A major stumbling block in realizing housing is slowness in permitting. Therefore, disruptive thinking is needed, said Cor Schouten, ceo at Sett Living.
To meet the enormous demand for housing, several hundred thousand homes will have to be built in the Netherlands in the coming years. The only question is: how? Because in addition to a lack of locations, there is a lack of building capacity and there are increasing delivery problems with utilities. In addition, there is another stumbling block in the realization of new construction projects, namely the slowness of permit granting. So disruptive thinking is required, according to Sett Living in Nijmegen. Ceo Cor Schouten explains what that means and why Sett Living's solution really works.
'Disruptive means that we as Sett Living offer a permanent solution that can be deployed temporarily! Because our homes meet the BENG standard just like traditional homes and are therefore also comparable to traditional homes in terms of lifespan and living enjoyment. The big difference with traditional construction is that we produce factory-built, relocatable homes. Because, in our opinion, there is only one answer possible to meet demand and that is through factory-built homes. In which we focus entirely on wood frame construction.'
To meet the enormous demand for housing, several hundred thousand homes will have to be built in the Netherlands in the coming years. The only question is: how? Because in addition to a lack of locations, there is a lack of building capacity and there are increasing delivery problems with utilities. In addition, there is another stumbling block in the realization of new construction projects, namely the slowness of permit granting. So disruptive thinking is required, according to Sett Living in Nijmegen. Ceo Cor Schouten explains what that means and why Sett Living's solution really works.
'Disruptive means that we as Sett Living offer a permanent solution that can be deployed temporarily! Because our homes meet the BENG standard just like traditional homes and are therefore also comparable to traditional homes in terms of lifespan and living enjoyment. The big difference with traditional construction is that we produce factory-built, relocatable homes. Because, in our opinion, there is only one answer possible to meet demand and that is through factory-built homes. In which we focus entirely on wood frame construction.'
Although Sett Living has only really been fully active in the housing market since the beginning of this year, its experience in construction and housing goes back much longer, Cor Schouten explains. 'We acquired the company BoekHome at the beginning of this year, with more than 40 years of experience in construction. From dormer windows to landmark buildings, and in recent years in the factory production of relocatable homes. Here, old-fashioned craftsmanship is uniquely combined with innovative techniques and automated processes. Our years of experience from Flexrooms Living in transforming buildings into residential units is an excellent combination to build high-quality homes with a pleasant living environment. In the field of interior design and making homes more sustainable, we have everything we need in-house, enabling us to relieve clients of all their worries.'
Sett Living can meet the high demand for affordable housing quickly and efficiently with high-quality homes where everything is right, working and thought through. And can therefore also contribute quickly to realizing volume, with multiple housing types that can be used in different places and different ways. Schouten explains: 'We produce homes in different types, between 30 and 60 m2, in which you can accommodate a wide range of house seekers: international employees, emergency seekers, singles, cohabitants and people looking for a (informal) care home, because you can also easily place our homes in the garden of a traditionally built home, for example.'
Says Cor Schouten, "As Sett Living, we have one clear mission: to transform housing. We do this with craftsmanship, innovation and sustainability. We deliver high-quality, relocatable homes that can be built quickly. Full-fledged homes that fully meet BENG standards. By using natural materials and advanced technologies in the process, we reduce CO2 emissions and promote a healthier living environment. Wood is a renewable resource and has a lower carbon footprint than many other building materials. Wood is also naturally insulating, making our homes energy efficient with lower energy costs for heating and cooling. Our goal is to make living affordable, sustainable and accessible to all, without compromising on quality or comfort.'
Sett Living's focus is on three main target groups, Schouten explains: 'The first target group is municipalities and housing corporations, which are wrestling with the question: how can we add additional housing to our housing stock as quickly as possible? They are mainly looking at locations where they want to build a new residential area in the future. How nice then it is to be able to use modular construction to bring this about very quickly, whereupon the process of applying for permits, et cetera, can be started. A process that takes quite some time in the Netherlands. Municipalities currently have the option of granting an exemption for 10 to 15 years. Then relocatable, modular building/hsb is a perfect temporary solution. Because municipalities also see that these are fully-fledged homes. Nice spin-off in such a case is that you can use the infra for the future residential area. Because of the long lifespan and relocability, the homes can be used elsewhere afterwards. Even though we are collaborating on a 'temporary' solution: the homes remain available, albeit at a different location. So this really helps solve the shortage! Of course, a permanent place for our housing is the most beautiful solution. However, easy relocation offers many other advantages. For example, consider also the nitrogen emissions that are much lower compared to traditional construction. Moreover, it allows you to respond much more flexibly to the developments of a city or region.'
The second target group Sett Living focuses on are property developers and housing funds. They often already have land positions and can use Sett Living's homes to achieve maximum social impact and still generate a return. The third target group is private individuals, where there is particularly strong growth potential in (informal) care homes. Cor Schouten: "Our solution is also very interesting from a cost perspective. Our homes therefore fully meet the need of private individuals to have an affordable and sustainable home. There will be financing solutions for our homes, and as soon as the government relaxes regulations for placing a home in the backyard, we will be truly disruptive.'
Sett Living offers about six different models in different sizes, which are serially built in its own factory in Nijmegen. Cor Schouten: 'So produced in the Netherlands, according to a high quality standard, and not somewhere abroad. Modular, factory-built construction is faster, has fewer failure costs, has no additional work, causes less inconvenience to the environment and also ensures a significant reduction in waste. Our homes come ready-made from the factory; only the foundation and grid connections need to be realized at the construction site. This contributes to a more efficient use of materials and reduces the impact on the environment. We therefore produce homes that are sustainable in two respects: in terms of longevity and environmental impact. The stated quality, meeting BENG standards, is not only due to the high-quality materials used and the way processes are monitored, but also to the fact that production takes place in our own factory. Modular construction has the future, it forms the basis for sustainable and circular construction.'
Source: Real Estate Journal, June 3, 2024
