Municipalities

As a policymaker or real estate manager, you know: making municipal real estate more sustainable is urgent. But how do you approach this, with limited budgets, evolving regulations, and a wide variety of buildings – from schools and sports halls to swimming pools and the town hall?

Sustainable real estate – from vision to results

The sustainability challenge for municipalities is significant. Budgets are under pressure, legislation keeps changing, and citizens expect more. Municipal real estate portfolios often include dozens of buildings, each with its own function, construction era, and technical condition.

We help you gain a clear overview and make informed decisions. Which buildings should you prioritise? How do you combine sustainability with maintenance and renovation? And how do you stay in control of progress, costs, and impact?

With experience across more than 150 real estate portfolios – including many municipalities – we know what works and what doesn’t. Together, we set a clear course aligned with your goals, resources, and timeline. For example, you might begin with school buildings, or start with projects in the sport and leisure domain.

Proven approach

More than 150 real estate portfolios made more sustainable – from small-scale sports venues to large municipal portfolios.

Clear insight and strategy

We map out the sustainability potential of your buildings, using energy and cost analyses to support smart prioritisation.

From advisory to execution

We remain involved – from planning and financing through to procurement, realisation, and monitoring.

Smart tools for maximum impact

With tools like FastLane and SetUp, we combine technology, data, and experience for measurable results.

Making smart, tailored decisions – both technical and financial

Not every building has the same future. Some will remain part of the core municipal portfolio, while others may be repurposed. We help you make informed, case-by-case decisions – based on long-term use, CO₂ emission reduction, multi-annual budget, cost, returns, and regulatory requirements.

Sports hall ‘De Sprong’ – Ready for Paris Proof

De Sprong in Middelburg already has an A++ energy label, but is still heated with natural gas. To meet the Paris Proof ambition (WEii < 70 kWh/m²GFA/year), we developed a hybrid solution: heat pumps cover the base load, while gas boilers handle peak demand. Smart systems – such as a building management system and a hybrid heat pump – cut energy consumption in half, down to 58 kWh/m²GFA/year.

We also contribute to relieving grid congestion for the Midden-Zeeland heat network, commissioned by the Province of Zeeland. Once sufficient grid capacity is available, the building can be switched to 100% renewable energy. This ensures sports facilities are future-proofed.

The social side of sustainability

Research by TNO (2025) shows that over 640,000 households are expected to struggle with their energy bills. To minimise the impact on your municipality, we offer tools and expertise that integrate both technical and social factors in the insulation challenge. This allows you to respond effectively to energy poverty and ensure inclusive sustainability in your municipal plans.

Financing – From insight to application

Sustainability requires well-considered financing. Especially now, with tight municipal budgets and a shrinking Municipal Fund, smart investment in public space is more important than ever. We help you integrate long-term sustainability investments into your budget – and where needed, apply for external funding. We provide financial insights at four levels:

Citywide – Costs and subsidy opportunities for residential and SME insulation policy.
Portfolio – Long-term cost projections by municipal policy domain.
Buildings – Packages of measures to achieve Label C, Label A or Paris Proof.
Projects – Detailed construction cost estimates for acquisition and implementation.

We help structure your external financing needs – from tailored advice during preparation to submitting funding applications (e.g. DuMaVa subsidy, energy funds, Invest-NL). This creates an optimal financing mix, combining your municipal budget with external sources.

Swimming pool De Waardergolf – no longer reliant on natural gas

Swimming pool De Waardergolf in Heerhugowaard (7,000 m², label A) includes four pools, a sports hall and various other functions. The urgency to reduce reliance on natural gas arose after fiscal advantages for combined heat and power systems (CHP) were withdrawn.

The solution: a combination of PVT panels and district heating, resulting in a fully CO₂ emission free facility. Following a FastLane analysis, we developed a detailed business case. This study was part of the Support Programme for the Sustainability of Public Real Estate in North Holland, through which we have supported 25 municipalities, 3 sports organisations and 20 care institutions in making around 200 buildings more sustainable.

From planning to realisation

A sustainability plan only has value if it leads to implementation. Our strength lies in delivery. With over 150 years of experience in construction, maintenance and renovation, we ensure that plans become reality.

With our structured, programmatic approach, we help you make steady progress toward 2030 and the 55% CO₂-reduction goal. We seamlessly align with existing requirements, such as the Recognised Measures List and Label C obligations.

We support the energy transition for municipalities with both technical knowledge and hands-on experience – whether it’s drafting a 2050 energy vision, conducting solution studies, resolving technical-economic issues, or executing plans co-created with stakeholders.

Strategic asset management with purpose

The financial value of your municipal real estate matters – but so does its societal value. From well-being and education to culture and sport, municipal buildings contribute to quality of life. The aim of asset management is to maximise both types of value, within the limits of available people and resources.

We understand how challenging strategic asset management for municipalities can be, and we’re here to advise and support you every step of the way. Looking to improve the sustainability of your municipal real estate? We’re happy to help. Contact us for tailored advice or an introductory meeting.