Business case

Reduced use and withdrawal of water and rate of recycling and reuse of water

Save Water (SDG6)

Providing water and sewage services, including water collection and distribution, water treatment systems and sewage treatment facilities

Water and Sewage

Producing building materials and finished and semi-finished building products for construction

Construction Materials and Products

Enacting measures that optimise water use

Water efficiency

Efficiency and effectiveness of water supply services must be secured by minimising the leaks, through a combination of leak detection techniques, pipes maintenance and reparation and water audits. Leak minimisation can be enhanced through the use of sensor technologies.

Minimise leaks

Measures to drain accumulating rainwater from rooftops, roads or other public surfaces and channel it into containers for multipurpose use. These include watering plants and crops, as an input into manufacturing processes, the establishment of public water features, or the introduction back into plumbing systems, Uses may include the application of filtration and treatment systems when needed. 

Manage rainwater

Impacts

small_climate-4803653_640.jpg

thumbnail_climate-4803653_640.jpg

climate-4803653_640.jpg

Industries

small_coast-wind-turbine-sea-sky.jpg

thumbnail_coast-wind-turbine-sea-sky.jpg

coast-wind-turbine-sea-sky.jpg

The principles of a circular economy concern designing out waste, regenerating ecosystems and keeping items in use. Decoupling the economy from material flows—improving the rate of resource productivity faster than the economic growth rate—is also a consistent guide. By evolving with the growing number of applications of circular economy principles, and consolidating these strategies across thematic areas, Circle Economy’s Key Elements Framework (KE) renders the elements of the circular economy salient and serves as a basis to derive contextual strategies and interventions. 


The Framework consists of:
- Core Elements: Activities directly handling product or material flows; and uniquely,
- Enabling Elements: those that remove obstacles for core actors.


Key elements of the circular economy

large_photo-1515534238346-fb9ae3e399d0.jpg

medium_photo-1515534238346-fb9ae3e399d0.jpg

small_photo-1515534238346-fb9ae3e399d0.jpg

thumbnail_photo-1515534238346-fb9ae3e399d0.jpg

photo-1515534238346-fb9ae3e399d0.jpg

Circle Economy's framework of strategies and activities that define the circular economy

Urban Opportunities

![Screen Shot 2024-10-21 at 16.53.12.png](https://goldilocks-images.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/Screen_Shot_2024_10_21_at_16_53_12_12858da6aa.png)

Based on the work of [Bocken et al. (2016)](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309699661_Product_design_and_business_model_strategies_for_a_circular_economy), the Four Flows Framework serves as a simple framework for managing resource flows in a circular economy by using less (Narrow), using for longer (Slow), using again (Cycle), and using clean, regenerative materials and energy (Regenerate).

These different principles of circular economy can be applied to our socioeconomic metabolism: we can design stocks like buildings, infrastructure, machinery, and vehicles to be rich resource mines for the future, and design manufactured goods and consumables to be cycled and made regenerative. Furthermore, the focus must also centre on getting more value out of fewer materials. Achieving the aims of a circular economy—minimising material use, regenerating the Earth, and preventing material losses—can be done through these four key strategies mentioned above.

Source: Circle Economy. (2023). *[The circularity gap report 2023](https://www.circularity-gap.world/2023)* (p.22). Amsterdam: Circle Economy. 

Four Flows Framework

medium_Screen Shot 2024-10-21 at 16.53.12.png

small_Screen Shot 2024-10-21 at 16.53.12.png

thumbnail_Screen Shot 2024-10-21 at 16.53.12.png

Screen Shot 2024-10-21 at 16.53.12.png

        We are specialized in solving urban water problems. Due to climate change the world has to cope with more and more floodings and heatstress. Our unique design method reduces the concequences of climate change. We integrate rainwater in our designs, and show the natural beauty of water. This way, rain will not be seen as a problem, but it will give urban space more value. We handle water problems in a smart and playful manner.
Interested? Contact us!
info@rainaway.nl
+31 (0)6 41 40 72 46  
  
       The Rain(a)Way tiles are all designed by Studio Fien Dekker. Contact the studio for climate proof public space design and advice on watersolutions. The unique Rain(a)Way tiles are a great addition to your climate proof project. We offer advice on how to maximize the impact of the tiles, please do not hestitate to contact us for more information. We are eager to work with partners such as municipalities, water boards and landscape architects. Additionally, we are looking for constributors in different countries in the EU. Interested in working with us? Give us a call!
Our main goals are to:

Disconnect rainwater pipes from the sewer system
Remove surface paving
Create awareness through education
Prevent water pollution 
Prevent heatstress
Use rainwater in an effective way
Make water currents visible
  
     
  
