Greenest factory of the Netherlands at Stepelerveld industrial estate in Twente
Uzin Utz Nederland, located at the Stepelerveld industrial estate and manufacturer of such products as glues and floor screeds, was proclaimed Greenest Factory in the Netherlands in 2014. In that same year, the municipality of Haaksbergen drew up a framework vision for the development of this industrial estate. With its green rooftop, Uzin Utz is climate-adaptive and contributing to biodiversity in and around the Stepelerveld estate. How has the company managed this and what else is happening in the Stepelerveld estate?
Greenest Factory in the Netherlands
In 2014, the Uzin Utz – formerly Unipro – plant scored an 8.66 out of 10 on the municipal building sustainability assessment. Thus it ranked number one in the Netherlands, which earned it the title of “Greenest Factory in the Netherlands”. Queen Máxima performed the official opening of the Uzin Utz plant. The building is climate-adaptive, chimes with its surroundings, and fosters biodiversity. It is a pleasant location for both people and nature.
Green rooftop
In the development phase of its plant, Uzin Utz commissioned a green sedum rooftop spanning 6,000 m2. The green rooftop provides optimum insulation, which means that less heat is lost during cold periods and less cooling is needed during warm periods. The latter is very important, considering that summers are becoming increasingly warmer in the Netherlands. The company is thus saving energy for cooling purposes; its equipment is less prone to overheating; and the working conditions for staff remain comfortable for a longer period of time. In addition to heat, the green rooftop is also combating waterlogging and drought: it collects and retains rainwater, as do the surrounding premises. Uzin Utz is using the collected water to irrigate its garden and to flush its toilets. Furthermore, the green rooftop is creating a natural habitat for wildlife and thus boosting biodiversity. The image below shows all the measures.
Temporary Nature
Uzin Utz has bought 33,000 m2 of land adjacent to its premises in the purview of expansion. This lot is now overgrown by temporary nature: Uzin Utz is refraining from nature-suppressing management, as a result of which natural elements can develop spontaneously. Uzin Utz has applied for legal permission (exemption) from the Temporary Nature Foundation, in order to be able to clear the lot at a later date, as the lot is designated to ultimately accommodate a new Uzin Utz building in addition to the existing plant.
How are the premises being developed further?
Shortly after Uzin Utz set up its Stepelerveld plant, the municipality drew up a framework vision for the further development of the industrial estate. With respect to public space, the framework vision focused on four elements: “Biodiversity and a healthy working landscape”, “Clean and visible water system”, “Smart roads”, and “Collaboration with the neighbours”. In addition, the municipality intends to enforce sustainable construction methods at the lots. Currently, Uzin Utz is still the only company at the Stepelerveld industrial estate. In the year to come, the municipality will be preparing the rest of the industrial estate for other companies to set up shop.
What are the plans for the future?
Although the building is still a green factory, according to its sustainability score it no longer qualifies as the “greenest factory” in the Netherlands. Obviously, developments in the field of climate adaptation and biodiversity continue to advance. With its new building, Uzin Utz is once more pursuing the title of “Greenest Factory in the Netherlands” and the highest BREEAM certification. The surrounding area – water consumption, land use, and ecology – plays a pivotal part in the BREEAM assessment. In collaboration with several parties, including Uzin Utz, the municipality of Haaksbergen is developing the other parts of the Stepelerveld estate in accordance with the BREEAM guidelines.
Collaboration with junior innovation team: AdoptIDee
Uzin Utz is participating in AdoptIDee: an initiative involving collaboration between children from the last three years of primary school and innovative companies from Groningen and Haaksbergen. The goal: learning from one another. The children help entrepreneurs to come up with creative solutions, while the entrepreneurs invest in their future employees. For example, the children will focus on enhancing biodiversity by designing nutrient-rich rooftops and façades, as according to ecological reports, animals tend to use the premises for collecting food only and are not (yet) settling on the land. This project is one of the ways in which Uzin Utz aims to foster biodiversity.
Lessons to be learned
Sustainability is still in a state of flux. Uzin Utz has been monitoring its CO2 footprint for several years and formulating pertinent targets. The recent revision of the emission factors has forced Uzin Utz to adapt its goals and its policy, and to reconsider certain choices. In this respect, it is important to realise that sustainable does not, by definition, mean expensive. In some cases, the short-term costs will be higher, but to Uzin Utz, sustainability is a precondition for long-term continuity.
Contact person
Annette Schumer
Manager duurzaamheid Uzin Utz
annette.schumer@uzin-utz.com