Utrecht, 15 May 2025 - The first edition of Future Facade, the biennial international trade event for the facade industry, took place at Royal Jaarbeurs on 7 and 8 May 2025. An absolute first: an international meeting on this scale has not previously taken place within the sector. Architects, academics and industry experts shared pioneering innovations and knowledge about the latest trends in facade architecture. Joyce van de Hoef, cluster manager construction and installation at Jaarbeurs: "The Netherlands is a leader in circular facades and enjoys international prestige. We received over 1,800 guests from countries such as America, Italy, Spain, Indonesia, Turkey, Germany, Finland, the Netherlands and France. Jaarbeurs plays an important role in the construction and installation sector with the main objective of bringing the entire chain together and contributing to the realisation of a circular construction economy. Sharing knowledge and working together is essential. With a strong substantive lecture programme and exhibitors who showed cutting-edge technologies, we have established a unique and relevant platform with Future Facade."
Future Facade is an initiative of Jaarbeurs in cooperation with the European Facade Network, TU Delft and TU Darmstadt. The second edition of Future Facade will take place on 26 & 27 May 2027.
Innovation and sustainability as the common thread
Future Facade was entirely dedicated to forward-looking façade solutions. In the specially designed Maze of Innovations, covering almost 600 m², high-profile mock-ups, circular façade components and bio-based materials were showcased. Themes such as transparency, adaptive façades and technical ingenuity formed the core of the exhibition. One groundbreaking concept was façade leasing, an emerging trend in the Netherlands that can significantly improve the sustainability of building façades. Under this innovative model, façades remain the property of the builder and are leased to building owners. This makes it easier to recycle and reuse materials, thereby promoting circularity within the sector.
I found this first edition very inspiring. It is great to see what is going on in the industry and to meet international visitors and exhibitors.Visitor Dana Liv of CoFlora Design
Leading-edge conference programme and groundbreaking projects
The keynote programme featured presentations by leading international speakers such as Christian Bergmann (CBA), Lucio Blandini (ILEK – University of Stuttgart) and Lisa Rammig (Eckersley O’Callaghan). Innovative projects were presented during the ‘Research Meets the Industry’ session. One such project is ‘Building with Paper’, a collaboration between Wolf GmbH and TU Darmstadt, which investigates how paper can be used as a building material. Another project is ‘Water-Filled Glass’, a technology developed by Wicona and Loughborough University, in which glass is filled with water for thermal regulation.
"It is an honour to be involved in Future Facade as a host,” comments Ulrich Knaack, Professor of Facade Design at TU Delft/TU Darmstadt. “This platform offers a unique opportunity to explore together with experts and pioneers how the building envelope of the future will be innovative, sustainable and attuned to our changing world."
Collaboration as the foundation for success
The programme content was put together in close collaboration with the advisory committee, Delft University of Technology, Darmstadt University of Technology and the European Facade Network. Tom van der Zwaag, exhibition manager at Future Facade: “Putting together this international programme was an intensive but inspiring process. We deliberately opted for a mix of in-depth academic content and practical innovations. The interaction between speakers and visitors was of a very high standard. On the exhibition floor, there was a comprehensive range of leading façade specialists, including Sto Isoned, Vandersanden, Schüco International, BENG Glas and Metadecor, who presented their latest sustainable and circular façade systems and materials. I am proud of the international exchange of knowledge that has taken place here.”
Jaarbeurs and the construction & installations sector
Jaarbeurs has been at the heart of the construction & installations sector for many years and organises the largest trade fairs, BouwBeurs and VSK. In 2024, Jaarbeurs introduced DigiBouw, an innovative platform for the sector. On 7 and 8 May 2025, the first edition of Future Facade took place, a trade event specifically for the façade industry. In June 2026, the first edition of the annual European Smart City Experience (ESCE) will be held, a new event focused on smart, healthy and liveable cities.
Every year, Jaarbeurs also welcomes several third-party events for the construction and installation sector. In addition, Jaarbeurs launched the online platform the Construction and Installation Hub in 2023. This content platform is designed to strengthen cooperation, share knowledge and accelerate sustainable growth in the sector.
