On 9 September 2025, more than 150 leading voices from across the European construction ecosystem gathered at the Evoluon (Next Nature Museum) in Eindhoven. The ambition was clear: to accelerate the transition towards smarter, faster and more sustainable construction.
Throughout the day, moderator Lieven Van Gils guided the audience through a packed programme of keynotes, discussions and conversations — keeping the energy high, the dialogue sharp, and the focus clear. The day was filled with energy, urgency and inspiration — and the conversations didn’t stop when the sessions ended.
Relive this momentum in the aftermovie:
The energy in the room was unmistakable: the construction industry faces unprecedented challenges — and unprecedented opportunities.
Opening the day, Romain Mille (Managing Director CRH Benelux and Spain), and Stefan Van Buggenhout (Managing Director CRH Belgium), captured the urgency in one striking message: “The next 10 years will reshape construction more than the last hundred.”
Their call to action was clear: break through silos, accelerate collaboration across the value chain, and dare to innovate.
Futurist Richard van Hooijdonk showed how rapidly digital technology is reshaping industries — and why construction cannot afford to lag behind. He highlighted the disruptive potential of AI, robotics, digital twins, and full automation to transform how we design, plan and build — from predictive maintenance and AI-driven planning to smarter supply chains.
His warning was sharp:
“If you want to build new things, don’t ever change in a legacy system. Legacy kills change.”
Companies must adopt an AI-first mindset, rethink traditional processes, and make technology a core driver of transformation — or risk being left behind.
Richard van Hooijdonk
A central moment of the day was the panel debate: “How can we accelerate the transition in the construction sector?” Five voices — from federation, industry, academic, architecture and policy— brought distinct perspectives. An interactive poll with the audience made it clear where the pain is felt most: the execution crisis, driven by legal complexity, long permitting and fragmented responsibilities.
From there, the discussion ranged to 4 other construction sites: Digitalisation & industrialised construction, sustainability & circularity, spatial planning & urban vision, and ecosystems & co-creation.
Striking statements included:
Key takeaway: acceleration won’t come from technology alone — it will require reducing administrative complexity, rethinking planning, and building trust across the value chain.
The Future Talk zoomed in on CARBIP — an innovative EU LIFE-funded circular insulation solution developed by CRH Benelux and Aerobel. By blowing in aerogel incorporated sustainable fibres – such as glass wool, cellulose, and paper fibers – into double-wall precast concrete panels, CARBIP was presented as a potential game-changer for circular insulation. It offers a sustainable alternative to traditional concrete sandwich panels insulated with PIR and PUR. Aerogel is an ultra-light, super-insulating, fire-resistant and endlessly recyclable insulation material— often described as the “holy grail of insulation.” The complete concept — combining this new insulation material with double-wall panel technology — reduces the CO₂ footprint (GWP) by 25 to 50%, making it a promising solution for low-impact construction.
The discussion centred on one question: can this innovation be viable, scalable and affordable — and what does it take to get there? Insights came from Katrien Clou (CRH Belgium), Sam Chartouni and Dr. Steve De Pooter (Aerobel), joined by Prof. Dr. Waldo Galle (VUB) as an independent voice and critical observer.
Watch the conversation:
Closing the day, Rik Vera challenged leaders to rethink how they steer in times of disruption.
“Change will never be slower than today.”
“Fall in love with the problem, not your current solution.”
He introduced the Three Boxes Model and the 70/20/10 rule, and used the superpower & kryptonite exercise to show that it’s often not a lack of ideas, but hidden kryptonites inside organisations that block change. Above all, he emphasised five human skills as the foundation for future success: critical thinking, collaboration, compassion, creativity, and curiosity.
Rik Vera
Closing & looking ahead
The day ended with a sense of momentum and inspiration. As Rik Vera reminded us:
The future is not written yet. The future is what we write the future to be today.”
Precast Transformed 2025 was not an ending, but a catalyst. It brought leading voices to spark the change our industry urgently needs. The next step is clear: keep the dialogue alive and turn words into action.
Let’s keep the momentum going. Together, we can reinvent the way our world is built.
Project: LIFE21-ENV-BE-CARBIP-LIFE – 101074177
Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CINEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
©CarbIP 2025 ~ All rights reserved.
