Rabobank and BPD to build more future-ready homes together
Rabobank and subsidiary BPD | Bouwfonds Gebiedsontwikkeling are partnering to make housing construction more sustainable. They are planning to build homes using more biobased materials. These are natural building materials that emit less CO₂ during production. This makes them better for the environment than traditional construction materials like concrete and steel. These homes will also feature systems that save drinking water. The goal of this partnership is to contribute to lowering CO₂ emissions and reducing the use of drinking water.
At the moment, building with natural materials such as flax and hemp is often more expensive than traditional construction using concrete and steel. That’s why Rabobank is making over EUR 100 million available over the next four years. With this funding Rabobank covers the higher costs associated with using biobased materials. This lowers the barrier for construction companies to start working with these materials.
Through this initiative, Rabobank is focusing on BPD projects, while at the same time wants to get the entire construction sector moving. When more companies switch to biobased building materials, the costs of these sustainable materials are expected to decrease. It also creates an opportunity for farmers to expand their product range by growing specialized crops for the construction industry, such as flax, hemp, and straw.
Contributing to national targets
The investment aligns with Rabobank’s sustainability policy, which focuses on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and carbon sequestration (taking CO₂ out of the air and storing it long-term in trees, soil or building materials). Rabobank and BPD want to contribute to two national targets in the Netherlands:
What is biobased construction?
Biobased construction means working with renewable, natural materials. Think of wood for load-bearing structures instead of concrete or steel. Flax, hemp and straw can be used for insulation. This has the potential to reduce CO₂ emissions by 20-60% compared to conventional building methods. Also, these materials store carbon. Ultimately, this gives residents homes that are better for the environment.
Using water more efficiently
Compared to other countries, drinking water in the Netherlands is relatively inexpensive. As a result, there is little incentive to use it sparingly. For example, when showering or flushing the toilet. Rabobank and BPD want to change this by investing in systems that help reduce drinking water consumption. One example is capturing rainwater, which can then be used to flush toilets. This means drinking water is no longer needed for that purpose.
A new standard
To protect the climate, we need to invest more in sustainable solutions. This allows construction companies to gain knowledge and experience with new materials and techniques. Rabobank believes that this investment can act as a flywheel: as demand for biobased materials increases, supply will grow as well. Over time, this will drive prices down, enabling more companies to build with natural materials. In this way, a movement can emerge that helps make sustainable construction the new standard.