(Con)sequent sustainability from innovative chain cooperation

Continuous, predictable and affordable sustainability. That's what E-Sequent is all about, the innovative chain cooperation that housing corporation de Alliantie entered into six years ago with Rutges Vernieuwt, Nijhuis Bouw and their chain partners. By now, E-Sequent has become a 'way of life' within this chain. Some 5,500 homes have already been made more sustainable and another 2,000 are planned for the next two years. 

Since 2014, de Alliantie has been actively working on its sustainability task. At the end of 2019, de Alliantie was the first 'XL corporation' to achieve an average energy label B for all its homes. It is now well on its way to an average label A. In order to make sustainability efficient and affordable, an innovative way of working together was needed. For this, the Alliance sought two parties: one for innovation and one for experience. After an intensive selection procedure, Rutges Vernieuwt and Nijhuis Bouw respectively emerged as winners, together with the chain partners they chose. All these parties together form a close-knit team, operating as one company.

From project-based to program-based

The idea for E-Sequent comes from the minds of innovation partner Rutges Vernieuwt. The 125-year-old family business, which recently received the designation "royal purveyor to the royal household," has long been thinking about new ways of renovating and collaborating. "Project-based work produces inefficiency," states General Manager Dennis Rutges. "You always have a lead time in which parties have to get used to each other. And the moment these parties achieve maximum efficiency together, the project is completed and everyone separates. This whole process starts all over again on the next project. With this in mind, we proposed to the Alliance not to work project-based, but program-based. In other words: take on several projects together per year, in which you constantly learn from each other and do not have to reinvent the wheel each time. Together with the Alliance, Nijhuis Bouw and our partners, we developed this idea into the E-Sequent sustainability program."

Over three hundred years of experience

The partners affiliated with Rutges Vernieuwt within E-Sequent are Van der Sluis Renovatie for the replacement of technical installations, Schipper Kozijnen for the repair or replacement of window frames and Schaap Pannendaken for the roof renovation including associated components such as zinc work, gutters and chimneys. Together these companies account for more than three hundred years of experience. Van der Sluis Technische Bedrijven, of which Van der Sluis Renovation is a part, began in 1934 as a wheelwright's shop. Schipper Kozijnen, like Rutges Vernieuwt a family business, has been in business since 1969, and Schaap Pannendaken has also been around for more than fifty years. "With four similar companies, each with a rich history, we form a regular construction team," says co-owner Stephan Schaap of Schaap Pannendaken. "That's pretty special." Rutges confirms, "The fact that we each exist for so long is not a given. It constantly requires creative entrepreneurship and constantly renewing your business. Only then can you continue to contribute to your customer's business case." 

Less cost, more knowledge

As the name E-Sequent suggests, the chain partners work continuously to make homes more sustainable. Rutges: "Projects are scheduled consecutively. When one project is completed, the next is already underway. That way we avoid on-and-off costs. We also save on additional costs, bringing a team together all the time, and overhead costs. Because we work as one team, there is no duplication of effort." Schaap adds, "Moreover, the knowledge gained in one project is immediately used in the next. The nice thing is that everyone is open to each other's expertise and actually does something with it. That's how we become smarter and smarter together."

Menu card

Within the programmatic working method of E-Sequent, the chain partners have project-independent tools at their disposal. These are developed and optimized independently of the project. They are intended to make the project-related part - the preparation, execution and aftercare of project - work better. Examples of project-independent tools are quality measurement systems and resident satisfaction measurements. But also the menu. This lists various themes with associated standard solutions. For example, standard technical details based on archetypes of homes. Jappe Dekker, Head of Sales Business Market at Schipper Kozijnen: "In the field of window frames, for example, a choice can be made as to whether or not to replace the front door, whether to retain all or part of the window frame, and whether to apply self-regulating ventilation grilles or mechanical ventilation. We also offer different colors and types of glass as standard."

Configurator

Another project-specific tool is the configurator. This mathematical model generates the best solution for each project for each housing type at a consistent quality. "We deploy the configurator at three times," says Rutges. "The first is to forecast project costs, on the basis of which the Alliance makes the program decision for an entire year. The second moment when we deploy the configurator is when the project-specific implementation plans are developed. Here we let the configurator calculate the implementation costs. And after the project is completed, we make a post-calculation based on the actual work performed. This in turn improves our forecasting power." 

Be more proactive about project performance

The configurator saves the Alliance a lot of time. Instead of looking at plans and budgets on a project-by-project basis, it now establishes an entire annual program based on the forecasts. The starting point here is that the projects under- or exceed the forecast by no more than five percent. Rutges: "We constantly monitor the financial and qualitative progress of the projects. Where necessary, we make adjustments. Every six weeks we report to the Alliance. This working method has ensured that we are now much more proactive about our performance on the projects." Johan Petersen, project manager at Van der Sluis Renovation: "For us, this working method provides continuity and predictability. We know well in advance which projects are coming up. This allows us to ensure that our people and materials are ready on time. Moreover, you can have the same people running on the team."

Room for resident wishes

"Everything we do must ultimately contribute to residents' satisfaction, affordability and fine living experience," Rutges emphasizes. "Good guidance in the preparation and implementation phases is crucial to this. We do this using the participation model. This model consists of different building blocks, which we can use to include residents in the process in an appropriate way." Petersen adds, "Within the participation model, there is also room for resident input. During plan development, most projects offer choices to residents. Think solar panels, enlarging the kitchen or installing outdoor faucets. What many residents like is that a model home is set up on each project. Here, prior to the work, they can see what will happen in their home." Dekker: "With us, residents can choose window decorations or screens. We show these in the model home. During execution, we also pay attention to the residents. This is sometimes in small things, such as helping to empty the window sills."  

As colleagues 

Over the past six years, some 5,500 homes have been made more sustainable according to the E-Sequent program. In the process, a total cost reduction of about twenty percent has been achieved. "Since the start, we have made many steps forward by stepping outside our comfort zone," Rutges looks back. "The strength of the cooperation lies in making plans together and fulfilling them," Schaap adds. "But also in sharing years of experience, being open to each other's input and taking each other into account." Petersen also sees a lot of added value in the cooperation. "Within the teams we work together as colleagues. That produces great moments. For example, when one of our performers became a father, the performer of one of the partners came to him for a maternity visit."

Future

E-Sequent is the collaboration of the future, the four chain partners agree. "As far as I am concerned, we will apply this working method to many more housing associations," says Petersen. "Compared to traditionally executed projects, within E-Sequent there is more mutual awarding," adds Dekker. "That not only works more efficiently, it also results in more job satisfaction. In my opinion, we can make further strides in this. For example, by finishing work together every day, so that everyone leaves the construction site at the same time. 'Out together, home together' is my ultimate dream." Rutges also still has wishes: "We are currently doing trials for infrared heating and an all-electric ground source heat pump. I would also like to gain practical experience with hydrogen. Furthermore, we have already come a long way in achieving the sustainability task. By the end of 2022, we will have many homes in order for the Alliance and we will take the next step. With Sequent NXT, also from our innovative chain cooperation, we are taking the homes with energy label C or D to a higher energy level."