ctbuh.org/papers Title: Tall Buildings in the Netherlands: Constraints to Innovation Author: Frits Scheublin, Professor, Royal BAM Groep Subject: Architectural/Design Keyword: Construction Publication Date: 2008 Original Publication: CTBUH 2008 8th World Congress, Dubai Paper Type: 1. Book chapter/Part chapter 2. Journal paper 3. Conference proceeding 4. Unpublished conference paper 5. Magazine article 6. Unpublished © Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat / Frits Scheublin Tall Buildings in the Netherlands, Constraints to Innovation, a tool to preserve green fields. Prof. Ir Frits J.M. Scheublin Royal BAM Groep nv, Bunnik, The Netherlands, Tel: +31 30 659 8677 Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands, Tel: +31 40 247 8391, Email: [email protected] Abstract The Netherlands is a densely populated country with 16 million inhabitants. About 50% of the population lives and works in an area about as large as London or Paris, cities of about 8 million people. The green fields in this country are, step by step, being lost to city planners in need of more land. Environmentalists are not able to stop this land-swallowing trend, which is becoming a monster. High-rises seem to be a suitable solution to limit the urban growth and preserve the green fields that are left. Currently, high-rise buildings dominate only a minor part of the skyline in The Netherlands. Therefore, a research project was defined to inquire into the constraints of High-Rise construction. The project, in particular, focussed on the question of whether innovative construction processes could possibly lower the construction costs of Tall Buildings. Consequently, could the use of high-rises, as a solution for housing needs, also be a preservation tool for the remaining green fields. [email protected] BiographyThe questions to be answered in this research were: Prof. Frits Scheublin graduated in 1972 as an architect. He worked from 1972 till 1982 for OGEM International contract- ing inx TheWill Netherlands lowering and the in cost the Middleof high-rise East. Heconstruction was resident effectively in Saudi Arabiaencourage for fourproject years. developers His major to projects propose were more the design of high-rises?facilities for King Abdul Aziz Universiyty in Jeddah and Design management for a High Rise Housing project in Dammam. From 1982 till 1993 Frits Scheublin was partner in a Construction Management firm in the Netherlands. In 1993 xhe becameWhy does director high-rise of BAM construction Engineering. not BAM provide is a moretop-10 be contractornefits from in Europethe economy in terms of of scale turn over.and whyIn 1993 is little Frits Scheublinsignificant was appointed innovative professor progress at the demonstrated? Eindhoven University of Technology. His chair is in Construction Engineering. His reserach has a focus on sustainability, safety and adaptability. He was member of the CIB-board from 2000 till 2007 and isx coordinatorHow could of wethe improveCIB-task the group conditions on Industrialisation for innovation in inConstruction. high-rise projects? x What type of innovation is most needed in high-rise construction? Keywords: Tall Buildings, Innovation, Construction Process 1. Introduction special regulations apply. In the perception of the public, The construction industry is said to be conservative. buildings are seen as high-rise at about 100 meters (see Innovation is not part of its culture. This may have been Fig 1). Today there are only 24 buildings in The true in the past, but in recent years innovation in Netherlands higher than 100 meters, the highest being construction has gained great attention and even political 151 meters. (www.Hoogbouw.nl). The market for support. In particular, the United Kingdom provides high-rise buildings, under the Dutch public definition, is substantial financial support from public sources in order an average of about 1 contract a year. to seek ways to improve the construction industry’s The research project started with a quick scan of performance. (Egan 1998, Latham 1994). opinions among the major construction firms in The It seems that the high-rise building type is most Netherlands. The contractors appeared to be of the suited in the construction industry for innovation than any opinion that the industry has disintegrated in general and other building type. The repetition of activities in a single that the separation between design and construction, in project should be drivers for innovative techniques. In particular, are the main constraints to a fruitful climate for practice this is quite different. Even Tall Buildings are - innovative high-rise developments. This opinion may not in general - still built in a rather traditional way. Some be typical for high-rises since it may be valid for all innovative activities are seen, but not to the extent that complicated construction projects. one may expect. Guided by this view, the research team chose as its To understand the perspective of this paper it is approach to organize into workshops, with participants in necessary to know that, according to Dutch building the construction process such as clients, architects, regulations, buildings are considered to be high-rise when structural engineers and suppliers. For each workshop, they exceed 70 meters in height. Above this height only one category was invited to prevent discussions between different parties defending their own interests. CTBUH 8th World Congress 2008 1 Tall Buildings in the Netherlands, Constraints to Innovation, a tool to preserve green fields. Prof. Ir Frits J.M. Scheublin Royal BAM Groep nv, Bunnik, The Netherlands, Tel: +31 30 659 8677 Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands, Tel: +31 40 247 8391, Email: [email protected] Abstract The Netherlands is a densely populated country with 16 million inhabitants. About 50% of the population lives and works in an area about as large as London or Paris, cities of about 8 million people. The green fields in this country are, step by step, being lost to city planners in need of more land. Environmentalists are not able to stop this land-swallowing trend, which is becoming a monster. High-rises seem to be a suitable solution to limit the urban growth and preserve the green fields that are left. Currently, high-rise buildings dominate only a minor part of the skyline in The Netherlands. Therefore, a research project was defined to inquire into the constraints of High-Rise construction. The project, in particular, focussed on the question of whether innovative construction processes could possibly lower the construction costs of Tall Buildings. Consequently, could the use of high-rises, as a solution for housing needs, also be a preservation tool for the remaining green fields. The questions to be answered in this research were: x Will lowering the cost of high-rise construction effectively encourage project developers to propose more high-rises? x Why does high-rise construction not provide more benefits from the economy of scale and why is little significant innovative progress demonstrated? x How could we improve the conditions for innovation in high-rise projects? x What type of innovation is most needed in high-rise construction? Keywords: Tall Buildings, Innovation, Construction Process 1. Introduction special regulations apply. In the perception of the public, The construction industry is said to be conservative. buildings are seen as high-rise at about 100 meters (see Innovation is not part of its culture. This may have been Fig 1). Today there are only 24 buildings in The true in the past, but in recent years innovation in Netherlands higher than 100 meters, the highest being construction has gained great attention and even political 151 meters. (www.Hoogbouw.nl). The market for support. In particular, the United Kingdom provides high-rise buildings, under the Dutch public definition, is substantial financial support from public sources in order an average of about 1 contract a year. to seek ways to improve the construction industry’s The research project started with a quick scan of performance. (Egan 1998, Latham 1994). opinions among the major construction firms in The It seems that the high-rise building type is most Netherlands. The contractors appeared to be of the suited in the construction industry for innovation than any opinion that the industry has disintegrated in general and other building type. The repetition of activities in a single that the separation between design and construction, in project should be drivers for innovative techniques. In particular, are the main constraints to a fruitful climate for practice this is quite different. Even Tall Buildings are - innovative high-rise developments. This opinion may not in general - still built in a rather traditional way. Some be typical for high-rises since it may be valid for all innovative activities are seen, but not to the extent that complicated construction projects. one may expect. Guided by this view, the research team chose as its To understand the perspective of this paper it is approach to organize into workshops, with participants in necessary to know that, according to Dutch building the construction process such as clients, architects, regulations, buildings are considered to be high-rise when structural engineers and suppliers. For each workshop, they exceed 70 meters in height. Above this height only one category was invited to prevent discussions between different parties defending their own interests.