Hedgehog Company on LinkedIn: Sustainability in the construction sector (2024)

🏗️ Which product is widely used in our daily living environment, but is related with higher emissions than those of the global aviation sector? We assume you didn't guess it, but we talk about concrete here. Traditional building materials like concrete & steel have a gigantic environmental impact: approximately 14% of all human-induced emissions come from the production of those two materials.📈 Adaptation is needed, because the construction sector faces significant challenges: how can we continue to provide suitable buildings and a pleasant living environment, with a growing world population and changing housing- and work preferences? The materials you choose largely determine how sustainable you build. Concrete and steel are abiotic materials; non-living, non-renewable produced materials, consuming a lot of energy and fossil fuels. 🪵 Biobased materials on the other hand are living, renewable materials derived from nature (wood). The latter offer many advantages and chances to make the construction sector more sustainable.🌎 Do you want to learn more about this topic? Read our article: https://lnkd.in/dy6tJD8G ---------------------------Sustainable construction is one of our focus sectors. Reach out to us if you want to know how sustainability can work for you 💚

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🌎 We are increasingly striving to live sustainably. During your active life, there are a lot of things you can do to reduce your impact. But how about at the end of the ride; can one also pass away sustainably? Interest in natural burials, biodegradable coffins, and eco-friendly funeral rituals is rapidly growing. Two weeks ago, Saro Campisano was invited to the symposium De Groene Dood, to share insights from the LCA study we conducted regarding the environmental impact of different memorial services.At this symposium, leading international scientists and dedicated funeral professionals shared a wealth of knowledge and a critical perspective. What appeals to people about resomation, natural burials, and human composting? How can we consider these disposals from a spiritual, as well as an ethical and practical, perspective?🙏🏽 Saro: "It was an honor to share the results of our LCA study at this symposium. It's understandable that sustainability is becoming increasingly important in the context of funerals. A funeral is a dignified occasion that should reflect personal values and principles. If sustainability forms part of these values, it is fitting that this consideration extends beyond life."The symposium was organised by Funeraire Academie, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Uitvaartstichting Hilversum and Museum Tot Zover.

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⏰ What do you eat for breakfast? Some people call it the most important meal of the day. And what about the environmental impact? We compare the English vs. the Continental breakfast! 🌎 Let’s spill the tea: the English breakfast has the highest environmental impact. This breakfast “costs” 2.30 kg CO2-eq while a Continental breakfast is 1.40 kg CO2-eq. Also in many more impact categories, the English breakfast scores worse; think about acidification, ecotoxiticity or ozone depletion. The English breakfast is rich in animal proteins, causing high levels of impacts.Just in land- and water use, the continental breakfast has a higher impact. This is mostly caused by the apple; fruit is, after meat, the most intensive food group for land - and water use. And also, a lot of water is needed for the production of wheat for the bagel.And what to drink? Tea or coffee?🫖 A cup of tea = 17 g CO2-eq☕ A cup of coffee = 71 g CO2-eqBut, when we consider water use and land use, coffee is the more sustainable option. The water used to produce the cup of tea is around 180 liters, and for coffee 110 liters.🍳 Besides the ingredients, the way of preparation also matters. By replacing a gas stove with an induction stove and green electricity, you can prevent 58% of the impact of resource use & fossils. And you can save 30% of the carbon emissions of an English breakfast, or 40% of a Continental breakfast.Read the whole article here: https://lnkd.in/d2u2BcbJ 💚 Thanks Zoë Tan for the calculations 💚--------------------------------------------📈 This is an example of the insights an LCA can give you. An LCA is a powerful tool to show where and how your exact impact originates from. With this, you can take effective steps to minimise this impact.

