'Doing nothing is no longer an option. Concrete and steel construction can also contribute to a sustainable construction industry'

Yvette Watson, winner election 'most sustainable professional in the Netherlands'

When you talk to Yvette Watson, you know you'll be presented with a passionate argument with one goal: to strive for a better and healthier world. She has made it her daily challenge as an entrepreneur. From corporates and large companies in the construction sector to even SMEs: her company helps organizations to make their own business operations circular and to develop concepts with market parties for a sustainable built environment. Her observation? "Organizations - also in concrete and steel construction - do want to become more sustainable. But they don't always know how."

Watson is co-founder of PHI Factory in Amsterdam and - in her own words - has been an "environmental and climate activist" all her life. In this edition, she comes up with some practical tips and recommendations. The reason is clear. "We need more balance with the ecosystem," she says. "We can't ignore that. But it's also very broad. It involves both an energy transition and a materials transition. The design issue in a circular economy, climate adaptation and biodiversity are also important themes. I could go on and on. In short: no matter how complicated it is, we need to get to work!"

Watson explains that the construction industry can make strides. "If we pursue low-carbon processes and want raw materials to retain their value, we will have to invest in people. Everyone is an expert of his/her own work and can contribute to the transition by using his/her knowledge and experiences for sustainable solutions and innovations. Knowledge sharing and action perspective! I also see it as a great challenge to remove the distrust within the chains. Everyone still holds their cards too close to their chests while transparency about your own processes actually yields a lot in favor of a more sustainable and healthier world. We must therefore work on an overall culture change. Furthermore, I believe in creating a level playing field: companies and organizations should be allowed to experiment a bit more with themes such as circularity and sustainability. Right now, companies - in all columns of the construction industry - are still being punished too much. A shame that opportunities are missed as a result!"

Four buttons

Watson says that for construction, there are four knobs to turn. "First: reduce the cycle: ask yourself, is all the material you used really necessary? And then, second: slow down the cycle: talk about reusing and repairing products. Third: preserve the cycle. Replace the current supply with low-carbon materials and processes. For example, you can improve the footprint of steel and concrete and initiate more sustainable production. Or, deploy secondary materials. And finally, close the loop by getting construction waste back into the chain in a high-value way and also have The End Of Life in mind during design. So: what can you do with the material after use? Make a plan."

"Start now," Watson emphasizes. "Create your own power of change and turn concerns into action. If we harness the collective brain and power of manifestation on behalf of the climate issue, I'm sure we can realize a sustainable world of tomorrow."   

Yvette Watson is co-founder of PHI Factory, supporting organizations in realizing their sustainable and circular ambitions and challenging market participants to the maximum to achieve real systemic change. She also runs the gamified learning platform, The 2B Collective. It is the community tool for activating large groups of people to start thinking and acting sustainably. For example, she works with the Gideon's tribe to activate all 500,000 people in the construction industry to contribute to a sustainable sector of tomorrow. Watson actively participates in programs that accelerate sustainability in the built environment such as Circkelstad, Platform CB23, DGBC's Delta Plan Sustainable Renovation and the EWF-Lab Foundation. In 2021, she was voted 'most sustainable professional' during the Green Tie Gala at Building Holland. This ABN AMRO Sustainable 50 is the annual thermometer of sustainability in construction and real estate in the Netherlands.