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09 January, 2025

Built by Nature Funds Demonstration Project to Create Bioregional Construction Value Chain

AMSTERDAM, January 9. Built by Nature has awarded a €140,000 grant to Stichting Bouwtuin to lead a project establishing a bioregional construction value chain for hybrid timber frame housing in the Gooi & Vechtstreek region of the Netherlands. The initiative seeks to show the feasibility of a circular, landscape-based material supply and construction model that can be replicated across bioregions in Europe.

The project is organised by the Regional Construction Community model (ReCoCo) developed by Stichting Bouwtuin and TU Delft which focuses on building with timber and biobased materials from sustainably managed local bioregions – areas with distinct natural characteristics and environmental values.

With the active involvement of landscape management, wood processing, construction, municipal, research and academic partners, the aim is to test and successfully implement a replicable ReCoCo model, incorporating environmental stewardship, regional sourcing, and soil-sensitive open building practices. With the ecological transformation of monocultural former production forests into biodiverse futureproof forests by the Goois Natuurreservaat as a starting point, the project will ensure that only residual timber from conservation activities will be used in regional construction.

The project will demonstrate how to set up and organise regional biobased construction value chains for hybrid timber frame housing, producing process documentation and contract templates to support replication of the ReCoCo model to any other region.

Built by Nature CEO Paul King said,

“We know from direct experience that networks can achieve change which is more substantive then when individual actors work alone. Through the collaboration of all players in a local supply chain, this project can prove the environmental and economic benefits of a bioregional value chain, a model which can potentially be replicated in similar local markets across Europe.”

 

Architect, researcher and developer of the ReCoCo-model, Mo Smit (TU Delft / Stichting Bouwtuin) will oversee the project and its key stages of sourcing, assessing and managing timber from local forests to sustainable forest certification standards. The landscape-based construction of the demonstrator home enables the development of a replicable regional construction method, laying the groundwork for a larger housing development of 30 - 40 units.

“By implementing the Regional Construction Community model, we’re taking the first step in (re-establishing a landscape-based value chain for timber frame housing construction within the Gooi & Vechtstreek, not only benefitting this case-study region but potentially being a method for similar efforts elsewhere,”

said Mo Smit.

“We’re very grateful to Built by Nature and other partners for enabling us to bring this vision to life.”

 

To ensure the model is comprehensive and meets the needs of diverse stakeholders, the project will involve housing corporations, self-build groups, architects and contractors, some of which have expressed their interest in sourcing biobased materials from the regional Gooi en Vechtstreek value chain. A feedback session among these participants will refine the model to ensure feasibility and broader application in other regions.

Implementing partners include a.o. TU Delft, Gooi & Vechtstreek Region, Municipalities of Blaricum, Gooise Meren, Hilversum, Huizen, Laren and Wijdemeren, Aanjaagteam Circulaire Economie Gooise Meren, Goois Natuurreservaat, Intersell, Bouwmensen and the AltijdWerkplaats. Province Noord-Holland also supports this project.