Carbon Stories

Towards a climate-positive built environment

Carbon Stories catalyzes the conversation about the possibilities and impossibilities of a climate-positive built environment. The perspectives of the designer, financier, developer, builder, resident, consultant and material supplier are addressed. In a series of thematic debates, Carbon Stories explores what (system)changes, exchanges and collaborations are necessary to accelerate and scale this transition. Check out the agenda or explore past editions below.

AGENDA

Special edition: Learning from Paris
01.10.2024 | 19:30 – 21:30 | NIEUWE INSTITUUT
What can we learn from Paris regarding their shift to biobased building over the recent decade? This question is the focus of this special edition of the Carbon Stories series in the occasion of Nature of Hope IABR 2024 held at the Nieuwe Instituut. This evening is generously supported by Built by Nature. Read more and register.

Transition! From theory to practice
11.09.2024 | 19:30 – 21:30 | KEILEPAND
This 12th edition wraps up the second year of the debate series Carbon Stories. This milestone takes place in the setting of the exhibition ‘HOW DO WE WANT TO BUILD M4H 2030’ spanning 200 years of building practice, from 1900 to 2100. Carbon Stories brings this intergenerational approach to the stage with an inspiring cast to discuss past, present and future. How do we achieve a truly sustainable construction practice? What are the challenges? How can we accelerate? Jan Rotmans (Erasmus University Rotterdam), Sam van Hooff (Dura Vermeer Bouw Heyma), Margot Holländer (MOR Studio) and Sacha Brons (Climate Cleanup) will share their views on transition. Read more or register for your free ticket.

PAST EDITIONS

We need to talk about installations!
20.06.2024 | 19:30 – 21:30 | KEILEPAND
Installations are a blind spot in the world of embodied carbon. Can we get a grip on this? Can these emissions be reduced? Do we really need all these installations? Thursday, June 20, GROUP A-CARBONLAB, International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam (IABR) and KeileCollectief organized the 10th Carbon Stories debate titled ‘We need to talk about installations!’ at the Keilepand. On this evening Bas Hasselaar (DGMR), Jacco Paauw (ABT-Lüning), Carla Rongen (Aveco de Bondt) and Willem van Genugten (GROUP A – CARBONLAB) shared their views on this subject based on their collaboration on two design variations for a Paris Proof and Climate Positive building for Rotterdam. Watch the event online.

Policymakers as Inspiring Drivers of Change
17.04.2024 | 10:00 – 11:00 | Nationale Klimaat Expo in Houten
At the National Climate Expo in Houten we organized a special edition of the debate series Carbon Stories on Wednesday 17 April. We zoomed in on the role of the government in the transition to a climate-positive built environment. Guido Slokkers (Municipality of Rotterdam, Malika van der Weerd (AM Gebiedsontwikkeling), Laetitia Nossek (DGBC) and Willem van Genugten (GROUP A-CARBONLAB) share inspiring examples and debate what changes are needed. Read more.

Carbon Neutral High-Rise or The End of an Era?
25.04.2024 | 19:30 – 21:30 | Keilpand
High-rise in times of fighting climate change. Is it desirable? Can it be done in a responsible manner? Is carbon neutral high-rise within the realm of possibilities? Architect Jurriaan van Stigt, founding partner at LEVS, will share their study on carbon neutral high-rise for G4. Architect Michiel Raaphorst, founding partner at V8 architects, will take us through a selection of their (mid-)high-rise. Engineer Thomas Musson, advisor at WSP, will elaborate on hybrid high-rise projects worldwide and policymaker Mattijs van Ruijven, head urban planner at Municipality of Rotterdam, will infuse the conversation with the perspective of Rotterdam. Read more or watch the event online.

Circular in 2050, Dream or Reality?
30.11.2023 | 19:30 – 21:30 | Keilpand
How to reduce CO2 emissions in the built environment by maximizing the potential of circularity? Nico Schouten (Metabolic) will provide the EU and Dutch context for the potential of circularity and CO2 reduction. Michel Baars (New Horizon Urban Mining), will take us through the journey of harvesting materials from existing buildings and transforming them into resources for new projects. Saman Mohammadi (RE:BORN Real Estate) will illustrate how circular transformation developments are a lucrative development model and Sabine Biesheuvel (BlueCity & chairman Rotterdam Climate Table Circularity) will infuse the conversation with the Rotterdam and M4H perspective. Read more or watch the debate online.

