Onno Dwars: ‘Embrace change and tilt the system’

Change has intrigued Onno Dwars all his life. How to look today at the tasks ahead? And how to prepare for them? “As a development company and part of a construction company, it is easy to just focus on building. But I don’t find that interesting at all. I want to not only add value to our company, but also be of social significance. Then you see that the built environment can play a role in many fields.”

Onno Dwars

Dwars has been CEO of Ballast Nedam Development since 2017. In that year, the company also signed the Sustainable Development Goals Charter. In doing so, it pledges to adhere to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. “On that basis, we wrote our own Building Code at the time, a minimal level to adhere to for all our projects exceeding requirements of the actual Building Code.”

In doing so, the company also influences the system. For example, it has been building completely gasless since 2017, which prompted politicians in The Hague to make this a legal requirement. “If you really want to make a difference, you must dare to be a frontrunner, want to influence policy, embrace change and tilt the system,” Dwars argues.

The Green Carpet

In recent years, Ballast Nedam Development’s developments include the 2.3-kilometer-long tunneling and covering of the A2 motorway that runs straight through Maastricht, called De Groene Loper (The Green Carpet). The new Cartesius healthy housing estate in Utrecht is also leading the way: even the World Health Organisation (WHO) is keenly following that project.

In the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area, Ballast Nedam Development now also has some great projects underway, some with other development partners. Such as Nexus on Amsterdam’s Amstel bank, a 100-meter-high hybrid wooden residential tower. In addition, hard work is already underway on the Foodcenter on Amsterdam’s Jan van Galenstraat, with space for businesses and 1,700 homes. In the new city neighbourhood of Eleven Square near the Amsterdam Arena, the tallest residential tower in Amsterdam is to be built.

Thousands of homes

“Over the next few years we will be building thousands of homes in the Amsterdam region, which I am proud of,” Dwars says. “Not only because these homes are desperately needed, but also because we can serve society with these buildings. I was also talking about this recently with Amsterdam councillor (and board member, ed.) Sofyan Mbarki. The built environment makes the city. We can use it to influence behaviour and reduce residents’ stress levels.”

But in these times of housing shortage, shouldn’t our main focus be on quantity? “Quantity and quality cannot exist without each other. After all, you don’t want to build stock you’ll regret later.” According to Dwars, the solution lies in densification: “If you dare to build more housing in the same area, you can combine affordability and quality.”

Shared ambition

Ballast Nedam joined the Amsterdam Economic Board as a networking partner because of the shared ambition: to build a healthy, innovative and clean region. “In each of the themes the Amsterdam Economic Board focuses on, I can see a connection to what we do. Because we are so active in the region, this is a good time to join as a partner. In other regions, too, I see a lot of benefits. The dialogue with governments, entrepreneurs and knowledge institutions helps us and together we help each other move forward.”

Public-private partnerships

Ballast Nedam has the following to offer the Amsterdam Economic Board network, says Dwars. “We have a lot of experience in healthy urbanisation, in circular construction, and in setting up public-private partnerships in which we help each other along. Take the Groene Loper in Maastricht, for example, where schools and social housing were also given a place thanks to that collaboration. And thanks to our membership with the Utrecht Economic Board, we were also able to start a nice public-private partnership around the Cartesius project.”

Are there any parties in the network that he would like to get in touch with? “Well, the organisations that operate nationwide I already know from other networks. I am especially curious about local entrepreneurs and parties and their experiences in and wishes for the region. I also find the Amsterdam Economic Board’s network around education and health interesting. But my experience is also that the best ideas come from unexpected encounters. As a development and construction company, we have common ground with every board member. It’s all about the personal click when you meet – and that’s precisely why organisations like the Amsterdam Economic Board are so important.”

Text: Mirjam Streefkerk
Header image: Ballast Nedam Development