From building homes to building insight: How Ouwehand Bouw is embedding sustainability across its entire construction group
Ouwehand Bouw is a Dutch construction group with four operating companies, ranging from renovation and maintenance specialists to entities focused almost entirely on new‑build housing.
In October 2024, the organisation appointed its first Sustainability Manager, Dick van Driel, with a clear mission: to make sustainability visible, increase maturity and drive real CO2 reduction across every part of the group.
We spoke with Dick about the organisation’s sustainability journey and how Salacia has helped Ouwehand Bouw lay the foundation for credible ESG reporting and decision making.
Building sustainability into the core
When Dick stepped into his role, sustainability work had already started within Ouwehand Bouw. A circular maturity scan had been completed and working groups were analysing themes such as materials, energy and waste. However, the efforts lacked cohesion.
“There was a lot happening, but no real governance. My role was to bring structure, embed sustainability into processes and turn it into something we could measure and manage.”
At the same time, sustainability was becoming more prominent in tenders and client requirements.
“Sustainability requirements in tenders are increasing, but they are not always consistent yet. The sector is still learning what to ask and how to ask it.”
Ouwehand Bouw saw this not as a barrier, but as a reason to strengthen its internal foundation, independent of changing external demands.
A surprise start and an important realization
Shortly after joining, Dick was invited to a meeting with Salacia. He did not realise the platform was already implemented, nor that ESG dashboards for previous years were available.
“Seeing that dashboard in Salacia was a big surprise. It showed insights nobody was actively using yet.”
This triggered an important realisation. Sustainability ambitions, strategies and projects only become meaningful when supported by reliable, measurable data.
“You can give me all the sustainability goals in the world, but without solid data I can never show whether we achieve results. This is a prerequisite for everything I do.”
From learning curve to confidence
Working towards the group’s first VSME report meant a steep learning curve. Dick familiarised himself with Salacia by exploring the platform and working closely with the Salacia team.
“It has been one big learning curve. But the DMA module guided me step by step. I didn’t have to reinvent what a double materiality assessment should look like.”
Support from Salacia proved essential throughout the process.
“There is always someone available, always clear explanations. That support really matters when you are building something new. The collaboration has been very positive.”
What started as a reporting exercise quickly evolved into a broader strategic approach.
Insights leading to action
The first complete ESG dataset delivered immediate insights. The most surprising finding was that the largest share of emissions came from the long‑term energy use of completed homes, counted over a seventy‑year lifespan.
“That was surprising. I didn’t expect operational housing energy use over its lifetime to dominate our footprint.”
Other insights were more expected but now clearly quantified, including emissions from concrete, reinforcement steel and other materials.
These insights led directly to action. Dick initiated focused conversations with concrete suppliers to explore alternatives, understand developments and identify opportunities for CO2 reduction.
“Our footprint analysis led to real conversations with suppliers. We focus first on the actors with the highest impact and expect the market to move with us.”
Improving data quality across the value chain
With the first reporting cycle completed, attention shifted to improving data quality.
“We are already moving from spend‑based estimates to activity‑based data. As a result of the conversations, some suppliers are now sharing exact volumes and emissions, which significantly improves data quality.”
These discussions are reshaping supplier relationships. ESG data is no longer an abstract requirement, but a shared responsibility across the value chain.
A faster, more scalable way of working
Preparing ESG data has become significantly more efficient. Dick developed clear classifications for internal data exports and now knows exactly how to prepare information for the platform.
“Without Salacia, I would definitely have needed more man hours to get the job done. Otherwise I would still be trying to calculate everything in spreadsheets.”
Salacia provides one central source of truth, reducing manual effort and enabling insights that support concrete improvements.
Support from Salacia proved essential throughout the process. Dick was also supported by 2impact, an official Salacia implementation partner. They helped to present the data by creating a cristal-clear VSME report.
Data in the boardroom
One of the most important changes is how sustainability data is now used at leadership level.
“I now put ESG insights directly on the agenda in management meetings. When decision makers see the numbers, real discussions and decisions start to happen.”
Dashboards have moved beyond static reporting to become active tools supporting choices about materials, suppliers and long‑term strategy.
Looking ahead
According to Dick, the importance of ESG data in construction will continue to grow. While regulation will follow, market pressure is already increasing.
“Circularity will become a major focus area. It is not only sustainability, it’s also about resource scarcity and long‑term resilience.”
Ouwehand Bouw is now exploring next steps, including carbon reduction plans, deeper supplier integrations and further improvement of activity‑based data.
As Dick concludes:
“Salacia gives me the insight I need to embed sustainability in our company on the basis of reliable data. It puts us ahead of the curve and makes impact measurable.”
With a solid data foundation in place, Ouwehand Bouw approaches sustainability not as a separate initiative, but as a core part of how the organisation builds for the future.
