Platform on concrete and steel in construction
A sharper course that fits the practice
All public clients are working hard on the transition to a climate-neutral and circular infrastructure. In this they have taken the next step. On March 27, the Steering Committee Public Principals Sustainable Infrastructure (PODI) presented the updated roadmaps Climate Neutral and Circular Infrastructure (CIP) and the cooperation agreements CIP at the Kanaleneiland Power Station in Utrecht in a festive meeting. “The energy that all parties have at their disposal makes all the difference.”
Susanne Schilderman, Alderman for Circular Economy for the City of Utrecht, will kick off the event. She explains that the municipality wants to reduce the CO2 impact of building materials by focusing on reuse and climate-proof innovations in the city. “The way we deal with our raw materials is no longer tenable. Utrecht is growing rapidly and by using materials more efficiently and investing in short, reliable chains, we not only become more sustainable, but also less vulnerable to disruption, scarcity and geopolitical uncertainties. To take even more steps forward towards a circular city with more reuse, intensive cooperation between government and market players is indispensable. This is why we felt it was important to actively contribute to the cooperation agreements and the Climate Neutral and Circular Infrastructure roadmaps.”
It then focuses on the roadmaps, which originated in the Climate Accord. This stipulates that the national government and co-governments work in a climate-neutral and circular way as much as possible in 2030 in projects within the ground, road and hydraulic engineering sector (GWW). To this end, the national government, the Interprovincial Consultation (IPO) and the Union of Water Boards (UvW) drew up CIP cooperation agreements and five roadmaps in June 2023. The cooperation agreements have now been updated and the roadmaps were also given an update last year. “With this, it all fits better with the practice of all provinces, water boards and municipalities,” says Marc de Rooy, senior policy advisor at the Ministry of IenW. It also added a sixth roadmap: Sewerage. The roadmaps provide direction and make choices about which measures have the most impact.
Paul Witmer was involved in the realization of the sewerage roadmap from the municipality of Utrecht: “In making it, we mainly looked at what circularity and sustainability mean for our waterways and pumping stations. We tried to make the roadmap as concrete as possible. I think that worked out well.” To quickly get to the information relevant to your organization, De Rooy tips sustainable-infra.nl. “Here, every government has its own accessible landing page. With measures that are relevant to you.” He also tips the Sustainable Infrastructure DoBook, which compiles practical experiences of fifty municipalities from across the country and offers tools for sustainable infrastructure: from call for tenders to construction and from management to replacement.
The power for achieving results lies in the close cooperation between municipalities, provinces and water boards, according to Jasper Hoogland on behalf of the IPO and Marleen Nicolai on behalf of the Union of Water Boards. Hoogland: “I see a lot of energy in all the parties involved to get to work on these issues. Pooling their efforts and a joint approach offer great added value and make a difference.”
Two new parties that have joined the collaboration are Knowledge Platform CROW and Royal NLingenieurs. “This is right at the heart of our work,” says Titia Bredée, director of Royal NLingenieurs. “We know what works in practice and what is needed for policy.” Pieter Litjens, director-director of CROW, adds, “We connect with this because this is our mission: with our knowledge we enable clients, contractors, construction companies and engineering firms to do their work better, more efficiently and more sustainably.”
Two practical examples show what is already happening in the country. Jeroen van Gaalen, manager at the municipality of Arnhem, and Robbert de Metter of Meerdink Bridges tell attendees all about their circular bicycle and pedestrian bridges. They have already gained a lot of experience with reusing parts. Their most important tip: “Don't be afraid and start small,” said De Metter, who shows one of the reused bridges via a video call connection. “Once you've managed several smaller projects, you can take the next step toward more impact.”
Then it's the turn of the Schieland and Krimpenerwaard Water Board, which also has a video call connection. Somewhere in the polder by the water are Gerben de Jong, project leader for dredging projects at the Water Board, and Johan Schilder of dredging company J.P. Schilder. Behind them, an emission-free dredger is working on a healthy water bottom. Schilder says his company invests a lot of time and money in emission-free dredging. “In return, we need clients to call for emission-free work in the market,” he says. De Jong therefore calls on water boards and municipalities to free up budget for this. “This is necessary to enable investments like this in the market.”
Finally, the attendees will take to the streets themselves. Accompanied by various project leaders from the municipality of Utrecht, they will visit Bernadottelaan, one of the areas in Kanaleneiland that is being redesigned. Circular, sustainable and climate adaptive. In the verges lie various materials such as baked clinkers and concrete sewer pipes. Originating from the municipality's own raw materials depot, the materials are ready for a new life in the neighborhood. This makes visible in Kanaleneiland what the updated CIP roadmaps are intended for: making sustainable infrastructure concrete in practice.
