Week 2 - in the news

In the news: FNV accepts new pension agreement
Union FNV agrees with the proposal for a new pension agreement. FNV is the biggest union in the Netherlands and consists of nineteen different unions like agriculture, public transport, industry, services and trade. They all represent the members in these sectors. Today the construction union board agreed with the pension plans from the Dutch government so there is a majority in FNV supporting them.

A rational explanation for their approval is that they are satisfied with the result. They have to sell it to their members after all.

The construction union board argued that their decision was based on making a decent agreement with them instead of a bad agreement without them. From a bounded rational perspective the negotiating culture in the Netherlands is about compromises. Even if the initial demand was to raise the pension age to 70, an agreement of 67,5 pension age would be an improvement.

http://www.fnvbouw.nl/nieuws/Pages/Pensioen_Bondsraad_FNV_Bouw_zegt_JA_2138.aspx

Experience workshop Environmental Management System (EMS)
My first intention of making an EMS for our department of a computer company was to think of solutions to improve our environmental performance. Of course the people and profit side must not be neglected so other people rightfully suggested an ambition relative to other companies.
We decided that our company delivers hardware so we are dealing with concrete designs and material flows. During the discussion however it became unclear again because we were talking in terms of modular software and user friendly software. At this point I could have called everyone back to the core. I was doubting if our company really was about hardware so I kept my mouth shut. A lesson is to write decisions down so everyone has their nose in the same direction.
Our final vision was to have modular products that will last a long time. I was not totally agreeing with this vision for a computer company but I was glad we had a coherent product to show.

Week 1 - introduction

First impressions with the social science perspective
The social aspect is important in my opinion because good technological possibilities do not always get implemented even if they improve the existing situation. Policy makers, company management and citizens often have the best intentions but their goals do not always match. The challenge is to get all the parties involved in one line. So a blooming future awaits us.

Earlier experiences
When the province of Nieuwegein was making new targets for environmental building they were reluctant to sharpen the old targets. In 2000 their goal was to reduce the environmental impact of the inner city by 95% (or factor 20) by 2040. This was measured my the GreenCalc+ Building Index that incorporates energy, materials and water.

But in 2006 they discontinued the rising standard. Maybe they were afraid the surrounding regions would become more attractive to companies willing to settle in the area? By the way, the new municipal building of Nieuwegein didn't meet their own standards for the city center.

http://docs1.eia.nl/mer/p10/p1086/1086-011ontwikkelingsplan.pdf
http://ris.nieuwegein.nl/ris/dsc?c=getobject&s=obj&!sessionid=17l54qVxDU@p5K78Ld!DmM!6Az1FIsdrhsUhCp3Q4aGBJh@OuGEX@hW9pz8XH1!b&objectid=16899&!dsname=ngbinnenstad&isapidir=/gvisapi/

Puzzle: energy efficient buildings
In general buildings in the Netherlands are made energy efficient to the extend of building regulations. Better insulation and more efficient building services could save money when looking at the entire life span.

A possible explanation is that project developer is not making any money from an energy efficient building. When possible buyers are looking for property they apparently don't have energy efficiency as a priority. A possible solution is an energy service company that invests in extra measures and collects the profit from energy savings.

The building shell is supposed to stay for 50 years or more so our acts now have effects far into the future. Inefficient buildings have little value with rising energy costs. Keeping these buildings empty or demolishing them again is also not a very smart perspective.

http://www.agentschapnl.nl/programmas-regelingen/escos