20 May 2025
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Sustainability has been a major theme for years. Yet business parks are lagging behind in this. Not because entrepreneurs do not want to, but because organizing and realizing sustainability on business parks is a complex challenge. Grid congestion, energy supply, greening and climate adaptation require joint solutions. This is why the Programma Verduurzaming Bedrijventerreinen (PVB) Limburg has been set up: an initiative that stimulates and supports collective sustainability projects. The program runs until May 1, 2027.
With the provincial grant 'SPUK verduurzaming bedrijfsmatig vastgoed', PVB Limburg is committed to making business parks more future-proof. The focus is on cooperation: not every business needs to reinvent the wheel itself. By joining forces, entrepreneurs can make more efficient use of energy, water and other sustainable resources. The LIOF-LWV-OML consortium and the Province of Limburg are working with great conviction on solutions to accelerate sustainability at business parks.
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A province-wide approach
The Limburg Employers Association (LWV) plays a crucial role in building collaborations between entrepreneurs, municipalities and other stakeholders. With the goal that companies not only pick up their own sustainability efforts, but can also benefit from shared solutions such as energy hubs and climate adaptation projects.
According to Sjoerd Mooren, Head of Park Management and Projects at LWV, it is essential for entrepreneurs to be supported in the level of organization: "Implementing structural sustainable changes from the voluntary boards of entrepreneurs' associations is difficult, especially given the enormous tasks at hand. Through our intensive cooperation with Province of Limburg, LIOF and OML, we can help business parks organize themselves better and take concrete steps."
Drivers of sustainability
Lidy Rutten and Stephanie Voncken are the boosters on behalf of LWV in Limburg. They actively work with entrepreneurs to get sustainable initiatives off the ground. They do this by bringing private and public parties together and starting the conversation. "Our job is to connect businesses with each other and with municipalities, so they can work to make them more sustainable," Stephanie says. "Trust is key. If business owners feel they are heard and that something can be achieved together, they are much more likely to get involved."
What challenges do entrepreneurs face?
The biggest barrier is grid congestion. The power grid is full, often preventing expansions and sustainable investments, such as solar panels and electric vehicle fleets. By collaborating with other companies and grid operators, solutions can be sought, such as energy exchange through energy hubs.
In addition, there is a lack of clarity about subsidies and financing options. Lidy emphasizes that many entrepreneurs are searching: "We provide the information and put them in touch with the right parties. Often there are more possibilities than they think beforehand."
What has already been accomplished?
PVB Limburg has now laid a solid foundation in the province. So far, 31 Limburg municipalities are involved, and for each municipality, business parks have been selected that are being actively targeted.
The first steps have been taken: from drawing up a plan of action and carrying out baseline measurements to the actual implementation of sustainability measures. Some municipalities have already started projects, such as setting up energy hubs and collective sustainability initiatives.
Future-proof business parks in Limburg
A truly future-proof business park is characterized by cooperation and flexibility. This means not only renewable energy and greening, but also strong mutual organization and a good relationship with municipalities. "What we are doing now is planting a seed," says Stephanie. "If entrepreneurs see the benefits of cooperation and invest in it structurally, those benefits will continue to accumulate."
When is PVB Limburg a success?
The goal is to improve the level of organization at 49 business parks by May 1, 2027, and to establish energy hubs or climate-adaptive projects at 10 business parks. But for LWV, success means more than numbers: "We want to achieve a lasting change in how business parks deal with sustainability," says Sjoerd. "If in two years we see that entrepreneurs are collaborating more easily and are proactively working on sustainability, then we will know we have made an impact."