNA™️'s products in Sweden, strives to minimize waste material during installation and reuse what is left over. "A flat surface like a football field usually generates very little residual material during installation, so we can be very precise in the measurements. For playgrounds with more complex surfaces, such as hills, there is a bit more waste, but we always take care of it. We are now also testing to produce cones from the material that is left over," says Erik Hedberg from Nordic Surface.
When it is time for the artificial grass to be replaced after 10-15 years, there is a QR code under each mat that provides instructions on how the material can be recycled and taken care of to become new products. Since the entire product is made of polyethylene (PE), no component needs to be separated during recycling.
What does ONE-DNA™️ see for the future of the artificial grass industry?
"The industry must shift to simpler materials, better disassembly, and increased chemical transparency. We strive to eliminate the use of fillers where possible. Our vision is a filler-free ONE-DNA™️™ system. But we also think beyond the mat itself. Since artificial grass absorbs sunlight, why not capture and reuse that energy? We are working on new solutions that can help provide nearby buildings with heat. We don't just want to improve the grass, we want to rethink the entire system."
The clock is approaching morning recess, and it's time for the preschool class to take over the football field for football games. Byggvarubedömningen's visit to the school highlights the importance of knowing the product's chemical content to make informed material choices. ONE-DNA™️ is an example of how material choices can be adapted to increased demands for environmental performance, through the use of more uniform materials. As sustainability aspects become increasingly important, there is a development of building materials with a focus on both function and reduced environmental impact.
Fact box:
What is polyethylene? The material is a thermoplastic used, among other things, as packaging material, in plastic bags, and water and sewage pipes. Polyethylene is divided into different qualities, such as low-density (LDPE) and high-density (HDPE) materials. The material withstands contact with several different substances and has good mechanical properties.
About ONE-DNA™️
Founded: 2020
Headquarters: Lichtenvoorde, Netherlands
Number of employees: 4
Industry: Manufacturing of artificial grass, ONE-DNA™️™ artificial grass, designed to be sustainable and recyclable
Specialization: Development of circular, monomaterial artificial grass made of polyethylene (PE)
Customers: Municipalities, architects, schools, landscape architects, etc.
Website: ONE-DNA™️.com
About Nordic Surface
Founded: 2005
Headquarters: Saltsjö-Boo, Sweden
Number of employees: 17
Industry: Manufacturing and installation of artificial grass and other surface materials such as rubber coatings, wood chips, and other surface materials
Specialization: Development, installation, and maintenance of artificial grass and other surface solutions
Customers: Schools, municipalities, sports facilities, and private customers
Website: nordicsurface.se