In the Netherlands, the CO₂ Performance Ladder has been introduced as an energy management programme to facilitate continuous energy efficiency and carbon performance improvement in non-industrial sectors. This paper addresses the question: ‘What is the impact of the CO₂ Performance Ladder on improving energy and carbon management and reducing CO₂ emissions in construction and civil engineering firms’. The research was based on interviews, descriptive analysis of energy efficiency and CO₂ emission reduction measures and quantitative analysis of CO₂ emission reductions. The research results indicate that the CO₂ Performance Ladder has improved various energy management practices at administrative level, while internalization of energy management practices at lower levels in the organization has just gradually started. Companies have implemented a wide range of new energy efficiency and CO₂ emission reduction measures. However, most measures only affected supporting business processes instead of companies’ core processes. About 30–50 % of these measures have been identified as additional. Green electricity purchasing and the adoption of behavioural measures were particularly stimulated. The annual CO₂ emission reduction rate due to energy efficiency improvement and fuel switching amounted to 3.2 %/year (2010–2013). First estimates suggest that about 1.0–1.6 %/year of these CO₂ emission reductions can be attributed to the CO₂ Performance Ladder. However, these figures should be handled with caution because of various uncertainties. Overall, we conclude that, driven by the potential competitive advantage in contract awarding, the CO₂ Performance Ladder has been responsible for improving energy management and enhancing CO₂ emission reduction among construction and civil engineering firms, which most likely would not have been achieved otherwise.

Circularity and recycling are gaining increased attention, yet the amount of recycled plastic applied in new products remains low. To accelerate its uptake by businesses, it will be useful to empirically investigate the barriers, enablers, needs and, ultimately, requirements to increase uptake of recycled plastic feedstock for the production of new plastic products. During the six focus group sessions we conducted, a value chain approach was used to map the factors that actors face regarding the implementation of recycled materials. The identified factors were structured based on three levels: determining whether a certain factor acted as a barrier or enabler, identifying the steps in the value chain that the factor directly affected and the category it could be subdivided into. The results were then further processed by translating the (rather abstract) needs of businesses into (specific) requirements from industry. This study presented eight business requirements that require actions from other actors in the value chain: design for recycling, optimised waste processing, standardisation, material knowledge, showing possibilities, information and education, cooperation, and regulation and government intervention. The main scientific contributions were the value chain perspective and the applied relevance of the findings. Future studies may delve deeper into the individual factors identified.

Since the start of the energy crisis in 2020, the Dutch government has introduced various programmes aimed at alleviating energy poverty among low-income households. This research examines the effects of three specific interventions—energy coaching, home renovations, and white goods schemes—on a range of energy poverty-related aspects, including living comfort, physical and mental health, energy costs, financial concerns, social connection, neighbourhood involvement, and sustainable behaviour. While previous studies have mostly investigated these interventions in isolation, this research offers a comparative analysis to explore how their impacts differ and how they may complement one another. This research, comparing an intervention group and control, shows that energy coaches, renovations, and white goods schemes each have positive effects on various aspects of energy poverty. However, the nature and magnitude of these effects differ by type of support measure. Renovations are the most effective overall, significantly improving living comfort, physical health, and reducing energy costs. White goods schemes primarily reduce moisture and mould in dwellings and have a notable positive impact on mental health. Energy coaches contribute to improved living comfort, lower energy costs, and uniquely enhance community involvement. The complementary nature of these interventions highlights the potential added value of integrated or combined approaches to tackling energy poverty.