Wednesday 23 January Mr Barroso made the EU-goals for 2020 explicit:

- 20% less CO2
- 20% less energy consumption
- 20% total energy consumption is green


Sustainability
"Although sustainability has a somewhat vague and soft meaning in the project realisation of buildings and infrastructures, this will change radically", Thijsen says. "Sustainability is about the real and measurable decrease in the use of water, energy and space in our projects. Grontmij is more and more asked by our clients to translate sustainability into real technical, environmental and financial project changes.”

Total coverage
“Our experts are also asked for energy, waste and water assessment of buildings and factories to optimise efficiency or redesign installations. Not only we cover the physical lifecycle of the project (in concrete or steel), but also its flows of energy, water, waste and air! This year we will connect some 90,000 households to Stockholm's town gas network and make the installations ready for the transition to biogas.”

Adding value
Due to our local knowledge of planning and permitting procedures we add value to the energy companies. Availability and accessibility of locations for decentral biomass power plants, wind farms or transport networks are key in strategic energy(supply)planning. E.O.N. engaged Grontmij as consultant for the establishment of the 200 MW offshore wind farm Rødsand II south of Lolland in Denmark. Besides the planning and project management of wind farms, Grontmij is also involved in the extension of the windmill factories itself.

Innovative
Thijsen: “I'm delighted with the innovative energy-saving contract which Grontmij got from the Danish energy supplier Fjernvarme Arhus. It is an unconventional approach to save 5,000 MWh before the end of 2008. It regulates rights for energy savings in the technical and financials terms for companies and institutions.”

“Climate and energy are great opportunities for a sound and recurring project portfolio for Grontmij, but most of all it's really adding value to our customers", Thijsen says.