Platform on civil engineering, underground infrastructure, energy, construction equipment & construction machinery
"Sustainability is an integral part of our business strategy," says Thinkproject's Joost Bolkenstein. "On the one hand we focus internally on issues such as corporate responsibility, and on the other hand we look at developments in the construction industry and how we can support sustainability policies through smart software solutions."
"As an organization, we set ourselves sustainability goals. For example, we want to save as many as the equivalent of 90,000 trees by deploying our software by 2022. Also in reducing CO2-emissions, our software makes a crucial contribution." Thinkproject is truly at the forefront of this and has established several processes for this purpose. "We have expressed our ambition to be the European leader in sustainability savings in the software industry," says Bolkenstein.
Looking at construction, we find that this sector -according to various media- faces seven major challenges: the large housing shortage, the claim on space, the Climate Agreement, the shortage of skilled workers, the amount of regulations and laws, the sector must innovate, and then the construction industry must also keep all costs under control. "Go figure!", says Bolkenstein. "Fortunately, we are putting all kinds of smart solutions in place that allow clients to be 'in control' again on their construction projects. For example, we have built indicators into our software, focused on sustainability goals, that can show that nitrogen issues are not an issue in your project. You can also monitor what resource scarcity is present within the project." Now mainly a convenient way to save costs and time, in time it will be contractually stipulated that you have to demonstrate how sustainable you have been in a project, Bolkenstein estimates.
He notes that some parties have already started the digitalization process. "In the office it is already quite easy to monitor whether a project is still in line in terms of time and budget, but how transparent is it on the construction site itself? There is certainly a need for this, and people are now more open to it," notes Bolkenstein. "So we bring the all-important BIM model to the construction site. There are not so many parties worldwide who can do this properly yet, but we are one of them. Often 2D is quite in order, but with 3D, companies still need help. That's where we can make a difference. Using a BIM model on a tablet without internet, monitoring can be done on a construction site. At a glance, you can see where you are walking and where, for example, raw material scarcity is imminent. So once the project has started, you still remain 'in control'."
"At the heart of any digital transformation is clear communication and collaboration. That leads to greater productivity and greater efficiency," Bolkenstein said. "By digitizing information flows on construction projects, you save paper, reduce waste and also make project completion-such as building permits, materials traceability, quality control and budget management-more efficient. Thus, construction times can be reduced which in turn leads to less environmental pollution."
"Construction companies that do not venture into digitalization will probably soon be unable to cope with developments in the field of improved communication, limiting waste streams and setting up sustainable sites. Of course we understand that it is a big challenge, but we are the party who can support in this. We offer advice and tools. Not only in the area of software, but precisely also within the processes we show why it contributes to sustainability." Bolkenstein concludes, "Together with partners, we create a playing field in which you both take responsibility to do your bit for a better world."
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