From nitrogen cap to production line: Can industrial construction get projects back on track?

This time, the expedition heads to construction sites near Natura 2000 areas. There, in particular, the rule is: the fewer emissions you have, the fewer delays you’ll face. How industrial construction makes a difference. 

The construction industry has been paying close attention to The Hague in recent weeks. On June 26, the cabinet presented the “Freeing the Netherlands from the Nitrogen Lock” package, intended to get the permitting process for housing and infrastructure back on track. But the question that took center stage during the parliamentary debate on July 1 remains: Are the measures legally robust enough? In the meantime, the sector doesn’t have to just sit and wait. Industrial construction demonstrates that the construction industry itself can also limit nitrogen emissions on construction sites. 

Lower emissions near Natura 2000 sites 

One of the pioneers is Plegt-Vos’s housing factory. Whereas traditionally much of the work takes place on the construction site, here complete facade elements, floors, roofs, interior walls, utility modules, and even bathrooms are largely manufactured in the factory. At the construction site, the main task left is assembly. 

That is precisely what makes this construction method interesting at a time when nitrogen is increasingly determining the feasibility of projects. Fewer transport trips, less equipment, and fewer on-site construction activities result in significantly lower emissions during construction. Especially for projects in or near Natura 2000 areas, this can mean the difference between delays and progress. 

In 2025, Plegt-Vos produced approximately 1,500 homes using robotic production lines. Robotic arms assemble building components based on parametric models, while bio-based materials are increasingly being incorporated into the production process. According to the company, this combination results in approximately 80 percent fewer CO₂ and nitrogen emissions compared to traditional construction methods. To further scale up production, an additional robotic production line will be put into operation in early 2026. 

Plegt-Vos’s Survival Package

• Factory-based construction – Complete building components are manufactured industrially, significantly reducing the amount of work required on the construction site.
• Fewer on-site emissions—Less transportation, fewer machines, and reduced construction activities result in a significant reduction in nitrogen and CO₂ emissions during construction.
• Robotization and parametric design – Automated production lines improve quality and reduce failure costs.
• Biobased Materials – The combination of industrial production and sustainable materials further reduces the environmental impact. 

Survivaltip

Waiting for new regulations is not a strategy. Projects that already manage emissions more intelligently today increase their chances of a smooth permitting process. Industrial construction is therefore not only a solution to the labor shortage or the housing crisis, but can also be a practical tool for continuing construction despite increasingly strict nitrogen regulations. 

About expedition Slim Bouwen

Construction is like surviving in a jungle of rules, ambitions, and problems. In “Expedition Smart Building,” Marjet Rutten takes you every week to a groundbreaking site or location where they’ve overcome all the obstacles and hurdles along the way. If you also have a special place you’d like to highlight, please email the editorial team.

Rutten has been working in the industry since 1998 and wants to contribute to a dynamic, successful construction sector. In addition to her work for Building Balance, she is active as a Gideon and serves on numerous government review committees and juries, where her responsibilities include assessing the market potential of planned product and process innovations. You can order her latest book, *From Brick to Blockchain*, about developments in the sector leading up to 2040, here. Looking for more inspiration on developments in our sector? Visit www.debouwin2040.nl