“We should advocate for more green open spaces”

There is great potential for green spaces in urban areas, but it is not being fully utilized. This is where Vestre comes in with its outdoor furniture. In an interview with Julia Pültz, Commercial Director Central Europe at Vestre, it quickly becomes clear what the street furniture company stands for.

Julia Pültz, climate adaptation and climate protection have become political buzzwords around the world. How important do you think climate adaptation and climate protection really are in international politics and in city administration? What is your impression?

It is good that we are starting to talk about climate challenges in general. It is no longer possible not to communicate about them. They must therefore be at the top of the political agenda, if only because of public pressure. However, the actual importance and associated willingness to invest varies greatly from region to region. Some cities and countries have made significant progress and are taking their commitments seriously to achieve the 1.5 degree target of the Paris Agreement and create a liveable environment adapted to the new conditions.

This includes creating socially sustainable meeting places that have a positive impact on the urban climate by promoting car-free zones, reducing land sealing and supporting biodiversity through green spaces and planting.

Such spaces foster community, improve quality of life and contribute to climate resilience. It is important that policy makers and city governments take this holistic perspective and actively invest in projects that provide both environmental and social benefits.

Which projects and strategies do politics and society absolutely need to tackle in order to actually combat climate change in the city? How would you prioritize them?

That’s a bold question, Theresa! What all my points have in common is the need for strong political commitment and the need for close cooperation between public authorities, civil society and the private sector. In general, it’s about decarbonization and finding low-carbon solutions, better material management with circular solutions and facilitating mobility with smaller footprints.

For example:

Energy-efficient renovation of buildings: energy efficiency measures and the use of renewable energy are now generally an integral part of sustainable urban planning. For me, however, the concept of urban mining is essential. We need to internalize this additional step as a normal attitude and see buildings as a material store. Urban mining enables the extraction and reuse of raw materials from existing buildings and urban infrastructure. Platforms such as Concular promote the efficient reuse of materials from demolition projects.

Promoting green infrastructure in urban areas: Parks, green roofs and vertical gardens contribute significantly to reducing urban heat islands and improving air quality. Green infrastructure increases biodiversity, stores CO2 and provides valuable recreational areas for the population. They also promote social interaction and the well-being of city dwellers.

Sustainable mobility: Investment in public transport, the expansion of cycle paths and the creation of pedestrian zones are crucial for reducing CO2. The concept of car-free cities/districts and the promotion of shared mobility also contribute to the desired reduction in private transport.

The recently published Vestre Impact Report 2023 has defined a concrete decarbonization plan for the company. Your goal is to be known as the most sustainable street furniture manufacturer in the world in the future. How far away are you from this goal?

The Impact Report for 2023 shows an interim status of our journey towards decarbonization and our Vestre Vision Zero and honestly and transparently describes our concrete and realistic plan until 2030 and beyond.

More than 98 percent of our emissions are indirect and outside our direct control, but within our value chain. Examples of this include purchased raw materials and transportation to our customers. We have already made significant progress with our suppliers and service providers, including the introduction of HVO diesel for transportation, biogas-powered trucks and the acceptance of the first batches of fossil-free steel. Many of the technological advances such as fossil-free steel (FFS) and the electrification of transportation will take place in the second half of this decade. The other important pillar of the plan is our transition to a circular economy, Vestre Vision Zero.

Our Vision Zero aims to make all Vestre products last forever through high quality manufacturing, maintenance, repair and refurbishment.

Our transparency and traceability efforts are crucial, and we are confident that through continuous innovation and collaboration we will achieve our ambitious goal.

Unlike almost any other company, Vestre creates truly sustainable and attractive open spaces through its work. Open spaces in particular are under increasing pressure as urbanization progresses. Where do you still see room for open spaces in the city of the future? Do we need to become more creative in urban design?

I think we as a population should be much more determined to stand up for green open spaces in order to be heard by the city administration and supported by politicians. Of course, this requires a certain amount of flexibility and, for some, sacrifice or rethinking.

If the “new mobility” is consistently promoted, implemented and accepted by the population, our cities have enormous potential for green spaces and outdoor meeting places. It is literally on the street. Parking lots and even entire lanes could be transformed into green oases and cycle paths. In addition, rooftops and facades offer space for urban gardens, and unused areas can be temporarily used as community gardens or event venues.

In Scandinavia, it is also common to use schoolyards after school hours as parks and meeting places for all generations. This 24/7 use is also reflected in the maintenance and quality of the design of these areas. Well thought-out zoning, planting and furniture create a needs-based distribution of places to share/learn, play and rest. This fits well with Vestre’s mission to create social meeting places. Our goal is to one day be able to demonstrate the net social benefit of such meeting places nearby, both in terms of physical and mental health.

The park in front of the glass façade of our factory “The Plus” in Magnor, Norway, is accessible to all, as is the building’s roof terrace. Perhaps an impulse for more openness and accessibility of private/corporate spaces?

Julia Pültz leads the European business of Vestre GmbH as Managing Director and influences the strategic direction of the company as a member of the global Impact Council. Her previous role as a member of the management board of an international architecture and building detail magazine underlines her industry presence. With over 20 years of experience in marketing and sales, primarily for building product manufacturers, as well as in a strategic operational role at a SCHÜCO start-up, she brings extensive knowledge and a deep understanding of the high impact and challenges of this industry. A central concern of Julia Pültz is the promotion of the circularity of raw materials and the creation of integrative social meeting points in order to make their positive effects on people and the environment tangible.

Vestre believes in the power of outdoor meeting places and has been synonymous with high-quality, durable outdoor furniture for over 75 years. Today, they are Norway’s leading manufacturer of street furniture.

In their pursuit of sustainability, Vestre uses locally sourced materials and already controls around 90 percent of its value chain. Magnor, Norway is home to “The Plus”, the world’s most environmentally friendly furniture factory. Vestre’s steelworks and surface treatment facilities are located in Torsby, Sweden.

Vestre is committed to developing products that last a lifetime.
For example, Vestre’s products come with a lifetime rust protection guarantee – an important aspect of the company’s sustainability philosophy.

In collaboration with renowned designers, Vestre continues to push the boundaries of design, durability and functionality.

Vestre is a furniture company and yet so much more: a community of thinkers, designers and environmentalists.
With its innovations, Vestre wants to inspire others to make decisions in favor of the environment, because they think: Everyone can change the world – at least a little.

www.vestre.com

This interview is part of the Beat the Heat initiative, which Vestre supports. Find out more about Beat the Heat here.