       To reach our goals we developed five tiles. The Flood tile has three varieties: closed, permeable and bold. This tile’s main purpose is to store rainwater in a visible and original manner. The Flood Bold and the Wave tiles are both half-open tiles, throgh which the rainwater can seep to the ground. Green can grow in the open spaces for a cooling and esthetically pleasing effect. The Ebb tile is a supportive tile. It leads rainwater in a visible and visually appealing way to a desired infiltration or storage location. The Ebb tile is an especially great addition to an urban space when rainwater is collected at considerable distances.
Download the Rain(a)Way Product Sheets for more (technical) information.
Are you interested in one or more tiles? Request a non-committal quotation by e-mailing to info@rainaway.nl  
       The ‘Flood Bold’ tile (otherwise known as SCADA Rasenornament) has a unique shape, can infiltrate rainwater and makes space for green. The tile is fit to drive on which makes it perfect for parkingspots and infiltrationgutters and -drains. Plants, grass or moss can grow in the hollow spaces, or fill them with gravel or shells, which is not as green, but still highly draining.        The ‘Wave’-tiles make it possible to infinitly vary in patterns, ranging from a 25% open to a completely closed surface. This creates immense design possiblities for a unique result and makes the scope for application wide. Rainwater can infiltrate through the open surfaces which can be filled with different (green) fillings.   
       The ‘Flood Permeable’ tile is a unique product which consists of two different types of concrete. The lower layer is water-infiltrating and allows the rainwater to slowly seep into the ground. If necessary, filling-up the tiles completely with gravel makes it possible to walk on top of the pattern.        The ‘Flood Closed’ tile has a dense water-proof type of concrete leading to water flowing away through the junctures between the tiles. Therefore, this type of tile stores the rainwater longer so that even with small amounts of water the effect can be experienced.   
       The ‘Ebb’ tile is constructed out of water-proof concrete and therefore does not permeate water. However, by creating smart patterns you can disperse water evenly throughout your square, street or garden, infiltrating the soil while preventing local flooding. Or you can lead the water to an infiltration or storage location.   
  
         In 2017, BURO013 approached Rain(a)Way to work together on a new design for the Sint Anna square. Van Gogh lived in one of the houses surrounding the square when he was 11 years old.  The square’s new concept is based on five ingredients of Vincent Van Goghs work and life: Tilburg’s location, the use of colour, Van Gogh’s time at the King Willem ll college, a sketch from his time at Tilburg and the home where he used to live formed the base of the design. The research for every one of these things was done by BURO013. Using this research, Rain(a)Way designed a beautiful new square.
In addition to the layout of the square, Rain(a)Way has also designed seating objects. These objects are made in the same colours as the tiles. What’s special about the seatings are the letters cast into the concrete. These letters tell the story of St. Annaplein and Vincent van Gogh. The letters are facts about Van Gogh and his life. One of the letter says “Het heeft wel iets van Tilburg ofzoo” ( translation: ‘It has something of Tilburg or so’) which Van Gogh wrote in a letter to his brother.
  
  
       This project at WOW Amsterdam is unique, simple and accessible. Fien Dekker was approached by Luca van de Putten for a new design for WOW Amsterdam’s entrance. Luca van der Putten is the founder of the PlantageLAB, who connects entrepreneurs, students, neighborhood residents, artists and scientists. To keep things going smoothly, Fien and Luca contacted Rainproof Amsterdam. Rainproof is a water expert in Amsterdam. They have provided advice in many areas, including the feasibility of the project. Infiltration through the tiles and the connection to the water network of Amsterdam is a very important part of this project. The possibilities for applying the Rain(a)Way tiles were researched. We decided to replace a portion of the current pavement. The Rain(a)Way tiles are an addition to the current system. Existing rain pipes and columns persist, these are included in the design to ensure optimum storage and infiltration without flooding. The design adds a unique experimental garden to PlantageLAB’s projects.  
  
       The Blauwe Hoef at Bergeijk knew the effects of climate change. During big rainfalls the whole street used to be flooded and drain covers flew into the air because the sewege system could not handle the excessive amount of water. As part of the technical solution, the municipality has set non-return valves, but they also wanted to actively involve the residents in the management of (urban) water. To resolve these questions, Rain(a)Ways help was asked.

The residents were getting involved into the design-process by a workshop. A maquette made by Fien gave a clear visual of the street. This way the citizens could easily visualize the changes that were to be made, and give suggestions.
By not hiding the rainwater in the drainpipes, but moving and storing it in a visible way we created an attractive, dynamic, environment. Rainwater is led to a lowered playground, a central point in the street. The specially designed Rain(a)Way ‘Ebb’ tiles form small urban rivers. Rainwater from residents can thus be connected to the public space via the drain. There is a visually attractive area with a pleasant living environment, while potential flooding is also eliminated.  
  
       Rain(a)Way climate adaptive rain tiles infiltrate, store and move rainwater to reduce rainwater nuisance and heat stress for a climate-proof city. Rain(a)Way has a mission: to tackle rainwater issues in an original and useful way. The ultimate goal is to make rainwater visible in a climate-proof city in a smart, innovative way. Rain(a)Way has different aesthetic tiles: closed, half open, patterns, grass concrete and more. The Flood-permeable and closed tiles are decorative tiles with a high infiltration capacity (> 1800 mm per hour) and can be combined well with the Ebb tile that transports rainwater to the storage location. The Flood Bold (SCADA Rasenornament) is a grass/concrete variant, inspired by Japan and is perfect for parking spaces and infiltration strips. Finally, there is the Wave tile with an enormous amount of design options due to the many patterns that can be laid with it, both open and closed.  
  
  

Rainaway

<p>Rainaway integrates rainwater into urban design with the goal of creating a climate proof city. They have designed four tiles for urban paving; three 'Flood' tiles and one 'Ebb' tile. The 'Flood' tile has three varieties: open, closed and permeable. This tile’s main purpose is to store rainwater in a visible and original manner. The 'Ebb' tile is a supportive tile. It leads rainwater in a visible and visually appealing way to a desired infiltration or storage location. The Ebb tile is an especially great addition to an urban space when rainwater is collected at considerable distances.</p>