More control over contract awarding

At Heijmans, we know the environmental impact of our structures and projects. We measure the Environmental Cost Indicator (MKI) or Environmental Performance of Buildings (MPG). For procurement products we ask suppliers for a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). For projects and construction works, we further elaborate LCAs with our suppliers. This allows us to get a hold on our environmental impact and where to reduce it.

Sustainability performance was increasingly asked for in tenders, particularly from central governmental clients but also from decentralized governmental clients (counties, municipalities). More specifically, MKI became a defining award criteria by which the sustainability of project quotations from different contractors were compared. With the lowest possible MKI value, the probability of the project being awarded to you increases. So it is not just about gaining insight into the MKI value of our products, but much more importantly about how we can improve the environmental performance of the product.

The first LCA studies cost us a great deal of time and money and we were dependent on the expertise of external consultants. With R<THINK, we ourselves are in charge of performing our own LCA calculations. This gives us more control over the process and the ability to scale up and/or speed up where necessary. Additionally, step by step we are integrating the LCA methodology into the DNA of our company.

With the expert support of R<THINK's LCA consultants, we have become increasingly proficient in preparing our own LCA calculations in recent years. As a result, we are able to offer projects with distinctive MKI values. By lowering our environmental impact, we maximize our chances of winning tenders.

In R<THINK, we have performed LCA calculations for 80% of Heijmans road specialty products.

And with the help of R<THiNK, we have worked on dozens of successful MKI bids.

R<THINK is a valuable partner with highly knowledgeable and reliable consultants who are always there for us. We have been working together successfully for many years now.