.nl in the spotlight: plasticbuildings.nl
"Our buildings can solve both the housing crisis and the global plastics problem"
In 2021, the .nl-domain continued to grow, with another 119,000 domain names added to the total. Most of the new .nl domain names were registered by businesspeople. And, behind every business registration, there's a story. One of them is the story of Dyon Koning, founder and director of PlasticBuildings. Driven by his love of nature and his worries about the global plastics problem, Dyon's mission is to tackle that problem, while also helping to solve the Netherlands' housing crisis.
What's the motivation for plasticbuildings.nl?
"The global plastics problem affects people, animals and the environment. Seeing so much plastic littering the natural world and the oceans, and watching documentaries such as Seaspiracy inspired me to look for solutions," says Dyon. "Countless businesses use plastic for disposable products and inappropriate purposes. And it's not just the plastic itself. All sorts of harmful additives are used in a lot of plastics, meaning that they can't be recycled. Things have to change. At PlasticBuildings, we care about the planet. We see plastic not as waste, but as an indestructible substance that can easily be converted into building materials. The properties of plastic mean you can make extremely durable building materials from it."
What does your mission entail?
"Ideally, I'd like to help resolve two problems at once. By using plastic to build homes and other buildings, we can tackle both the plastics problem and the Netherlands' housing crisis. There's a shortage of housing in this country, which is driving up prices and making homes unaffordable for more and more people. People are being denied one of the basic necessities of life. PlasticBuildings' homes are completely modular. We use wall panels and structural elements made with recycled plastic. Plastic is much more durable than wood. Our homes also have screw foundations. They're easy to instal and reuse, and don't pollute groundwater, making them more sustainable than concrete foundations. My ultimate goal is to make affordable homes available to people who otherwise couldn't buy a place of their own. And at the same time to put a lot of waste plastic to good use."
How far have you come with PlasticBuildings?
"PlasticBuildings has only just started. Our website went live only two months ago. One of the first things we did was a survey to gather information about the needs of people looking for homes or interested in sustainable housing. Since then, I've spoken to various people and organisations. All of them have responded very positively. Because houses are in such short supply and so expensive, there's a lot of interest in PlasticBuildings. So we're hoping to start actually building homes very soon. I'm working with various partners to move things forward: companies that can help us with the screw foundations, components such as wall panels, glass and window frames, and the incorporation of recycled plastic into our structures. A contact in the east of the Netherlands is making a plot of land available for us to build our first home. It'll serve as a show home, which we can let out. The idea is to introduce people to the potential of PlasticBuildings and get them excited about our homes."
How important is online visibility for you?
"In business nowadays, you've got to have a prominent online presence. The internet is the place for reaching a big audience. I built our website plasticbuildings.nl myself on the user-friendly Wix platform. The website serves mainly as a portfolio for showcasing our homes and other products. Anyone who wants to take the next step can find out more by calling or mailing. I also use Instagram, Facebook and YouTube to share our story and promote our homes. For example, I share videos showing how the houses and structures are made. At the moment, we've got one concept video on our site, created by architect and designer Koen van der Lee. Koen and I talk every week, exchanging ideas for the houses, which he translates into clear construction drawings. In due course, we want to be uploading new videos quite regularly, showing people the building work and testing in progress."
How did you come up with your domain name?
"Plasticbuildings.nl was my first-choice domain name, and luckily enough it was still available. Clear and simple is my motto. The name PlasticBuildings tells you straight away what we're all about. For now, we're focusing on the Dutch market, so it made sense to go for a domain name with the .nl extension."
What advice do you have for other new entrepreneurs?
"Get your ideas down on paper: create mind maps and write down everything you need to do to achieve your goal, step by step. And try to work as simply and efficiently as possible. Once you actually get started, I recommend forming partnerships and contracting out activities that are outside your own field of expertise. To raise your profile online, you need to grab attention. Run playful campaigns, for example. But keep everything relevant to your goal, and stay true to your identity. Never lose sight of your objective and your mission," concludes Dyon.
Want to know more about PlasticBuildings or get in touch with Dyon Koning? Visit www.plasticbuildings.nl or mail info@plasticbuildings.nl.
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