Shape and optimise your industrial project through concept development
Every industrial project starts with an idea. Turning that idea into a feasible, efficient and future-proof design requires more than creativity. Concept development is where vision meets structure. It defines how a facility will work, what it will cost and how it can grow.
Experts from Haskoning’s Industry team explain why concept development is the foundation of every successful project, how digital tools are changing the process and why skipping this step can become an expensive mistake.
Why concept development matters
The concept phase is where you set the foundation for everything that follows. When this stage is rushed or skipped, problems appear later in the design and construction phases, often at great cost.The most common mistake companies make is not defining their starting points clearly enough. Without a strong vision or a well-supported market analysis, engineers are left questioning basic decisions. Why this material? Why this size? Why this layout? When these questions arise too late, it leads to rework and inefficiency.
A well-executed concept design prevents that. It sets a clear direction and ensures that the design team works from shared assumptions and goals.
The concept phase is the foundation you build on. If it’s not solid, the rest of the project will struggle to stand.
What shapes a strong concept
At its core, concept development is about translating ambition into practical design. That means looking beyond the technical layout to include local, operational and human factors.
Local conditions play a major role. Understanding the regional context, such as labour availability, supply chain strength, climate, regulations and infrastructure, can determine whether a project will succeed.
Early alignment is equally important. Clear specifications, a realistic budget and an understanding of client priorities allow the team to make the right trade-offs from the start.
By investing time in this phase, you save far more later on. Projects run smoother, communication is clearer and design changes are less likely to cause delays.
Smart tools driving better design
At Haskoning, engineers are developing ways to capture knowledge from hundreds of past projects and make it instantly usable. In collaboration with launching customers the team is creating an AI model that analyses previous designs to predict optimal design choices and related costs for new factories. What used to take months in traditional concept design can now be done in a fraction of the time.
Through data-driven, parametric design, engineers and clients can also explore requirements and design options interactively. If a client changes a requirement, such as capacity needs and desired finishing, the model immediately recalculates layout and cost impacts. This makes early design discussions more informed and transparent.
Balancing creativity and structure
A good concept design finds the balance between imagination and practicality. Clients want innovation, but they also need predictability, and certainty of production continuity.
By using AI and automation to handle routine analysis, engineers can focus on exploring new solutions and refining ideas. Structured project management keeps creativity grounded in realistic budgets and timelines.
This approach also ensures quality. Haskoning only takes on projects where it can guarantee that standards are met. If a client’s goals do not align with that level of quality, the team is transparent about it from the start.
Creativity thrives when the basics are in place. With clear parameters, teams have the freedom to innovate within safe and measurable boundaries
Real-world results
Strong concept development pays off. One example comes from a client producing plant-based meat. Instead of building a new factory from scratch, a process that would have taken years, the team proposed converting an existing meat production site. The location already had the necessary permits and infrastructure, allowing operations to start within six months.
In another project, a new battery factory in Canada was designed using a systems engineering approach. By mapping all utilities and energy needs early, the team discovered a nearby manufacturer that produced excess heat. Integrating this heat source into the design turned a challenge into an opportunity for energy efficiency and cost savings.
These examples show how smart thinking in the concept phase can save time, reduce costs and unlock innovative solutions that might otherwise go unnoticed.
