A revolution for the Dutch construction industry

On Wednesday 11 June, FHI is organising the Digital Building of the Future conference in the Sustainability Factory in Dordrecht. Willem Adriaanssen will give an inspiring speech on sustainable developments in the built environment.

Willem Adriaanssen, partner at consultancy firm Hevo, talks enthusiastically about the housing issues that they sustainably develop and exploit. “The basis of all development issues lies in finding the right balance,” he says. Hevo works with a model that distinguishes eight levels (see image), like steps on a staircase – with Happiness at the top and Energy at the bottom. The eight steps consist of: Happiness, Health, Economy, Culture, Species (flora fauna), Ecosystem, Materials and Energy. Depending on the project, the emphasis is on one or more steps, but mutual balance and agreement between the parties involved are always essential. The model forces an integral approach to each level.

A major challenge is that these levels often clash. Adriaanssen cites the theme of Energy: “For decades, energy requirements have been getting stricter. The trend is that buildings have to be more energy-efficient. Or even better: from energy-using, via energy-neutral, to energy-producing. But with the current grid congestion, new buildings sometimes cannot deliver their energy back. The balance is out of whack here.

This problem is not limited to Energy. Also in circular materials, for example, ambitions clash with requirements, such as fire safety. The model makes such conflicting interests clear. And the trick is to find a balance here. According to Adriaanssen, we often go too far in this. Some levels are underexposed or projects end up in a stalemate - think of nitrogen problems and grid congestion.

At the bottom of the stairs you start with the theme Energy and try to climb a step higher step by step. But each step brings new challenges. The step from Energy to Materials immediately raises questions about sustainability. Questions that you should have formulated and answered as much as possible in advance.

With the best intentions, one measure causes numerous problems for another theme. According to Willem, this is the biggest challenge that the Dutch construction industry is currently facing. The entire chain is involved. The key is: connecting technical solutions with each other.

Inspire

A shared story is the necessary basis for every project. An ambitious project requires a shared vision in which everyone contributes as a team player. This requires courage, creativity and a rejection of quick standard solutions. “This turns a work project into a research project from which a design emerges,” Adriaanssen explains.

In tenders, the emphasis is often on the lowest price. Adriaanssen is critical of this: “Competing on price is the most expensive thing you can do. Cheap is expensive.” The balance is crucial here. If the emphasis is on pure profit, the result of a project is very different than when the preservation of ecosystems is central. Nevertheless, he emphasizes: “The chimney has to smoke. Of course, we have to earn money. But this does not have to be at the expense of the entire flora and fauna.” There are plenty of examples in which ecological investments pay off handsomely – such as greening industrial estates or public spaces. Simple interventions can transform them into flourishing insect paradises.

Adriaanssen developed a simple method to avoid price competition. The first step is ownership. The client is connected to the project and wants a quality end product. Whether it is a paperclip, a school building or an airport – the client is looking for reliable partners for a fixed budget. And that is exactly where the power lies: the budget is fixed, so there is no more competition on price.

All parties involved are actively challenged to come up with the best solutions within the budget. Ownership and responsibility are shared. “This way of working is revolutionary within construction,” says Adriaanssen. “The client often does not benefit from a building that is, for example, 100,000 euros cheaper than budgeted. The money has been reserved for it and can be spent on it. The requirement that the client does have is that the money is spent well. The interest of the client is that they get what they want of the highest possible quality.” Smart cost savings can thus be used elsewhere in the project. All parties are challenged with this way of working to save costs smartly and to invest in innovation.

From this approach, Adriaanssen enters into discussions with developers, suppliers and contractors. It is precisely through this transparency and clear expectations that you develop a dynamic within a project that revolves around cooperation and connection. An attitude that is more than worth its investment.

Sustainable prosperity

Do we want to become richer together or will I only become richer when you collapse? We conclude the interview with this philosophical question. Adriaanssen answers firmly that sustainable wealth only exists in a world in which we work together. He enthusiastically sketches a world in which sustainable ambition is a valuable quality. Focused on opportunities, not on limitations.

Willem Adriaanssen will tell his story on Wednesday 11 June during the Digital Building of the Future conference. Come to the Sustainability Factory in Dordrecht, meet the exhibitors on the exhibition floor and get inspired.