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. This was a genuine first as 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. "The Netherlands is a leader in circular facades and enjoys international prestige,” says Joyce van de Hoef, cluster manager for construction and installation at Jaarbeurs. “We welcomed over 1,800 guests from countries such as the United States, 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. Knowledge sharing and cooperation is essential. With a strong substantive lecture programme and exhibitors presenting cutting-edge technologies, Future Facade is clearly established as a unique and highly relevant platform."
Future Facade is an initiative by Jaarbeurs in cooperation with the European Facade Network, TU Delft and TU Darmstadt. The second edition will take place on 26 & 27 May 2027.
Innovation and sustainability as a common thread
Future Facade was entirely dedicated to future-oriented solutions. High-profile mock-ups, circular facade components and bio-based materials were presented in the specially designed Maze of Innovations spanning almost 600 m². Themes such as transparency, adaptive facades and technical ingenuity were at the heart of the exhibition. A pioneering concept was facade leasing, an emerging trend in the Netherlands that is significantly improving the sustainability of building facades. This innovative model involves facades remaining the property of the builder and being leased by building owners. It 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 lecture programme and pioneering projects
The keynote programme offered presentations by top 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, such as 'Building with Paper', a collaboration between Wolf GmbH and TU Darmstadt that explores how paper can be used as a building material. Another good example was '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."
Cooperation as the basis for success
The programming content was put together in close cooperation with the advisory committee, TU Delft, TU Darmstadt and the European Facade Network. "Compiling this international programme was an intensive and inspiring process,” adds Tom van der Zwaag, exhibition manager at Future Facade. “We deliberately chose a mix of academic depth and practice-oriented innovations. The interaction between speakers and visitors was of a high level. The floor featured a full range of leading facade specialists, including Sto Isoned, Vandersanden, Schüco International, BENG Glass and Metadecor, who presented their latest sustainable and circular facade systems and materials. I am proud of the international knowledge exchange that occurred here."
Jaarbeurs and the construction & installation sector
Jaarbeurs has been the hub of the construction & installation sector for many years, organising the largest trade fairs in the sector, BouwBeurs and VSK. It also introduced the innovative DigiBouw platform in 2024. Following the successful first edition of Future Facade, June 2026 will see the first edition of the annual European Smart City Experience (ESCE), a new event focused on smart, healthy and liveable cities.
Jaarbeurs also welcomes every year various third-party events for the construction and installation sector. In addition, it launched the Construction and Installation Hub online platform in 2023. This content platform is designed to strengthen cooperation, share knowledge and accelerate sustainable growth in the sector.
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.
