Despite political headwinds, things are moving more and more quickly in the right direction with circular industrial construction, observes Sander Woertman, program leader of Spring Agreement 2.0. "Sustainability is an unstoppable development. That makes me happy."
Sander Woertman, what does the Spring Agreement 2.0 partnership entail?
"The Spring Agreement 2.0 is a multi-year knowledge program. It originated in 2008 because the then Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment saw that making housing construction more sustainable was only possible in consultation with the market. The largest building trade associations then took up the gauntlet, with an important role for the sustainable frontrunners. Until 2021, the focus was on energy efficiency. In 2022, the shift was made to the materials challenge. Large-scale sustainable construction: circular and industrial, in other words. The basis of the Spring Agreement is knowledge development and sharing, with practice as the basis: what is possible, what is needed, how do you work together on the transition? It is very important that builders are aware of what is and what is possible."
What is your role as a program leader within this context?
“I coordinate the program and maintain contacts with industry associations and the ministry. I listen to the frontrunners to hear what they need. If there is a challenge that is widely felt, we find an appropriate solution to it. An example: several front-runners indicated that they would like to use low-CO₂ concrete, but had questions about how they could do so cost neutrally. We then set up a practice group to formulate a working method that could also be used by other construction companies. How wonderful would it be if the resulting guide ensures that low-carbon concrete is used on a large scale? In short: I connect parties."
What has already been achieved?
“Circularity started with pilots. Small projects experimenting with circular materials and reuse. Insulation with recycled jeans, sheet material made from waste streams from arable farming, and you name it. That was important because it showed what is possible. A lot of knowledge was gained from those pilots and that was taken into follow-up projects. Currently, the first large-scale timber construction projects are being completed. Also, affordable homes are springing up that perform very well on both energy and material levels. We now come to questions such as: how can we accelerate, improve, build more flexibly, and you name it.
Several participants in the Spring Agreement made a publication last year about the environmental performance of high-rise buildings. On the one hand, we need high-rise buildings; on the other, they are very polluting. It was recently announced that a number of manufacturers of wooden façade systems for high-rise buildings have received certification. As a result, wooden facades can therefore be used in high-rise projects, which is beneficial for sustainability performance.
I also notice that many provinces and municipalities are working on a reuse strategy. From the Circular Construction Economy Transition Team, of which I am part, we are working to turn those local initiatives in that area into a national approach. So that reuse can be scaled up."
You'll see a lot of building innovations, projects, and visions coming along. What stands out?
“Sustainability is really revolutionizing the construction industry. Smarter wood building systems are emerging, more and more sustainable concrete construction is succeeding, smarter calculation methods have been developed, there is so much! Detachable construction is also a good development. We are working on the third edition of a catalog of detachable construction details. With each edition, the number of new loosenable solutions grows exponentially, and with better and better environmental scores.
Furthermore, I think it's very positive that investors and corporations are agreeing together on a route to carbon reduction. That affects builders and developers directly. They have to start thinking about ways to reduce CO₂, because otherwise they won't be able to sell their projects. That is a good development.
I'm also positive about the building materials agreement recently reached on material flows. A separate roadmap was created for each stream, to reduce CO₂. That was a huge task, but it has been accomplished and is definitely going to have an impact. Collaborations of farmers and builders to produce biobased materials are also very hopeful. The National Biobased Building Approach is working hard on this, with results. The momentum is there. The concrete and steel sectors are also working on CO₂ reduction, and a transition has been made from resisting to cooperating. So indeed, I see all kinds of great things happening."
The Spring Agreement 2.0 expires at the end of 2025, will there be a sequel?
“Yes indeed. We even get additional subsidies because the government sees that our program is making a difference. It clearly meets a need. It is incredibly important to connect parties and policy makers. In the coming years we are going to make sure that we have more clout. Previously we had frontrunners who paved the way; now it is time for the pack to join in. These are parties who are now taking the first steps towards sustainable and circular construction, or who are still in the exploratory phase. We want to get them on board now, and we can do that by coming up with concrete solutions that they can really get started with."
Where are there still opportunities, challenges?
“For example, in taking a broader approach to sustainability issues. In previous years, we looked at environmental performance per project. We need to lift that to the higher level of area development. Because how you design an area, above and below ground, has a huge impact on sustainability. A high-rise project is never the most sustainable choice, but in combination with ground-level housing, apartments and the right infrastructure, you can have the most sustainable solution at the area level. Especially now that politics is about large areas (think of D'66's ten cities) you have to look at it in context.
In these times of geopolitical uncertainty, with both prices and the security of supply of construction materials under pressure, it is good to strive for a national economy. An economy that can sustain itself and is not dependent on foreign parties and sources. Reuse and circularity play a crucial role in this. We can no longer do without them."
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The world is bleak enough, so we ask our readers what makes them cheerful. In the Cheerful Construction News section, they tell us themselves why a project, a piece of equipment or a way of working excites them. It doesn't matter, as long as it brightens up even a dreary Tuesday morning.
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