Innovation Platform - HVC Groep

The Innovation Platform is an independent think tank of councillors and public servants from shareholding municipalities that want to take an active part in realizing HVC’s vision. They do this by acting as a sounding board for the management in relation to innovation and sustainability.

Both we and our municipal shareholders are faced with issues of global warming and the exhaustion of raw materials. These issues require that we look critically at our own processes and technologies, that we think in terms of alternatives and seek other solutions. Innovation is necessary to ensure a sustainable future. 

Future perspectives
The Innovation Platform generates ideas and formulates research questions for sustainable long-term solutions. It does this primarily by sharing knowledge and looking for knowledge within networks. It defines the steps to be taken in the future and thus outlines possible development perspectives for new processes and technologies. It advises the management and thus shapes the future of the company.

Innovation in four clusters
Ultimately what counts are concrete results. Early in 2007 the Innovation Platform defined the actors, trends and developments in the carbon dioxide, raw materials and energy fields. From there it agreed to focus on innovation in four clusters:* carbon neutral building* combining the forces of the company and municipalities* strengthening cooperation with knowledge and research centres* increasing the awareness of residents and businesses. HVC Innovation Conference
In order to inspire leaders and policymakers in the field of sustainable innovation, the Innovation Platform advised organizing a conference for HVC municipalities. The first HVC Innovation Conference was held at Living Tomorrow in Amsterdam on September 12, 2007. The second HVC Innovation Conference was held in Nemo in Amsterdam on October 1, 2008. Photos of the conference are shown below. 

Climate friendly solutions
The 2007 conference saw the launch of CQteam: a new HVC project in which VU University Amsterdam and HVC joined forces under the leadership of Wageningen University’s “climate professor” Pier Velinga in a search for climate friendly solutions for environmental problems. 

Carbon reduction
Managing Director Wim van Lieshout has invited five HVC municipalities to work with CQteam in an ambitious effort to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

Photo impression of HVC Innovation Conference 2008
Below is a photo impression of the HVC Innovation Conference 2008 in Nemo in Amsterdam. Click on the photos to magnify them. You can also navigate using the arrow keys. Close the album with the Esc key.