True Material Impact: Rethinking Waste with Pretty Plastic Panels

At FRONT, we believe that sustainability in materials is about more than just reducing carbon emissions; it’s about creating a balance that addresses waste reduction, resource reuse, and the full lifecycle of materials.

This is why we’re proud to partner with companies like Pretty Plastic, a pioneer in circular construction. Their flagship product, Pretty Plastic Panels, transforms PVC waste into striking, weather-resistant wall cladding, proving that waste isn’t a problem — it’s an opportunity.

While many materials focus solely on lightweight design to lower embodied carbon, Pretty Plastic takes a broader approach by emphasising waste reduction and the potential for end-of-life reuse. This challenges the traditional focus of sustainability metrics, such as those used in Life Cycle Assessments (LCA), and highlights the need for more comprehensive criteria.

As we work toward a circular economy, it’s clear that industry standards must expand beyond carbon-first thinking to embrace a holistic view of material impact. Are you ready to change your perspective?

Pretty Plastic Panels | FRONT®
How to measure the true material impact of building materials?

Waste reduction at the core

Pretty Plastic’s mission is clear: to clean up as much existing PVC waste as possible. They strategically chose to create unique panels for facade cladding and roofing on buildings, as these applications enable large quantities of recycled PVC to be utilised effectively and remain in use for an extended period.

LCAs focus primarily on minimising material usage, giving the Pretty Plastic Panel a less favourable score due to the necessary overlap of the panels during construction. Yet increasing the number of tiles needed for installation aligns with Pretty Plastic’s mission to maximise the use of recycled PVC, creating a more impactful circular economy.

> Find out how Pretty Plastic Panels are made

Pretty Plastic Panels - FRONT® Materials

How does a waste-based material impact LCA scores?

A design with a focus on waste reduction impacts key metrics in an LCA on the following points:

  • Waste Production: ✅ Dramatically reduced as waste is rescued from landfills and reincorporated into high-value building materials.
  • Embodied Carbon (GWP): ⚠️Compared to other wall cladding materials, the larger overlap of Pretty Plastic Panels may result in a higher GWP score, but they also tell a positive sustainability story. Pretty Plastic Panels also significantly reduce CO2 emissions in production, with just 0.2 kg per kilogram produced compared to 2.6 kg for virgin PVC.
  • Resource Depletion: ✅ Minimal impact since recycled PVC replaces virgin raw materials.
  • (Assumed) Material Lifespan: ⚠️ While PVC can realistically last between 40 and 70 years, the lifespan of Pretty Plastic Panels is set at 40 years in the LCA, reflecting the current lack of extensive research on recycled PVC durability. This is significantly shorter than for example the 1000-year lifespan often attributed to traditional materials like bricks. This shorter assigned lifespan unfairly penalises the panels in LCA evaluations, despite their potential for recyclability and reuse after the initial lifecycle. This is important to consider, as the average economical lifespan of a building typically is set at around 60 years. This highlights a flaw in current LCA methodologies, which often fail to account for circular design principles and the long-term value of materials that can be reprocessed.
  • End-of-Life Benefits: ✅ Major advantage — Pretty Plastic Panels can be returned and recycled at the end of their lifecycle, creating a closed-loop system.

 

While tools like LCA, EPD and MPG (the Netherlands) play a crucial role in measuring the environmental impact of materials, they often place a disproportionate emphasis on embodied carbon (GWP) as the key indicator of sustainability.

This narrow focus can overlook critical aspects of circularity, such as material lifespan and end-of-life potential.

Pretty Plastic Panels - FRONT Materials
Pretty Plastic Panels - FRONT® Materials
Production of Pretty Plastic Panels

Rethinking sustainability measurement tools

By prioritising lightweight materials with low initial carbon footprints and products with a long (assumed) lifespan, current measurement systems may inadvertently reward products that are difficult to reuse, recycle, or upcycle once a building is demolished.

This approach can lead to a short-term perspective on sustainability, where products with a lower GWP score are preferred, even if they contribute to waste at the end of their lifecycle.

Materials like Pretty Plastic Panels challenge this paradigm by focusing on waste diversion, material preservation, and circularity. While the product’s attributes may result in a higher GWP score in the short term, the long-term benefits of using 100% recycled PVC—which can be reprocessed at the end of its life—are often undervalued in current assessment tools.

Pretty Plastic makes a bold statement by working with one of the most difficult waste materials to recycle: PVC. While many companies avoid recycling PVC, Pretty Plastic took on the challenge — and the results are clear.

By supporting the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 9, 12, and 13), Pretty Plastic contributes to responsible production, industry innovation, and climate action with a positive material impact.

If you’re looking for BREEAM, LEED, or DGNB-compliant materials that balance circularity with high aesthetics, waste reduction, and environmental transparency, Pretty Plastic Panels are the answer.

Striking Pretty Plastic Facade at Residence in Heverlee, Belgium | FRONT® Materials

Recognition and certification

Pretty Plastic Panels are also the first 100% recycled PVC building material to achieve Category 1 status in the Dutch Nationale Milieudatabase (NMD). This classification ranks Pretty Plastic Panels in the highest data quality and transparency category. This is critical for government, municipal, and MPG-compliant construction projects.

Category 1 data in the NMD is considered the most reliable and credible in calculating a building’s environmental performance. It provides developers with accurate and verified data for MPG compliance (a legal requirement for new buildings in the Netherlands). Category 1 classification also increases the chance of winning project tenders for government and public buildings, where compliance with MPG regulations is required.

Developers and architects can confidently meet MPG requirements while supporting a circular economy using Pretty Plastic Panels.

FRONT believes in materials with a strong circular story

A truly sustainable material is one that not only reduces immediate environmental impact but also retains its value through recyclability and reuse, like Pretty Plastic Panels.  Discover how you can make a measurable difference and support your sustainability goals.