'Pushing the pace toward greater sustainability in the concrete industry'

Last summer, after 25 years at independent engineering firm ABT, Niki Loonen (47) exchanged his workplace for a new position - including new ambition and stimulating objectives - at TBI, a group of more than twenty engineering, construction and infrastructure companies which, although operating independently, always seek emphatic cooperation with each other in the chain. Especially in the field of sustainable renewal, design and maintenance of the living environment. Loonen started working as a consultant. His goal? "Within the entire group I hope to be able to drive the pace in the sustainability drive in the field of concrete." We put five questions to him.

"Well ... I had done just about everything within ABT in 25 years. A great company that brought me a lot. But as simple as it is: I was looking for something new. Something less predictable. And, I also believed that at a large concern like TBI, I could turn several knobs at once on my way to more sustainability in the concrete industry. We struck up a conversation and just before the summer vacations it came around. I am now a TBI employee!"

"All companies within the TBI group I will advise and support on the road to using more sustainable concrete. The Road To Zero Impact, I call it. Technically, the knowledge is all there but I think the group could use an extra booster. Of course I know that I have set my sights high and I also understand that a 100% circular production is virtually impossible. But, if there are secondary sources, I think you have to use them as part of the needed transition. That's what I'm talking to the companies about."

"I want to have run at least three good pilots at the TBI companies, using innovative sustainable concrete technology. But I also want to strike a blow in the field of precast with Voorbij Prefab: as far as I am concerned, the walls can ultimately be produced CO2-neutral. I also want to know in a year's time how, in three years' time, we can realize high-rise buildings in concrete within the more stringent MPG requirements. I very much want to talk to the companies and explain to them how this concrete technology can be applied in the projects. That will sometimes be difficult in the beginning, because these are not always the familiar solutions, but we sometimes have to think out of the box. Within TBI, each company also has its own culture, so I will also have to have a different conversation for each company. But as far as I'm concerned, this is a matter of getting down to work and step by step getting everyone with a doer's mentality on board."

"You have to listen carefully and connect to another person's needs. But ... an advice must also entice to a better and more sustainable solution. Actually, in doing so I am always looking for 'the edge,' i.e. the point to which you can successfully seduce. And no, you certainly don't get everyone along to that edge. It's a matter of continuing to find the balance. On the one hand, I will have to be diplomatic; on the other hand, I sometimes have to make it very clear where we can get together if we do go toward that edge. I love working on a challenge together and giving advice that another person can really use. Perhaps not every piece of advice can always be implemented 100%, but we must always guard that ambition, that dot on the horizon, and get the most out of it. It will be my job to sometimes also poke a little at that and challenge in order to keep moving forward together."

"Well, I read a lot of international media. I follow academic papers. So, the inspiration comes from everywhere. In the Netherlands, by the way, we are already at a very high level of knowledge. But I must honestly say that I am often also very surprised about how, for example, African countries look at the concrete challenges. For example about all kinds of clay from which they then manage to produce concrete-like material. Fantastic. All that gives hope. And hope is progress."