Working together towards a zero-emission construction site
News article
Gasunie, together with partners, has a significant role to play in the energy transition. One of the sustainability ambitions is having zero-emission construction sites be the norm by 2030. Jan Marten Spanjersberg, director of Operations & Projects at Gasunie, and Jos van den Heuvel, director of Heijmans Infra Energie (the energy infrastructure arm of the construction services company), talk about how they are jointly tackling this challenge. ‘We are not waiting for an ultimate solution. We’re just going to get this done.’
‘Sustainability is an important topic for all of us’, Jan Marten says. ‘It’s something we really have to do together.’ Since last spring, Gasunie has had framework agreements in place with six contractors, of which Heijmans is one, with the goal of fully implementing the energy transition. And although the national deadline for the emission-free construction site is 2050, we are both working together to make this a reality by 2030. ‘The great thing is that we have committed to this as partners’, Jos says. ‘I think Heijmans and Gasunie, as well as our subcontractors and suppliers, can act as role models here.’
Do what’s already possible
A zero-emission construction site starts with electrically powered equipment. In the area of energy infrastructure management and maintenance, Gasunie can plan some of the jobs well beforehand. So a generator powered by electricity or hydrogen can be arranged in good time. ‘Whenever that’s possible, that’s the route we need to take’, Jan Marten states. However, a lot of electric equipment is needed, and there’s either not enough of this available yet, or it’s not available at an affordable price. And sometimes a job needs to be done urgently, so you have no time to arrange things optimally. Jos knows all about these practical challenges. ‘To operate electric equipment, you need power supply points, which are often not there yet because of grid congestion.’ Heijmans is already creatively developing solutions for that problem too, such as intelligent charging hubs that use energy efficiently.
Transport and construction materials
Heijmans is also looking at other aspects, in addition to electric equipment. ‘We can investigate the use of more sustainable working methods early on in the design phase, in the form of fewer transport movements, for example, or less excavation work. We are looking critically at the complete supply and value chain. Coming up with smart logistics solutions is also part of the zero-emission construction site.’ Jos mentions the WarmtelinQ project in The Hague as an example. ‘We are transporting the pipelines by train from Poland to the Netherlands. And thanks to the ongoing cooperation between our companies, Gasunie now has the opportunity to brainstorm and give its input on sustainable design solutions in advance.’
Keeping each other alert
The framework agreement between Heijmans and Gasunie is still fairly new. Both Jos and Jan Marten call it a marriage that is still in the honeymoon phase, when the relationship needs to be strengthened further. Jan Marten says, ‘We approach this joint task as partners. And an open feedback culture is part of all good (working) relationships. That openness determines the strength of a relationship. It’s important that we keep each other on our toes. If I think Heijmans is doing too little, I need to tell Jos how I feel. And if Jos thinks we’re asking for stupid things, he needs to let us know.’ Jos also thinks that maintaining a dialogue is important. ‘We don’t necessarily always agree, but there is always mutual trust.’
Energy
Jan Marten is careful to keep sustainability from degenerating into propaganda. ‘I want people to work based on intrinsic motivation. And doing tangible things, on a short timescale, is also helpful. That motivates people. Talking about lofty, compelling goals all the time can lead to paralysis. Jos also doesn’t want to wait for an ultimate solution. ‘We’re just going to get started, in the knowledge that it’s going to be a huge transition in construction. We are setting up pilot projects and investing as needed, in line with our responsibilities. I find that invigorating. I really enjoy working with early adopters, thinking about how we can design and work sustainably, and creating guidelines and tools.’