Geo-scientific characterisation of the Boom Clay in the Netherlands in light of permanent confinement of radio-active waste

Recently, the OPERA research program has been initiated in the Netherlands. Its central objective is to develop initial, conditional safety cases for repositories in the Boom Clay and Zechstein rocksalt formations. TNO Geological Survey of the Netherlands has been granted two projects that deal with the geoscientific characterisation of the Tertiairy Boom Clay in the Netherlands, one of which is in cooperation with Utrecht University. The set-up of these projects is presented..

Innovation, low energy buildings and intermediaries in Europe: systematic case study review

As buildings throughout their lifecycle account for circa 40% of total energy use in Europe, reducing energy use of the building stock is a key task. This task is, however, complicated by a range of factors, including slow renewal and renovation rates of buildings, multiple non- coordinated actors, conservative building practices, and limited competence to innovate. Drawing from academic literature published during 2005-2015, this article carries out a systematic review of case studies on low energy innovations in the European residential building sector, analysing their drivers. Specific attention is paid to intermediary actors in facilitating innovation processes and creating new opportunities. The study finds that qualitative case study literature on low energy building innovation has been limited, particularly regarding the existing building stock. Environmental concerns, EU, national and local policies have been the key drivers; financial, knowledge and social sustainability and equity drivers have been of modest importance; while design, health and comfort, and market drivers have played a minor role. Intermediary organisations and individuals have been important through five processes: (1) facilitating individual building projects, (2) creating niche markets, (3) implementing new practices in social housing stock, (4) supporting new business model creation, and (5) facilitating building use post construction. The intermediaries have included both public and private actors, while local authority agents have acted as intermediaries in several cases

High-ambitious local climate policies to reduce CO2 emissions: Municipal strategies to approach homeowners in the Netherlands

Municipalities are the constructors of local climate policies and the upholders of building law. But regarding the existing housing stock, they are lacking effective legal instruments to improve the energy efficiency of this stock, which is occupied by different homeowner categories. Regarding high-ambitious climate policies to reduce cities’ CO2 emissions, the research question of this paper is, how Dutch municipal authorities can reach different homeowner categories with policy instruments to instigate investments in and to increase the existing housing stock’s energy efficiency. This question is answered by a literature and documentary study, and by in-depth interviews. Municipal authorities try to fill the gap of legal enforcement instruments of energy efficiency measures in the existing housing stock: (1) by taking public-private district regeneration as vehicle for energy transition experiments in the existing housing stock, (2) by drawing up energy covenants with housing associations, (3) by integrating energy conservation strategies into improvement strategies for the private housing stock, in which service organizations for homeowners’ associations are established for taking care of organizational, technical and financing aspects of energy efficient maintenance or renovation, and (4) by posing structural maintenance and professional management as prerequisites to financial services. This does not mean that local actions can replace an effective, flanking national policy to improve the energy performance of the existing housing stock, but that the Dutch law must follow these actions to support them.Housing Quality and Process InnovationOTB Research Institut

Particuliere woningvoorraad Schiedam: Kwaliteit - Beleid - Effectiviteit. Eindrapport

Project "Kwaliteitsimpuls Particuliere Woningvoorraad". Onderzoeksrapport uitgevoerd in opdracht van de Gemeente Schiedam.OTB Research Institute for the Built Environmen

Particuliere woningvoorraad Leeuwarden: Kwaliteit - Beleid - Effectiviteit. Eindrapport

Project "Kwaliteitsimpuls Particuliere Woningvoorraad". Onderzoeksrapport uitgevoerd in opdracht van de Gemeente Leeuwarden.OTB Research Institute for the Built Environmen

Particuliere woningvoorraad Zaanstad: Kwaliteit - Beleid - Effectiviteit. Eindrapport

Project "Kwaliteitsimpuls Particuliere Woningvoorraad". Onderzoeksrapport uitgevoerd in opdracht van de Gemeente Zaanstad.OTB Research Institute for the Built Environmen