Column: Construction as an Engine of Progress

The recently presented outline agreement of the coalition parties PVV, VVD, NSC and BBB lays out an ambitious plan to combat the housing crisis, accelerate energy transition and stimulate the construction sector. As manufacturers of metal doors, windows and facades, we applaud these initiatives, but we want to challenge politicians to make these plans more concrete and decisive.

The goal of building 100,000 housing units annually is necessary. However, this requires more than an agreement; it requires a robust and realistic action plan. In addition to making land available, the government must remove the bureaucratic hurdles that have plagued the construction industry for years. Speeding up construction procedures and removing legal and financial barriers are steps in the right direction, but their implementation must be more tightly directed. Municipalities should be required to issue building permits within a set time frame. This now takes an unnecessarily long time.

In addition, the repurposing of existing buildings is a valuable initiative, but this can only succeed with clear laws and regulations that facilitate such transformations. The focus on sustainability should be further tightened. Investments in green technologies, such as more energy-efficient facades, should be encouraged through tax breaks and subsidies. This would not only reduce the environmental impact of new buildings, but also boost the production of sustainable building materials.

A crucial aspect of the energy transition, as described in the agreement, is making the building envelope more sustainable before installing solar panels and heat pumps. Without properly insulated walls, roofs and facades, these technologies do not reach their full potential and energy costs for residents remain unnecessarily high. The government must ensure that building envelope sustainability becomes a prerequisite before moving to renewable energy solutions.

In addition, we must energetically take up the circularity of facades. This means considering the reusability of materials in the design and construction of new buildings, as well as renovations. The use of recyclable and demountable materials must become the norm so that we can extend the life of raw materials and minimize waste. Producers of building materials can play a key role in this by bringing innovative and sustainable products to market, but they need the support, as well as regulation, of the government.

Facade builders want to partner with contractors to take these crucial steps. By working together within the industry, we can increase efficiency, encourage innovation and accelerate the implementation of sustainable solutions. This partnership is essential to achieve the ambitious goals.

The construction sector is poised to serve as an engine of progress, but politicians must pave the way for concrete actions and measures. The potential is there: construction volumes can increase, buildings can become more sustainable, and society can benefit from modern, environmentally friendly infrastructure. It is time for the government to turn ambition into tangible results. We challenge politicians to now turn the right knobs after forming and talking. Only then can we jointly build a better liveable future. With Construction as the Engine for Progress.