Living Lab the Sustainable Construction Site

Unique collaboration

We are working hard to make the built environment more sustainable in order to achieve the set  climate goals. However, making the construction site more sustainable is somehow neglected. Unjustified, because within 20 years 80% of the construction sites will be in built-up areas. Mobile construction equipment accounts for 8% CO2, 19% NOx and 18% particulate matter emissions of the total traffic emissions. From 2026, the government aims to enforce the sustainability of construction sites if the sector does not take the initiative itself. This means that the urgency of making construction sites more sustainable bigger than ever. The aim of this project is to realize the Living Lab Sustainable Construction Site.

Project partners

Within this Living Lab, the project partners, in collaboration with end users, work on the technical innovations and process innovations that make the construction site more sustainable, as well as the smart roll-out to the construction sector. The consortium consists of a unique collaboration between construction company Volker Wessels, development parties ELEO and DENS, rental company Hoogwerkt and knowledge institution TU Eindhoven. This means that the consortium has all capacities on board to successfully realize the project and roll it out widely. In addition, the consortium is supported by partners BTIC, De Groene Koers and Stichting Brainport Smart District for the realization and broad roll-out to the construction sector.

Sustainable construction site

The project is innovative because it meets the unfulfilled need for a sustainable construction site and the technical challenges on this construction site. In addition, the project contributes to the development of market demand and works on a combination of progressive technical solutions.

Making construction sites more sustainable is a crucial point of attention for the coming years. The current way of working on construction sites contradicts with the objectives of the Climate Agreement, contributes to the nitrogen problem in construction, endangers public health and has major impact on the construction sector itself.

Hydrozine: smart solution

zine; smart solution Living Lab The Sustainable Construction Site is located at the Brainport Smart District Location in Helmond, where contractor KWS is working to prepare the site for construction. The work will be carried out entirely with electrified equipment that will be charged daily through the use of the DENS Hydrozine generator. The generator offers a smart solution for the use of hydrogen in the built environment.

Energy hub

The generator is a true energy hub, where other methods of energy generation and storage can be plugged in  (solar poles, wind turbines, mobile battery systems). Capacity can thus be increased as desired when necessary. By optimizing around different sources, affordable energy can always be provided.

This project is made possible in part by the European Fund for Regional Development of the European Union and the Ministry of Economic Affairs.