Future-proof business parks: working together towards a sustainable future
The ‘Future-proof Business Parks’ project is being run as part of the Healthy Green Growth Regional Deal. The project supports businesses and business parks with issues relating to the energy transition, climate adaptation, circularity, water use, sustainable construction, mobility and the creation of healthy, safe working environments.
A single, joint approach
Under the ‘Regio Deals’, central government and the regions work together on societal challenges. The central government makes funding available, whilst the provinces are responsible for the financial administration. Within the ‘Future-proof Business Parks Arnhem-Nijmegen’ project, VNO-NCW Midden acts as the lead organisation.
As the lead organisation, VNO-NCW Midden coordinates the joint grant application and supports the various project leaders. Fourteen projects have now been brought together under a single regional application. This approach ensures a single point of contact with the provincial authorities, a clear flow of funds and centralised support for areas including communication, collaboration and compliance with regulations, such as state aid rules.
Connecting different worlds
Making business parks more sustainable requires collaboration between a wide range of stakeholders. Government bodies, research institutions, entrepreneurs and technical experts each operate according to their own expertise, working methods and pace. It is precisely the bringing together of these different perspectives that is essential for the successful realisation of projects.
A key prerequisite for this is effective organisation within business parks. Only when businesses have organised themselves can joint sustainability projects be tackled effectively. In many business parks, this organisation is still in the process of being established.
That is why the project focuses not only on technical solutions, but also on strengthening organisational capacity. This is achieved, amongst other things, through providing information, encouraging and supporting frontrunners, preparing joint projects and sharing knowledge on sustainability.
Complex sustainability challenges
Making business parks more sustainable is often a complex process. A company wishing to electrify its operations or generate energy faces a wide range of challenges. These include grid congestion, the suitability of roofs for solar panels, the availability of energy infrastructure, collaboration with neighbouring businesses and opportunities for wind energy.
It is precisely because all these factors come together that coordination is needed to take projects forward. Many entrepreneurs do not have the time, knowledge or resources to organise such initiatives independently. A collaborative approach helps to make projects feasible and affordable.
Support from the Regional Energy Expertise Team
A key partner in this approach is the Regional Energy Expertise Team (REE). This public-private partnership between the Arnhem-Nijmegen Green Metropolitan Region and VNO-NCW Midden supports businesses and organisations with energy-related issues.
The REE helps entrepreneurs find reliable expertise and offers support for both individual and collective sustainability projects. The affiliated experts are carefully selected on the basis of quality, certification and professionalism.
Whilst the REE initially focused mainly on supporting smaller businesses, it is now increasingly providing advice on larger area-specific projects, such as joint sustainability initiatives on industrial estates or municipal rooftop solar projects. Thanks to the Regio Deal, this support has been further expanded.
Public-private partnerships as a catalyst
Making business parks more sustainable requires close collaboration between the public sector, the business community and knowledge institutions. Public sector bodies have policy instruments and funding opportunities at their disposal, whilst entrepreneurs are responsible for the investment and implementation. By combining these strengths, projects can be realised that would be difficult to get off the ground individually.
Furthermore, sustainability is increasingly becoming part of normal business operations. Entrepreneurs are constantly weighing up investments in growth, staff and sustainability. That is why it is important that sustainable solutions not only contribute to social objectives, but are also economically viable.
From plan to implementation
Sustainability projects often have a long lead time. Developing plans, organising collaboration, complying with regulations and securing funding all require perseverance from all parties involved.
When all conditions have been met and projects can actually get underway, this marks a significant milestone. Contracts can then be awarded, investments made, and project initiators receive the resources to actually implement their plans. This lays the foundation for future-proof business parks that contribute to a sustainable and economically strong region.
