As a construction company, do you want to calculate nitrogen emissions efficiently?

You can do so with the newly developed sustainability calculator 

The fly-by-night need to reduce CO₂-emissions, nature deteriorating, a growing shortage of raw materials and the enormous housing challenge ... the construction industry is facing quite a few challenges these days. Still, the nitrogen debacle in 2023 remains the biggest challenge for many a builder. Fortunately, Van Meijel Automatisering - automation partner for companies in infra, construction and related sectors - is always busy thinking about what their clients need and, once again, came up with a solution.

Due to the State Council's ruling on Nov. 2, 2022, any construction activity that emits nitrogen has become subject to a permit requirement. Even for projects that only temporarily emit nitrogen, the effect on nature must be calculated. And that, for many, is a bureaucratic challenge that calls hard for solutions. VanMeijel is working on a new sustainability calculation in the ERP platform Metacom. Sabien Hoekman, consultant at VanMeijel, is part of the working group that is working hard on this. 

Primary cause

"We know that the main cause of nitrogen emissions in construction is large equipment, such as excavators, trucks, cranes, bulldozers and shovels," Hoekman begins. "This very equipment is indispensable in this sector. But because of the new regulations, any project that is not yet licensed must look again at nitrogen emissions from equipment and transport. In addition, the extent to which the activities affect surrounding, protected Natura2000 areas must be calculated." Hoekman says it also remains to be seen whether the calculations already made will entitle you to a building permit. "This makes the whole process towards the start of a project a time-consuming job. And it is exactly to those kinds of issues that we like to offer answers," she says. "We see the nitrogen debacle, besides being a challenge, as an opportunity for our (potential) clients to grow as construction professionals. If they are well prepared for this permit requirement, delays can be avoided and the environmental impact is reduced. Then, as a construction company, you are immediately engaged in a sustainability drive."

Sustainability Calculation      

VanMeijel's motto 'building can be simpler' is also reflected in this solution. A package for sustainability was being developed in Metacom Online, but it did not sufficiently meet the current needs. Our working group started to take stock of what the customer's wishes are at this moment. Based on this important input, where the challenge was mainly at the front-end in collecting all the relevant data, we are developing this further. The goal is for our customers to be able to efficiently calculate nitrogen deposition on Natura 2000 areas in Metacom in addition to being able to calculate with CO₂. The sustainability coordinator can then easily put this kind of data into AERIUS, RIVM's calculation tool for the environment," says Hoekman, explaining that the new developments in Calculatie XE are tested with customers in the interim. "It is even possible to create different versions so that you can compare which option produces the least emissions. The data needed to complete the AERIUS calculation can soon be easily printed from the calculation and shared with the sustainability coordinator." At the VMA festival "Future Proof" on June 6 in the Northeast Polder, VanMeijel has already presented this new solution. The sustainability calculation will come out in Metacom version 2022 and 2023.

Stamdatahub

A nice development that - when you calculate the cost price and the selling price - you also immediately calculate the CO₂-emissions and nitrogen emissions can be calculated, Hoekman believes. "And we may add more in time, but for now this is the priority." In line with the sustainability calculation package, VanMeijel is also developing a trunk data hub. "In Metacom, the goal is to be able to record equipment master data per supplier (data such as fuel consumption). With the master data hub it is possible for subcontractors themselves to enter the prices, but also the sustainability and emission data of their equipment in Metacom Online and share it with the main contractors they work for. And so we are always thinking along in real solutions that the market needs," Hoekman says in conclusion.