About the awarding organization
The Sustainable Tulip Award was established by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Hungary in 2023 to recognize SMEs, start-ups, corporates, and not-for-profit organizations demonstrating outstanding sustainable performance in their industry. The award theme changes annually, for example “Sustainable and circular construction,” and applications are assessed by a distinguished jury of sustainability leaders and industry experts. For the first time, the Circular Economy Summit hosted the award ceremony.
Why the Equinox-System™ stood out
The jury recognized the Equinox-System™ for its holistic circular approach, integrating design, construction, and building lifecycle management to minimize embodied and operational carbon.
Key achievements included:
- Replacing concrete foundations with ground screws in the Ligetszépe project – cutting embodied carbon by 28–68%
- Maximizing renewable materials – sustainably sourced timber represents over 70% of all building components
- Reuse and material storage – investing in an industrial property (“Hangar”) for storing, repairing, and reusing materials across projects
- Lean design principles – minimizing unnecessary elements such as screws, paints, or finishes; optimizing CLT structures to reduce metal use by 8%
- Bioclimatic strategies – advanced building simulation tools ensure high passive performance and energy-positive buildings, like the Júlia House (–9.08 kWh/m²a annual energy demand)
- Circularity targets – at least 90% of materials designed for reuse without loss of value
- Maintenance service – long-term stewardship of Equinox buildings to keep materials in circulation at their highest value
What the award means for us
Winning the Sustainable Tulip Award affirms our mission:
- To create carbon-neutral, affordable, and circular housing accessible for all
- To demonstrate that regenerative design principles are not only possible but financially sound
- To scale our Equinox-System™ across Europe, amplifying both social and environmental impact
This recognition strengthens our commitment to designing for adaptability, disassembly, and long-term resilience.
