Frequently Asked Questions

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Royal BAM Group aims to have the most sustainable business operations and therefore COâ‚‚ reduction is receiving additional attention. As when addressing other public themes, collaboration is of essential importance. Collaboration in the chain, both upstream with suppliers and clients, as well as downstream with users, is an absolute necessity to realise the reduction of COâ‚‚ emissions.
 

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Companies are increasingly focussing on their energy consumption and the reduction of COâ‚‚ emissions. Firstly, because they know that the central government will develop more stringent legislation and regulations. Secondly, because of the requirements set by society. But also due to the opportunity to achieve good economic performance. Also in the long term. In addition, the company is convinced that corporate social responsibility is beneficial.

Research into the carbon footprint shows that the construction sector has a lot of knowledge in this field. However, it is not used sufficiently actively. Royal BAM Group wants to provide access to the knowledge present in its organisation and make it available to suppliers and clients in the construction sector. The BAM COâ‚‚ Desk has been created for this reason.
 

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Important target groups are clients and suppliers, who can reduce the COâ‚‚ emissions in the usage phase and in the supplying chain respectively.

Together with its clients, Royal BAM Group wants to aim at COâ‚‚-conscious and in the longer term climate-neutral tendering. Through energy-efficient products and processes, Royal BAM Group will aim to contribute to the reduction of COâ‚‚ emissions in the construction chain.

Suppliers are asked to keep the carbon footprint in the production of raw materials and semi-manufactured products as low as possible. Together with the suppliers, Royal BAM Group wants to consider jointly developing new sustainable products and then implementing them via partnerships or co-makerships.
 

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A company can determine itself where the boundary of its COâ‚‚ emissions lies. The so-called Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG-protocol) provides guidance when making choices.

Factors that determine the level of COâ‚‚ emissions are the energy consumption in offices, the vehicle fleet, taking flights and the energy consumption at construction sites and production locations.

The method proposed by Royal BAM Group for calculating the carbon footprint (see downloads symposium), calculates not only the COâ‚‚ emissions of Royal BAM Group itself but also includes the COâ‚‚ emissions upstream (suppliers) as well as downstream (the usage phase of products).
 

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The COâ‚‚ emissions of Royal BAM Group and the chain were calculated, in collaboration with KPMG, using a Carbon Footprint calculation model that has been specifically developed for this purpose.
 

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The COâ‚‚ emissions consist of the use of energy for lighting, equipment, heating, cooling and lifts. This is the consumption of electricity, gas and/or heat and cold supplied by third parties.
 

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During the entire life of a building, it has been shown that the energy consumption in particular is the determining factor for the environmental impact. Here it is important to first limit the cooling and heating demand, then the lighting and the other energy consumers in the building. Approximately 30% of the energy consumed in a building is user dependent. Adjustment and fine-tuning, monitoring, support and providing information to the user is a substantial aspect of sustainable development.
 

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A lot can often be achieved by examining the settings in a logical way. Consider here for instance the times when the building is used and the temperature settings. In addition, in consultation with your installer or mechanical contractor, energy-saving measures can be inventoried. It is advisable and in some cases even obligatory to have an Energy Performance Advice carried out for a residential or non-residential building. This provides direct insight into the current situation, as well as the options for making savings. For residential construction, the Toolkit 'Duurzame Woningverbetering' (sustainable housing improvement) has been created that provides advice on how existing houses can be made more energy efficient.
 

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Dependent on the desired EPC, one can choose from a number of energy-saving techniques or combinations thereof. Several examples are the high-efficiency ZonneGasCombi (combination of solar and gas power), an individual heat pump and increasing the insulation value (Rc) of enclosed parts. Very energy-efficient houses (very low EPC) can be built in accordance with the Passiefhuisconcept (Passive House Concept).
 

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Here you can consider: heat and cold storage, thermal solar energy, electrical solar energy, biofuels, energy recovery and high-efficiency equipment. However, a distinction must be made between new construction and renovation. In any case, it is important that specialists in the area of energy-efficient technology are involved in the project at an early stage.
 

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The costs of a sustainable building depend on the desired sustainability level. It is possibly more expensive to make a sustainable building than a conventional building. However, the additional costs are often recovered within a couple of years due to lower energy and maintenance costs.

Important financial aspects that play a role are the type of financing, land costs, how the value of the real estate develops, lessee retention in the future, an acceptable period within which the additional costs can be recovered and the expected development of energy prices.
 

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When railways are constructed, the COâ‚‚ emissions consist of the use of raw materials and semi-manufactured products (for instance concrete sleepers) and the production process. When railways are used, COâ‚‚ emissions occur due to the use of the systems (including signs and points) and the trains using the railway (in particular overcoming the resistance due to friction demands a lot of energy).
 

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A current innovation in the production of asphalt is the low energy preparation process. The use of foamed bitumen as a binding agent leads to the same final product at a significantly lower temperature (95 ºC instead of 165 ºC). Using less energy reduces the COâ‚‚ emissions. For every tonne of LEAB (Low Energy Asphalt Concrete), this is a reduction of almost 4 kg of COâ‚‚.
 

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The picture here is rather diverse. On the one hand considerable value is attached to lower prices, on the other, the policy objectives of the government are becoming more visible in the specifications/ contracts. Regularly, there are options to reduce the number of 'detour kilometres' and with it the COâ‚‚ emissions by creating fewer diversions, shorter diversions and diversions that are in place for a shorter time.
 

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Often, additional measures or energy-efficient products will lead to higher costs. But by taking an inventive approach to logistical planning, by buying materials as close as possible to the construction site or by employing personnel from the immediate vicinity, the number of transport kilometres can be limited.

It is striking that in this respect the construction sector underestimates its share of the total COâ‚‚ emissions and overestimates the costs of sustainable building.