“I have always been surprised by how we in our sector cling to the way we have always done things. By that nonchalant attitude of ‘Why change things if they are going well’. If you want to work sustainably, you will have to implement fundamental changes.” Anne Koudstaal is a champion of sustainability. We spoke with him about developments in this area and the importance of change.
If you want to work sustainably, you will have to implement fundamental changes.
Anne Koudstaal is the Sustainability Tour Leader at TBI, a collective of companies in engineering, construction & development, and infrastructure. With approximately 6,700 employees across more than twenty different companies, TBI is one of the largest construction companies in the Netherlands. As a TBI Climate Ambassador and expert in sustainable transitions and innovations, Anne leverages his knowledge and network to support others with sustainable initiatives. Additionally, he is the founder of Emission-0, the world's first sharing and booking platform for zero-emission equipment in the construction and transport sectors.
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According to Anne, working emission-free makes a huge contribution to sustainability. For instance, the CO₂ impact on a project is often still limited compared to, say, the CO₂ impact of construction materials. However, if you deploy electric equipment on all your projects over the next ten years, the impact is enormous. “The electrification of machines is getting off to a slow start. At Staad, that transition has been extremely fast and exceptionally successful. Driven by nitrogen legislation, something very good has come out of it,” says Anne. Emission-0 investigated the consumption of Staad’s DX165W Electric mobile excavator. This resulted in the first performance certificate for emission-free earthmoving machines. This new certification is an objective standard for the energy consumption and operating time of emission-free equipment.
“We developed the certification method to accelerate the transition to emission-free construction,” says Anne. “And our method is transparent because we substantiate the real-world performance of the machines with measurement data. After all, manufacturers and owners of electric equipment often claim that their machines can run for a full workday, but in practice, that is not always the case. The certification offers the construction sector clarity, so that investment decisions can be made based on facts. This way, you always buy a machine whose performance under harsh conditions you know. The Staad DX355LC Electric crawler excavator is also tested and certified by Emission-0.”
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It is of great importance that clients and contractors enter into dialogue at an early stage. Anne: “Almost all clients have sustainable ambitions. If a contractor can offer a sustainable solution, we can create the rules around it. There needs to be more freedom to define the objectives. This involves looking at emission-free equipment, but also at alternative materials and different working methods. Yes, that takes time and energy, but it puts us in the right frame of mind.” And with that mindset, according to Anne, much more is possible than was long considered feasible. Electric earthmoving machines were once seen as unfeasible, but thanks to ambitious clients and entrepreneurs who were convinced that it was indeed possible, this is now a reality. Staad now operates a 55-ton electric crawler excavator flawlessly for a full workday. There were also doubts about whether sharing platforms for electric equipment had a chance of success. With clients such as the Province of North Holland, the Province of Overijssel, the Central Government Real Estate Agency, and Top Sector Logistics, we have demonstrated with Emission-0 that this is indeed possible. Emission-0 has since grown into the largest sharing platform in Europe for emission-free construction, with more than 1,600 machines. By joining forces with clients and partners, we can truly work sustainably and circularly.
Anne views machine operators as ambassadors for electrification. “At the moment, there is still too much skepticism when it comes to electrification. We need to change that culture, and certification will help with that. To prevent negative experiences, equipment owners, together with clients, must ensure a good charging infrastructure that minimizes human intervention. Working emission-free is fantastic work. Operators suffer less from noise and therefore come home less tired. Electric equipment generates far fewer vibrations. And during sewage work, to name just one example, the colleague in the pit no longer stands in diesel fumes all day. How great is that?”
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Anne believes that regulations are the biggest stumbling block to sustainability. “We have devised so many rules that they are now working against us. Of course, the intentions are good, because what you build must be good, last a long time, and be safe. But we have gone a bit overboard. We cannot afford to test for years. And if you want to, you can always find a reason based on the regulations why something isn't possible. What we need are good people who are motivated enough to dare to deviate from those rules in order to still deliver something good. People who come up with options that are truly sustainable, make an impact, and do not compromise on safety.”
The interview was recorded at Van Aalsburg. Curious about their story and experiences with the Staad DX165W Electric? Read it in the next edition of Grondwerk.
This article was published in Grondwerk Magazine, Spring 2026 edition. Would you like to receive this beautiful magazine as well? Then click here.
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