Five questions for
Pieter Nuiten
The Dutch Environmental Database Foundation (Stichting NMD) celebrates its five-year anniversary. The foundation was established in 2020, but work on environmental data for the construction sector goes back much further: Stichting NMD originated from the Building Quality Foundation (SBK), which laid the foundation for the current system from 2011 onward.
5 years Stichting NMD!
Over the past five years we have achieved a great deal and much has changed. We have grown significantly and important steps have been taken to make circular construction a reality. This brings us closer to a sustainable living environment, for today and for the future.
Several people have been closely involved in these developments and in the growth of Stichting NMD. Over a period of ten weeks we will share the perspectives of ten of these people through a short interview based on five fixed questions. In this way, we present ten perspectives on five years of Stichting NMD.
This week we have five questions for Pieter Nuiten.
Pieter Nuiten is a consultant at W/E Adviseurs and, in that role, is involved in issues related to environmental performance, sustainability and methodological substantiation in the construction sector. In his work, he focuses on the development and application of calculation methodologies and tools that contribute to making environmental impact transparent.
In addition, Pieter Nuiten is a member of the Policy Committee for Environmental Performance Netherlands (BMNL), where he contributes to policy alignment within the system for environmental data and environmental performance. Through this combination of consultancy practice and system involvement, he contributes to the further professionalisation and consistency of the system.
1. How did you first come into contact with Stichting NMD?
That was a long time ago — around 25 years by now. Since the 2000s, I have been involved with the database and the Assessment Method together with David Anink and John Mak. Later, I took over John Mak’s position in the BMNL, and since then I have represented the calculation tool owners there.
2. In your experience, what has changed the most in your work or in the sector over the past five years?
The environmental performance calculation (MPG) is taken much more seriously nowadays. Whereas the focus used to be mainly on CO₂ and energy use, there is now increasing attention for the environmental impact of materials. We are also gaining clearer insight into how significant the material-related impact actually is.
In addition, there is now an environmental performance requirement. For a long time, the Building Decree already included an obligation to calculate, but in recent years this has become an actual requirement. People are attaching increasing importance to it.
3. What change or development would you still like to see?
The coherence between the energy performance and the environmental performance of buildings can be improved significantly. With the introduction of the WLC-GWP, things are already moving in the right direction. As early as 2017, together with a number of market parties, we developed the DPG, the sustainability performance of buildings.
Visit the TKI-KIEM website for more information about this method
That line of thinking is now returning in the WLC-GWP. However, in addition to the Assessment Methods for BENG and the environmental performance calculation (MPG), the two systems themselves — including quality assurance, certification, education and training, and development trajectories — also need to be merged into a single ecosystem.
4. What are you proud to have achieved together with Stichting NMD?
Over the past five years, a symbiotic relationship has developed between Stichting NMD and the calculation tool owners. We provide the calculation software, and NMD provides the data.
There was a time when we were more opposed to each other and mainly expressed criticism. That mutual relationship has improved significantly in recent years, which I am very pleased about. There is now a much stronger shared interest in effective cooperation.
We need each other — and that is now much more widely recognised, acknowledged and acted upon.
5. Where do you see Stichting NMD in five years?
Further along the path that has now been set: as the manager of the Dutch Environmental Database, providing information on the environmental impact and circularity of all construction products available on the Dutch market. And as the manager of the Assessment Methods for the environmental performance calculation (MPG) — which we will continue to need — and for the WLC-GWP. In that sense, the central hub in the sustainability web.
This interview is part of a series. Over a period of ten weeks, we publish a new interview every Thursday.
