16/07/2008
The property sector is involved in a major project to make building projects in Rotterdam more sustainable. Rotterdam local authority is facilitating sustainable development. This morning a large number of parties signed a unique alliance agreement with lead councillors Hamit Karakus for Spatial Development and Mark Harbers for Economy, Environment and the Port of Rotterdam. Royal Haskoning was a co-signatory to this covenant. Rotterdam is the second local authority to look at its own carbon footprint and CO2 reduction in its own organization and in projects it undertakes in the future.
At the opening of its second office in Rotterdam, Royal Haskoning made it very clear to the local authority that it would provide support where possible to achieve the objectives of the Rotterdam Climate Initiative. To this end the company organized the Climate Change seminar in the Cruise Terminal in Rotterdam on 22 May, which focused on the sustainable building process throughout the chain. A booklet on success factors for an effective climate policy was presented to those taking part.
The company is serious in its focus on sustainable and responsible building. It subscribes to the Cradle to Cradle principle for good reason, and particularly wants to devote its knowledge and expertise to its projects in and around the Rotterdam area.
A large number of the Dutch employees of the international company live and work in and around Rotterdam. At the beginning of 2008 the office moved from two locations in Rotterdam into one office in the George Hintzenweg with easy access to the A20 and, even more importantly, alongside Alexander Station.
In April of this year the company was one of the initiators of the Nijmegen Energy Covenant, in which businesses promise to make an effort to reduce CO2 emissions and to look into sustainable processes in different types of business.
Rotterdam local authority and several organizations and companies have entered into an agreement to achieve CO2 reduction of at least 25% in the short term. The idea is that those involved indicate the areas and projects where they think they will be able to achieve this. In the longer term a reduction of CO2 of 50%ought to be possible. Both the local authority and the parties in the alliance see this collaboration agreement as a concerted challenge to seize opportunities, and to tackle uncertainties and possible obstacles to sustainable development.
The Rotterdam Climate Initiative is a clear signal that Rotterdam local authority is serious about tackling CO2 emissions. Together with other large ports throughout the world they have committed themselves to a sustainable, better future when it comes to CO2 emissions and sustainable building.
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