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❓ Starten met de CSRD: hoe doe je dat? Wat zijn de stappen die je moet zetten? En welke teamleden heb je hierbij nodig? Luister de nieuwste podcast aflevering, en Emma Kallen geeft je alle antwoorden:💡Wanneer moeten verschillende bedrijven beginnen?💡En hoe zit het voor ketenpartners?💡Hoe vertaalt Europese wetgeving zich voor bedrijven in/uit verschillende landen?💡Een stappenplan + benodigde tijdsinvestering van het team💡De materialiteitsanalyse + Gap Analyse uitgelegd💡Hoeveel tijd heb je in totaal nodig? Emma: “Als je op tijd aan de CSRD begint, heb je meer tijd om alle acties te verdelen over een langere periode. En zo je team minder te belasten; met maar een paar uurtjes extra werk per week. Dat is echt dé tip die ik aan bedrijven meegeef om het makkelijk voor zichzelf te maken. Daarmee zal je zien dat de CSRD eigenlijk best meevalt. ” Luister de aflevering op Spotify & Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/dkRJj-XD ➡️ Liever eerst een introductie tot de CSRD? Dan kun je de vorige aflevering luisteren: CSRD (1): context & een introductie. Emma Kallen (Factor Delta) is ook te gast in deze aflevering en ze neemt ons mee langs de basics van de Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive.

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🦔 🎂 Happy Birthday Hedgehog Company! Yes, we turned 5 years; a big milestone! So this deserved a big celebration with the whole team.The stakes are getting higher and higher for each of our company outings; and the party committee showed themselves again from their best side.🎶 This time: a musical journey through the rich history of Amsterdam Folk Music. Aka “De Smartlap.” Since we all progressed our singing skills with the Karaoke in January, this was a nice new chance to shine. With René Trok on the Accordion, and all of us with a beer to oil up the vocal cords, we think we managed quite well.Earlier we also did a survival workshop, and we set out again for a scavenger hunt. Also, this was about surviving, with the rain and the elements not quite looking like summer at all… But there were a lot of nice cafés and bars along the way to let the rain pass. And later on, some Hedgehogs showed their skills playing arcade-games.🎆 And for the next 5 years? More exciting adventures to come! 🌎 We see the markets moving, and companies are moving with us towards sustainability. Sustainability is becoming more and more a cornerstone in business operations. Companies are compelled to embrace it. Not only due to the markets where they are in, but also due to tightening regulations. Consider, for instance, the CSRD. And the rising importance of the LCA. Or regulations on communicating claims about sustainability achievements. We find it an extremely interesting arena to be a part of!💚 Thanks team for all your effort working on our mission!Zoë Tan, Imme Groet, Saro Campisano, Ricardo Vieira Rijo, Rik Wessels, Clara Kuindersma, Gloria Carta, Philip Kuipers, Mees Eringa, Joost Walterbos, Joël Beuerle, David Hoekman, Dimitri Timmerman, Victor Kuipers, Nata Dovgalenok, Luc Uppenkamp, Max Wastiaux, François Mahé, Gabriel Mestres, Marijn Kansen, Casper van Rossum

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☕ In 2 weeks, the 13th of may, it’s time again for our Carbon Coffee Break. Here you can ask all your questions about measuring your carbon footprint. And meet other people who (want to) monitor their impact as well. Let’s learn from each other!When: 13th of May, 11.30 - 12.00💡It doesn’t matter if you are new, a beginner, intermediate or already pro-user of our carbon calculator. Just join in and make even better use of the tool.Note; how we spend the 30-minutes coffee break is very much up to the participants. We are open to any suggestions, but we could:- Provide a virtual walk through the dashboard to get you started- Help you set-up your profile- Take a look at your collected data- You can ask us or other participants specific questions- Or use this moment to give us tips/feedback on how to improve the calculatorRegister here:: https://lnkd.in/eeqTzmec—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------🌎 Do you want to measure the carbon footprint of your organisation?Use our business carbon calculator; collect your data and visualise your impact.

