For the first time, the Netherlands has a tool that systematically maps the use of biobased materials in construction. The National Biobased Construction Monitor provides policymakers, construction companies, and manufacturers with insight into the practical application of biobased raw materials. The monitor was commissioned by the Ministry of Housing and Spatial Planning (VRO) and is implemented by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO).
From promise to practice
The Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO.nl) collects data on the cultivation of fiber crops such as hemp and miscanthus through the Combined Declaration. It also maps the use of biobased building materials through a separate materials monitor. Furthermore, producers and processors of biobased materials were interviewed about their production capacity and future expectations. All this data is compiled into an online dashboard. On April 14, the first figures from the National Approach to Biobased Building (NABB) Monitor were published, providing an initial impression of the cultivation, processing, and application of biobased materials in new residential construction in the last quarter of 2024.
Multi-level insight
The National Approach to Biobased Construction Monitor offers more than just figures. This tool visualizes trends in the use of biobased raw materials in new construction and renovation projects, and reveals regional differences. This clarifies which provinces are seeing an increase in the cultivation of fiber crops and where biobased materials are actually used in buildings. The monitor thus helps to better align policy with practice.
The initial results, based on data from 2024, show, among other things, a slight increase in the use of biobased materials in ground-based housing. At the same time, it appears that the cultivation of fiber crops is still concentrated in a few regions, and that market development is highly dependent on stimulating policies and investment security.
Next step: policy anchoring
The launch of the monitor represents a significant step toward transparency in biobased construction. However, achieving the 2030 ambitions requires more. The coming years will reveal the extent to which the gathered insights will lead to targeted policy measures, such as changes to building regulations or incentives through tenders.
The monitor is expected to be updated annually so that progress at the national and regional levels can be accurately tracked. For companies in the biobased sector, this offers both a compass for market developments and an opportunity to increase the trust of buyers and policymakers through transparency.
