News item | 10/30/2023 | 2:30 PM
Forty-five parties signed the Clean and Emission-Free Building (SEB) covenant today. Industry and network organizations in construction, water boards, provinces, municipalities, major construction clients and ministries want to make construction cleaner, healthier and quieter in the coming years. The agreement with roadmap, signed during the National Sustainable Mobility Conference in Utrecht, applies to thousands of companies in the Netherlands. The roadmap explains step by step how and at what pace construction machines will be replaced in the coming years by less polluting units and ultimately switch to clean or emission-free variants. Lighter equipment becomes emission-free sooner than heavier or specialist equipment.
Less emissions
Clean and Emission-Free Construction contributes to the government’s goals for nature, climate and health from the Climate Agreement, the Clean Air Agreement and the Nitrogen Approach and requires major investments and innovation capacity from entrepreneurs and clients. The national government has made more than one billion euros available until 2030 for emission-reducing measures in construction aimed at work, vehicles and vessels. The agreements to use more clean and emission-free construction equipment ensure a decrease in emissions and positive effects for nature (nitrogen), the climate (CO₂) and health (particulate matter and nitrogen).
The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management supports entrepreneurs in the construction sector with the Clean and Emission-Free Construction Equipment Subsidy Scheme (SSEB) in the transition to more sustainable construction equipment. A Specific Benefit (SPUK) scheme totaling €180 million ensures that local authorities that sign the agreement receive partial subsidy for the additional costs associated with emission-free procurement. For the same reason, part of the resources also goes to the contracting government services and ProRail. Finally, the central government supports the development of knowledge in the field of ‘smarter working’ through process measures, prefabrication and other tools. An example is better cooperation in logistics, which means fewer transport movements are required.
Taking steps together
State Secretary of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management Vivianne Heijnen: “A successful transition to clean and emission-free construction is only possible through good cooperation with parties active in construction. That is why it is great that we agreed on this during our conference on sustainable mobility in the city. This agreement has a significant impact on thousands of companies in the country. The nitrogen issue makes it extra important to take steps towards sustainability in the construction sector. This agreement gives the sector an idea of what to expect in the coming years, allowing them to prepare. We are already seeing the first results: more and more construction projects are using emission-free and cleaner equipment. Construction companies are innovative and contribute in an innovative way to the major housing construction challenge, the (replacement) challenge of infrastructure, the energy transition and the reduction of emissions.”
National Sustainable Mobility Conference
The Clean and Emission-Free Construction covenant, two other covenants on the National Charging Infrastructure Agenda and a Central Desk for Exemptions from Zero Emission Zones, plus a declaration of intent on emission-free coaches, were signed during the National Sustainable Mobility Conference. This is an initiative of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management.