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🪵🦁 Een houten complex bestemd voor sociale huur voor jongeren; dat is De Houten Leeuw. Deze week zijn we met alle partners van het Convenant Houtbouw op locatie bezoek geweest bij dit mooie houtbouwproject. Eind 2024 wordt het project opgeleverd en kunnen de eerste bewoners hier gaan wonen. Het complex wordt 5 verdiepingen hoog en er komen 56 studio's in. De Houten Leeuw is een samenwerking tussen Heren 5 architecten en Bouwbedrijf M.J. de Nijs en Zonen B.V. en Hamlet Design+Build Technology. Stadgenoot is de woningcorporatie en opdrachtgever van dit project. 🌎 Het complex wordt gebouwd met CLT-modules en geprefabriceerde badkamers. CLT staat voor ‘Cross-laminated timber‘; kruislings aan elkaar gelijmde massieve houten panelen. Door deze techniek is het mogelijk om stevige houten constructies neer te zetten.Mees Eringa, Junior Expert Duurzame Bouw: “Het was gaaf om, op de bouwlocatie, de partners écht enthousiast te kunnen maken met zo een mooi voorbeeld van een houtbouwproject. Uiteindelijk is het altijd het mooist als de partners met eigen ogen de voortgang op het gebied van houtbouw kunnen zien. De partnerlunches zijn namelijk ook een moment om met de community bij elkaar te komen en samen naar ontwikkelingen binnen de houtbouw te kijken.“💚 Imme Groet Metropoolregio Amsterdam Built by Nature Bob van der Zande Wouter van Twillert Rosa Kip

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🌎 🌪️ Er raast een nieuwe wet door het duurzaamheidslandschap; de CSRD. We kunnen er simpelweg niet om heen. Deze Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive gaat verstrekkende gevolgen hebben, voor uiteindelijk alle bedrijven. Maar wat houdt deze nieuwe wet nou precies in? In de nieuwste podcast-aflevering gaan Max en Clara in gesprek met Emma Kallen, CSRD-expert bij Factor Delta.Emma vertelt:💡Wat de CSRD is en waar deze vandaan komt💡Hoe en wanneer deze nieuwe wet in gaat💡Wat de CSRD inhoudelijk voor bedrijven gaat betekenen💡En wat het ons en onze planeet hopelijk gaat opleverenEmma: “En waar wij op hopen is dat bedrijven CSRD-data gaan gebruiken om vergelijkingen te maken. Dat bijvoorbeeld milieu-organisaties gaan zeggen; okay, we vergelijken een aantal bedrijven binnen een sector met elkaar. En dat je door de CSRD-rapportages écht conclusies kunt trekken. De CSRD is namelijk ook echt een wetgeving tegen greenwashing. Bedrijven doen vaak uitspraken over hun duurzame prestaties; en nu, door de CSRD, worden de cijfers openbaar en kunnen we de uitspraken ook echt toetsen.”Luister de aflevering op Spotify of Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/e88AawRi➡️ En ben je benieuwd naar een praktisch stappenplan, voor hoe je als organisatie aan de CSRD kunt voldoen? Luister dan ook onze volgende aflevering: CSRD (2): praktisch & een stappenplan. Deze aflevering komt volgende week online.

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🌎 Plastic: how to handle it sustainably as an organisation? From an environmental perspective, plastic is an interesting material; there is not one answer to the question of how to be sustainable around this material. What is the most sustainable choice varies by context and product❌ Plastic is a material with a significant environmental impact: many plastics are made from oil, and a lot of fossil resources are consumed during the production process. The impact does not stop there, plastic waste has a significant impact on our planet.✅ But plastic is also a material with many favorable properties; and in some cases, plastic can be a more sustainable choice than alternative options. Plastic is light, which limits the environmental impact during transport. And plastic lasts a long time, allowing products to have a long lifespan. This can make the overall environmental impact potentially lower than if the product would break sooner and thus need to be replaced more often.♻️Then there are challenges around the reuse of plastic, and the properties that the material has after recycling. Not every type of plastic can be recycled. And with recycling rounds, the quality of the plastic goes down. How usable is that material then for specific applications? If the properties change and the quality deteriorates, it may be more sustainable to choose new plastic; because the product lasts longer or is sturdier. This depends on your product and how and where it will be used. 💡 Rik’s tip for organisations: You must calculate and substantiate whether the extended lifespan outweighs the impact of the new material. "You can't manage, what you don't measure". The only way to effectively and actually make your product more sustainable is by calculating the total impact.---------------------------Plastic & plastic recycling is one of our focus sectors. Reach out to us if you want to know how sustainability can work for you 💚

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