Business parks can help Rob Jetten achieve his climate ambitions

Business parks and workplaces are of great value to the new cabinet. This is the message from the Kennisalliantie Bedrijfsterreinen (SKBN) Foundation to the new Ministers Micky Adriaansens for Economic Affairs and Climate, Rob Jetten for Climate and Energy and Hugo de Jonge for Housing and Spatial Planning.

In a letter to these ministers, the SKBN evokes the need to concretize the ambitions of the coalition agreement, and the contribution that the industrial zones can bring to it. In the area of ​​Adriaansens as well as in Jetten and De Jonge, the business parks already have (partially) ready solutions for certain complex problems.

In Jetten, the SKBN underlines the enormous solar potential available on business parks. The figures: 10,000 square meters of roof surface on 2,547 tertiary buildings. Because the climate accord neglected business parks in 2019, there’s still a lot to be gained here. The Paris Proof Ranking shows that there are still people to win in “3,250 workplaces”.

The theme of climate adaptation is also addressed: “On average, only 1% of business park space is used for green or blue functions. So there is still a lot to gain here. Green-blue structures on business parks also ensure a healthy working environment. According to the SKBN, two major successes can be achieved in achieving exorbitant climate ambitions.

Mix life and work

Subsequently, De Jonge is “emphasized the importance of linking seemingly conflicting interests and associated spatial claims”. By this, the SKBN refers to a mixture of life and work. Both require (a lot) of space and therefore seem contradictory. But by mixing life and work, a “win-win situation” is created, as space is used more intelligently. SKBN: “We like to contribute ideas based on our practical examples.

Knowledge of innovation

Finally, Adriaansens recalls the objective of strengthening the growth and innovation capacity of SMEs, and recalls the task of the government coalition to further strengthen the business climate. Given that 50% of all jobs in the Netherlands and 60% of all R&D investments are located in business parks, Adriaansens should not look beyond business parks in its research.

With various campuses and knowledge partners such as TwynstraGudde, SKBN has enough innovation knowledge to share with the minister. “We can reflect with our knowledge partners on strengthening SMEs in innovative ecosystems that already exist or are to be developed,” writes the foundation.

The SKBN recommendations are not entirely new. At the end of last year, the foundation had already published a manifesto in which explicit attention was drawn to an integrated approach to industrial zones.