Defining Life Lab

The Defining Life Lab brings together initiatives and innovations with external partners in the field of research, development, and product development. It serves as a platform, bringing people and organizations together, and through cross-pollination, provides significant added value in the built environment. Ballast Nedam Development defines life through area development. Area development where people can live in harmony with nature in a cohesive and inviting ecosystem. In a holistic manner, we design a healthy and sustainable living environment that is ready for the future and an integral part of the circular economy.

Scaling up impact

Onno Dwars, CEO of Ballast Nedam Development, is ready for the next step in scaling up impact: “The Defining Life Lab is a long-held desire of ours as an organization and the partners we work with, whether they be governments, scientists, or other companies. In recent years, we as a company have repeatedly pleasantly surprised the Netherlands. We were the first area developer to go 100% gas-free, which later became law. We developed as the first large-scale area developer energy-neutral, often even better across the entire development portfolio, and recently even received a commitment that the building code will, for the first time in history, include nature-inclusive building as a requirement. With these victories, we show that we can all create positive impact that goes far beyond our own projects. With the Defining Life Lab, we want to accelerate this process and demonstrate our commitment to continuously pushing our boundaries, now and in the future. Last but not least, with the Defining Life Lab, we will also measure in various ways what we do and what impact it makes.”

Marketing becomes accountability

Vincent Bakker, Head of Marketing at Ballast Nedam Development, indicates that the era of empty marketing slogans is definitively over: “In the past 20 years, many companies have painted the most beautiful vistas, but the next 20 years will be characterized by being held accountable. Promises of the past, present, and future are more transparent than ever, and society demands proof that promises must be kept. This is the value that will be attributed to companies of the future. Companies that cannot meet these standards will disappear. Interestingly, this means that the role of marketing within an organization has changed significantly, from sales and communication to establishing a strong DNA that is truly embraced, creating an organization where people can derive their identity from, making it natural to create impact. In the coming years, companies will inspire each other with the most beautiful results, evidence, and truly innovative products. That is a time I am greatly looking forward to.”

The generation of connecting

Tessa Haarler, Developer at Ballast Nedam Development, is part of a generation that connects and believes in a business world where the ‘Quadruple Helix’ becomes the new norm: “Among our colleagues, there is a conviction to do things differently in area development, and there are many ideas within the organization. It is wonderful to see how junior, mid-level, and senior colleagues all bring their perspectives to the table. But nowadays, you don't do it alone anymore. We work together, with the business community, NGOs, science, government, and residents. Combining perspectives from people outside our organization allows us to achieve much more than before. Whether it's very small, behind the facade, or very large with a lot of impact for the market, everything counts today. What is now a small idea easily grows into something very big and a solution for the crises of our time, if only because we are now cross-sectorally connected and prioritize positive impact.”

Defining Life

Ballast Nedam Development sees the built environment as a connecting ecoduct between urban areas and the surrounding landscape. A (city) ecoduct where people, organizations, society, and nature as a whole can flourish. A living environment where an active contribution is made to the health and resilience of humans, society, and nature. A warm, inviting, and inclusive community where everyone can meet and space is created for development, equal opportunities, and action perspectives. A home where sustainability, nature inclusivity, biodiversity, bio-based, and circular materials are natural. Area development at Ballast Nedam Development goes much further than real estate. We look at the societal benefits that arise from the sum of and impact of the connections between the elements that define life. These elements are nature, health, community, design & architecture, sustainability, and economy. We are convinced that these elements form the building blocks of future-proof living, working, and living environments. We work powerfully and energetically towards a sustainable living environment where we continuously push the boundaries further than the horizon.