SURFLOGH

Groningen City tests sustainable construction services

05 April 2022 - Published by Deirdre Buist
The City of Groningen has a dual focus in terms of sustainable city logistics. Together with relevant stakeholders, it is investigating the possibilities with regards to greener construction services, which covers a wide spectrum of tasks and responsibilities.

While Groningen continues to work on all aspects of  sustainable city logistics, there is currently a heightened awareness for the challenges and opportunities in the construction industry.

Connecting with construction industry

Sustainable materials, sustainable equipment, sustainable energy. Construction sites in The Netherlands are becoming increasingly aware of the urgent need to adapt and work actively towards a greener building process. The Municipality of Groningen has connected with Wagenborg Nedlift, a company that offers solutions in lifting, heavy transport and supplementary services. Wagenborg Nedlift recognizes the importance of significantly improving its carbon footprint.  “It’s strategic, a civil duty and a necessary step towards creating a more livable world for future generations. Investing in innovative and sustainable equipment makes sense,” said a spokesman for the company.

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Testing full-electric and zero-emission construction equipment in Groningen

Encouraging trial results

One and one makes two. Groningen and Wagenborg Nedlift joined forces to implement a test at a building site in the city centre, using a selection of full-electric and zero-emission equipment: a Liebherr MK 88 Plus mobile crane and a large electrical power bank from EcarACCU.  Our SURFLOGH partners are enthusiastic about the results and the impact on the direct environment  - NIHIL! Low noise levels and zero emissions fit perfectly with the Municipality’s ‘Green Deal Zero-Emission City Logistics’ strategy.

Potential pilots - more to come

Both parties are keen to design a follow-up trial in the near future. Furthermore, Groningen is exploring a series of potential pilots within the context of the SURFLOGH project including:

  • Construction Service Hub  – a joint hub for smaller goods and materials
  • Separating flows – personnel, equipment and material flows are approached differently and transported separately, greener and more efficiently.
  • Joint Service  for the use of large transport (e.g. cranes) – strengthening the business case for sustainable service by joint deployment.

So there's more to come. We look forward to sharing these experiences with the consortium and other SURFLOGH stakeholders.