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HKU signs Timber Recycling Pact

  • 19 maart 2026
HKU signed the Timber Recycling Pact today, in the presence of Queen Máxima. This means that multiple partners in Utrecht are joining forces to use timber in a more sustainable way. HKU’s workshops are already ahead in sustainability, and this regional collaboration marks a valuable next step.
HKU signs Timber Recycling Pact
Simon Van Damme, member of the HKU Executive Board, signed the Timber Recycling Pact on behalf of HKU: “The Timber Recycling Pact aligns perfectly with HKU’s sustainability ambitions. Sustainability is a key priority for our organisation. We focus on all aspects of sustainable practice in our education, research and operations. As an educational institution, we aim to be a good example and encourage our students and staff to adopt sustainable behaviour.”

Joris Renskers, Director of Workshops at HKU, added: “A large amount of timber passes through the workshops of HKU. We see this impact as an opportunity to take the lead: we work as much as possible with locally sourced and circular materials, thereby raising awareness among emerging makers about the choices they make.”

Why this Pact?

Each year, large quantities of timber become available in the Utrecht region, yet much of it gets burned or processed at a low value. At the same time, new timber is still widely used in specific projects.
Although there is a clear ambition to work circularly, there is often a lack of organised supply, sufficient scale, and clear agreements across the value chain. This is precisely where new opportunities for collaboration are found.

With support from the local government of Utrecht, the Timber Recycling Pact makes clients, creators and suppliers join forces in order to:
• structurally connect supply and demand
• establish joint procurement and commissioning commitments
• realise concrete projects using recycled and repurposed timber in 2026