'100 years of improving, streamlining and preserving'

In 2023, Heijmans will celebrate its 100th anniversary. Beginning as paver Jan Heijmans, the listed company is now an innovative all-round real estate company with a directorial role in design, realization and management. "We always go for a healthy living environment," says CEO Ton Hillen. "From the well-being of our employees to the development of quiet asphalt. I can still be genuinely happy when a new building is completely in place."

The Rosmalen-based construction and real estate group has developed in recent years as an innovative factor in a dynamic market. "Precisely for this reason, our strategy is determined by the long term," says Hillen. "We invest substantially in innovation, from the sustainability of materials and materials stock, the development of sensors for building management to the industrialization of the construction process. We are increasingly moving toward off-site construction, and all of our projects are designed entirely in 3D BIM. This fundamentally reduces failure costs."

Healthy environment

The long-term vision focuses on a healthy living environment. Hillen wants Heijmans to have a directing role, in design, realization and management. "In area developments, we like to take the lead, as for example in the transformation of the Shell site in Vlaardingen into a green residential area." A directing role also means that Heijmans pursues integrated contracts. "However, the Finance component of those contracts is not up to us: we are not a bank. As a construction group, we have to keep a grip on larger projects. So I say: multi-year maintenance, please, but not the project financing. For us, a healthy environment also means that your employees are comfortable in their own skin. For that reason, we paid for the desks and chairs for our home-based employees. And when it comes to reducing the number of construction site incidents, the aim is unambiguous: zero. Besides: why do infrastructure workers always have to work at night? Night work is less healthy."

Heijmans ONE

A healthy company performs better. "We have only 2.3 completion points per project, so why a new law like the Wkb? There is already sufficient guarantee of quality through the Housing Guarantee Fund Foundation. Of course we make our preparations, the extra costs ultimately fall on the consumer." The same applies to high legal requirements in the context of sustainability. "We must always keep an eye on the cost price, so we come up with smart solutions for building management." 'Improve, slim down, make sustainable,' Heijmans calls it. The Heijmans ONE, sized as a Tiny House, has been well received and one of the spearhead innovations. "This product not only represents smart building technology, the Heijmans ONE is also an opportunity to accelerate transformations. Placemaking, in other words - before companies have moved out. That makes me happy, because you have added value. Also innovative is the development of silent asphalt for the renovation of Schiphol's Polderbaan runway. In both cases, we make a demonstrable contribution to a better living environment."

Building for families

Regardless, Heijmans' ambitions are focused on a healthy living environment. "We have to keep asking ourselves that in every part of the process. And not only the CEO, also the work planner. I want to come back to a residential area in 15 years and be able to say: people enjoy living here. When I see an apartment building in masonry in the style of the Amsterdam School, as I did recently, completely in place, even the CEO of Heijmans can still be genuinely happy." Inner-city building: fine, but don't forget the wishes of families, Hillen says in conclusion. "Only high-rise buildings are not enough; a house with a garden represents social cohesion. There must be a balance between inner- and outer-city building. The need for strategic housing sites with ground-level housing remains. Respect this now, and make a 'Novex' after the Vinex as well."