The optimum in sustainability and circularity

Emission-free by 2030 and 100% circular by 2040. That is the sustainability mission of KWS. The sustainability policy is in line with the ambition of parent company VolkerWessels to work completely emission-free by 2030. Achieving the optimum in sustainability and circularity does require room to experiment. An interview with Alexander Heeren, director of commerce at KWS, and Joost Bos, manager of sustainability and innovation at KWS, about how the company is implementing its ambitious goals.

As an innovative and complete infrastructure builder, KWS has all the expertise in house to help think through the most sustainable choice, Heeren begins. "That is the beauty of such a large company with so many specialties in-house. We can design, realize and maintain the entire civil engineering domain; from complete road and dike sections to concrete roads, noise barriers and, for example, concrete work along the water's edge. We are unique in completeness and able to contribute to our clients' goals." Colleague Bos adds: "Basically, of course, sustainability and circularity are container terms. To find 'something' about it in terms of content and communicate about it, we at KWS have divided it into three themes: zero-emission building & production, circular building, and climate adaptation & nature-inclusive building."

Fossil 'pieces'

Big issue with zero-emission construction is the availability of enough electric equipment and how to get all that equipment charged on a project, Bos continues. "We have outlined a whole plan to make our own equipment pieces fossil-free in phases toward 2030. In 2029, we will replace the last fossil 'pieces' with sustainable ones. Current developments are mainly focused on electricity, but hydrogen is also a viable option." 

Seeking the connection

According to Bos, the theme of circular construction covers two aspects. "First, how can you now design in such a way that you can neatly disassemble an object in say fifty years and immediately apply it elsewhere at the same level in the chain. On the other hand, we are also dealing with existing infrastructure. We always arrive at a place where 'something' is already there. How do you deal with that? Because we as VolkerWessels and KWS are so broadly oriented and active in all disciplines, we always look for the connection. For example, steel beams from an overhead power line dismantled by VolkerRail were recently incorporated one-to-one into a noise barrier by Holland Scherm. It doesn't get more circular than this. Another example is the reuse of crushed stone that is released when cleaning the ballast bed under the tracks as a secondary material in asphalt mixtures. It fits well with the objective of using fewer primary raw materials. We are also working with peers on a plant-based alternative to oil-based bitumen to achieve a fossil-free asphalt mixture. It is part of the Chaplin program."

Circularity Scan

Climate adaptation & nature inclusiveness is still in its infancy. "We are still developing in that area," Bos acknowledges. "It is a comprehensive theme. Think about preventing flooding, combating heat stress in the city, and finding solutions against drought and subsidence. To better anticipate circularity and nature inclusiveness, we are going to make it measurable. We want to take the lead in this, but the condition is that we join forces with other market parties so that a uniform language is spoken. I imagine we will do a circularity scan at the start of a project: what will we find and how will we reuse it? If you have a destination beforehand, the mindset will also change." 

It is important to take clients with us, to make them aware of what we can do as a sector, Heeren concludes. "Whereas five years ago the brakes were mostly applied, today the cards are shuffled very differently. Much more is already possible today, but we have to be given room to give innovation and sustainable solutions a chance. The use of fossil-free equipment, for example, is more expensive than traditional equipment. The depreciation is different and the hourly charge is higher, but if we want a healthy world for our grandchildren, that requires support today."

More expensive?

So it's getting more expensive? "If you look at the deployment of equipment, yes, but you can offset that against the reuse of certain streams in a project.     

That way, you can still keep the budget for a particular project on track," Bos clarified. "And that also involves a bit of awareness towards clients. There is still some cold feet about using milled asphalt in new asphalt, for example. The same applies to the energy we use to make asphalt. We are working on initiatives where we bring down the "calibrated" temperature of 160 degrees to about 120-140 degrees Celsius. We need to start having those kinds of conversations with clients as well. Instead of sticking to the CROW definition of what asphalt is." Heeren: "We must indeed dare to deviate from the beaten path, let go of what we have been used to for 20 years or more. We have all embarked on a journey of discovery and we are confident that it will work out, in the process we are being stretched on all sides. We also want this because it allows us to take steps forward, for example, in the area of product development of new sustainable alternatives to traditional products and for their application we then look for space in, for example, the requirements. Contractors, clients and engineering firms will also have to take steps forward. Everyone has a role to play in this. We are already ready for it."

Innovation lane A58

Speaking of a journey of discovery and experimentation, the Innovation Lane A58 is a great example. "We developed the first electric asphalt spreader for this project because Rijkswaterstaat stuck its neck out by valuing innovation and progress," says Bos. "But we also learned from this. Charging together with other electric machines on a project proved quite a challenge in practice, given the perils in grid capacity and limited battery life. Another example is the hydrogen generator that we introduced together with the Department of Public Works, which caused all kinds of teething problems in the beginning. At temperatures around freezing point, the generator shut down. That too has now been solved, but you still have to do it once. To check whether it works." Heeren: "If Rijkswaterstaat or other clients hadn't stuck their necks out, we wouldn't have been as far along in the development as we are now. We too must be given room to experiment, it is desperately needed in the development of fossil-free equipment."

Across the board at VolkerWessels and KWS we are working on sustainability and circularity, Heeren summarizes. "Huge investments are being made in fossil-free equipment and in creating optimal synergy between the various disciplines within KWS. This is already leading to demonstrable sustainable and circular results. Important milestones on the road to an Emission-Free 2030!" concludes Heeren.