Architects, let’s calculate and act on CO2 reduction!
21.09.2023 | 19:30 – 21:30 | Keilpand
Keynote Sanne van der Burgh, associate director and head of MVRDV NEXT will share MVRDV ‘s research on the possibilities of CO2-reduction and what carbon based design could mean for architects. Willem van Genugten, sustainable business developer at GROUP A and driver of CARBONLAB, Tim Vermeend, creative director at Urban Climate Architects and Diederik de Koning partner at la-di-da will share their journeys towards decarbonizing their projects and how they see their role in the construction industry. Read more or watch the debate online.

Climate Positive Urban Planning
22.06.2023 | 19:30 – 21:30 | Keilpand
How do we get the transition to a climate-positive built environment done at the level of urban planning? Co-curator Martin Sobota of CITYFÖRSTER is initiator of a research group on this topic and opens the evening with a call. Jurriaan Van Stigt of LEVS architects will talk about a research project on the CO2 footprint for City of Amsterdam. Wouter Streefkerk will explain the role of CO2 budgets in urban development on behalf of the Municipality of Rotterdam – Stadsontwikkeling. David van Keulen will talk about the role of CO2 in mobility models for the City of The Hague and Tobias Tonch of Synchroon will explain the role of developers in providing climate-positive urbanity. Read more or watch the debate online.

Geld speelt (g)een rol
13.06.2023 | 10:00 – 11:30 | Provada
Pioneers in the development of climate-positive projects Onno Dwars (Ballast Nedam) and Constantijn Berning (Edge Technologies) will talk with sustainable innovator Norbert Schotte (Gideon), sector banker Leontien de Waal (ABN AMRO) and policy maker Thomas Wellink (RVO). They provide the audience with new arguments and concrete models that demonstrate the opportunities of the task. How do we get the transition done at the financial level? What is needed to scale up climate-positive materials and adjust regulations? What is needed now to meet the 2030 Paris Agreement target? Read more or watch the debate online.

Systemic Innovation
20.04.2023 | 19:30-21:30 | Keilepand
Architect Peter van Assche (bureau SLA) and senior advisor sustainable & innovative building Thomas Wellink (RVO) and other parties from the construction sector will join the debate. They present examples of systemic innovation and share their perspective on the subject. What is the role of the financial sector, the government and designers in the transition to a climate-positive built environment? How do the different sectors relate to each other? What changes, connections and collaborations are needed to accelerate this transition? Read more or watch the debate online.

Climate positive materials
23-02-2023 | 19:30-21:30 | Keilepand
Vincent van der Meulen (Kraaijvanger Architects), Allison Dring (Made of Air), Lucas de Man (Biobased Creations), Thijs Wellink (RVO), Norbert Schotte (Gideon), Wouter Moorlag (TNO Building Innovation) and Daniel Egger (Neustark) will discuss the opportunities and challenges of climate positive materials. After all, we only have 7 years left to reach the 2030 Paris Agreement objective. Read more or watch the debate online.

The great CO2 Debate
10.11.2022 | 19:30-21:30 | Keilepand
The figures speak, to achieve the Paris Agreement, we must move toward a CO2-negative society. The Dutch ambition to achieve a 55% reduction by 2030 and a 100% reduction by 2050 requires decisiveness. The built environment is responsible for 38% of CO2 emissions and thus bears a great responsibility. To achieve the goals, we have no choice but to accelerate, which is why IABR and CARBONLAB are organizing an evening of knowledge exchange. Several steps are already being taken within the entire chain. By sharing this knowledge and learning from each other, we can accelerate together. Martin Sobota (CITYFÖRSTER), Laetitia Nossek (Dutch Green Building Council), Koen Waijers (Hurks), Janneke Leenaars (Interface), Norbert Schotte (Alba Concepts) Sander Kooiman (Triodos Bank) and Phlip Boswinkel (Local) will explore inspiring examples and discuss the next steps.

Carbon Stories is an initiative of GROUP A’s thinktank CARBONLAB, the International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam (IABR) and the KeileCollectief.