Dutch efforts towards a sustainable built environment

Sustainable building has a respectable history in The Netherlands, especially since the early 1970s. The report ‘The limits to growth’ from the Club of Rome in 1972, and the 1973 energy crises shortly afterwards showed the downside of the long period of growing prosperity experienced since the early 1950s. In governmental energy policy introduced from 1973 to 1990, energy efficiency and diversification became the key subjects of development. This chapter presents a historical overview of Dutch efforts right up to some current NZEB schools and office buildings built just in the last year, as well as an historical overview of the developments in sustainable building. It shows that a sustainable built environment is technically feasible in The Netherlands, by using common construction methods in combination with various components and specific solutions. Legislation is an essential ‘stimulus’ for a sustainable built environment, but fortunately in addition to this there also exist some good examples from principled participants who act as the driving force for more sustainable housing. Local authorities and some project developers, like OVG, are the main drivers taking part in the latest initiatives for Dutch sustainable buildings