Heat stress has been taking its toll with the temperatures of the past week. You can’t combat that with just an optimal home. Claudia Bouwens is keenly aware of this. A green outdoor space plays at least as big a role in this. The fact that, as program director, she’s succeeding in actually giving the green garden and a focus on water a boost makes her happy.
Claudia Bouwens works at NEPROM, the trade association for socially responsible project and area developers in the Netherlands. Together with its members, and in close collaboration with the government, NEPROM is shaping the spaces of tomorrow. Bouwens is currently serving as program manager for the KAN Platform on behalf of three industry associations (Bouwend Nederland, WoningBouwersNL, and NEPROM) and is a member of KAN’s core group.
Claudia, to start with, what is KAN?
“KAN stands forClimate-AdaptiveConstruction with Nature. KAN is a platform where industry stakeholders develop knowledge and share experiences in the areas of climate-adaptive construction, flooding, heat stress, biodiversity, and natural value. The KAN platform focuses explicitly on new construction. We’re working with the three industry associations to connect pioneers in the field. We share knowledge, inspire one another, organize field trips, and so on.”
How did KAN come about?
“For a long time, our focus in new construction was primarily on the energy transition. At one point, for an awards ceremony, we were interviewing residents of a very successful energy-efficient project. A short video was made about the project, and the residents talked about how satisfied they were. That was great, of course, but while watching the video, I suddenly noticed that the yard of the house in question was completely paved. That was an ‘aha’ moment. You can make sure everything inside a home like that is optimal, but you also need to pay attention to the outdoor space! And that was one of the reasons we launched the KAN platform.”
So let’s get rid of those paved gardens!
“Exactly. At DuurzaamDoor, the program run by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), they were immediately very enthusiastic about the nature-inclusive construction component. At the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (BZK), they were particularly interested in climate-adaptive construction and water management. Of course, these go hand in hand and therefore require an integrated approach. Problems in construction and area development are still far too often addressed separately from one another and in a purely technical manner. But it’s a matter of systemic change.”
Can you give an example?
“When you talk about water, it covers a wide range of issues. Flooding caused by extreme rainfall, but also falling groundwater levels, rising sea levels, the safety of our drinking water, plants and trees that need water, the quality of surface water, and much more. All of these issues are interconnected, so you have to take a broad view of them.”
“But on the other hand, it’s also about the details. In our KAN Q&A section, experts answer all kinds of practical questions from our network. For example: how do you sustainably maintain green facades, and: how do you design a disconnected downspout in a private garden?”
What are you working on right now?
“I’m working hard to make private gardens in new construction projects greener. That’s a challenge. You can write about it and advise people, but it’s actually quite difficult to get that message across effectively. Together with the stakeholders, we developed a methodology to get residents excited in various ways. For example, by organizing an evening event for new residents and having a landscape architect speak there, by offering workshops, and by highlighting it in the project’s newsletters. We want to make it clear that green spaces are valuable in multiple ways. A green environment has a positive effect on people’s well-being, and it’s, of course, important for biodiversity. Moreover, a green garden helps cool the area—another major benefit. Once people realize that, they’re more likely to opt for a green outdoor space.”
And what makes you happy?
“The fact that I can see climate-adaptive and nature-inclusive construction has really taken off. When we launched this platform in 2020, we wondered: will we get this on the map? The answer is a resounding YES. I hear and see it all around me—there really is more attention being paid to it. We have wonderful example projects, and quite a few of them are described in detail on the KAN website.”
Can you highlight one in particular?
“I’d like to mention the GWL site project in Amsterdam, which was built in 1997 on the former site of the Municipal Waterworks. So it’s a relatively old project, but its design is still sound. Residents flush their toilets with rainwater collected in enormous water tanks. That system was incorporated from the start, and it still works perfectly. Given climate change and water issues, we should be implementing this on a large scale in new construction projects. Another thing is that the GWL site is car-free, which creates a tremendous amount of space for greenery. There are community gardens, fruit trees, and seating areas, and it feels very different from a traditional neighborhood.”
How can we make it even better?
“If more organizations get involved. Socially responsible project developers, construction companies, municipalities, consulting firms, landscape architects, ecologists, urban planners, and architects—you’re all welcome to join us. We’re especially looking for trailblazers—enthusiastic people with a vision and the courage to share their knowledge. Together, we’ll take climate-adaptive construction that works with nature to the next level.”
Read previous episodes of Vrolijk Bouwnieuws
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