Column: Building Paris Proof

Author: Mark Compeer

In our office café, NICE Place, we host groups for a SAWA Experience at least two to three times a week. During these presentations, we passionately advocate that only timber construction projects should be undertaken today. The often highly interested attendees include representatives from municipalities, investors/fund managers, housing corporations, and other developers and contractors.

Fundamentally, we are not presenting anything new: building with concrete emits CO₂ emits. If you build with timber, you actually store more CO₂ than you emit. In other words, you build CO₂ negative (which, in turn, is positive).

With SAWA, we demonstrate the feasibility of stacking multiple ambitions. You can build with timber, embrace circular construction, contribute to biodiversity, create spaces for community and coexistence, and, crucially, integrate this with mid-market rental and even social housing.

And this is precisely where, dear municipalities, investors, housing corporations, developers, and contractors, you often falter. These layered ambitions are not merely 'NICE to haves'; they are 'MUST haves'!

Let me elaborate on one of these core values: Paris Proof construction. We (yes, including you) committed in Paris to limit the global temperature increase to below 1.5 degrees by 2050. The stark reality is that if we continue with concrete construction, the building sector will already surpass the 1.5-degree threshold by 2027! This will burden our future generations with a significant problem. Regrettably, few stakeholders are aware of this, let alone actively addressing it.

Within housing corporations, typically only a few individuals are responsible for timber construction, while the majority continue to build with concrete. Municipalities hesitate to mandate timber construction in tenders, as their procurement department's legal advisors deem it an 'extra-statutory requirement'. Our fellow developers and contractors propagate the misconception that timber construction is 10-15% more expensive than concrete construction and is genuinely unfeasible. We can no longer afford this stance. As businesses and individuals, we are obligated to contribute to the Paris Agreement objectives. In our sector, 2027 is effectively tomorrow, meaning we must do everything today to reduce CO₂ emissions as much as possible. Municipalities and housing corporations must fundamentally change their approach and, from now on, exclusively require Paris Proof buildings. Our fellow developers and contractors must explain to their shareholders that they can no longer prioritize profit maximization at the expense of the climate. Timber construction is no longer more expensive than concrete construction, so what are we waiting for?

With SAWA, we demonstrate that it is indeed achievable. SAWA is currently under construction, and new NICE projects are underway. Therefore, dear municipalities, housing corporations, fellow developers, and contractors: embrace your responsibility. Develop projects based on 'shared values', ensure they are Paris Proof, and contribute to a better future for both people and the climate!