CFP Innovation Day 2025: from digital twins to breakthroughs in the energy transition

Technological breakthroughs, new business models and smart energy solutions are setting the pace of our sustainability efforts. Without innovation, we stand no chance of closing the gap between climate ambition and climate action. The greatest opportunities lie in the connection between entrepreneurs and investors—precisely the connection forged at the CFP Innovation Day 2025.

Want to know more? Read everything about the CFP Innovation Day here.

The urgency for climate action was palpable in the marina of Naarden, home to CFP Green Buildings. In the back of everyone’s mind were targets that are becoming increasingly strict and specific. Reducing carbon emissions by 2030—is still fresh in memory. And recently, another target was added: using 55% secondary materials by 2035. If anything wasn’t clear yet, it became evident there that innovation plays a defining role.

Sustainability challenges demand renewal. Reducing material use and maximising high-quality reuse. Making sustainability smarter and more impactful by optimising tools and the expertise of professionals. Preparing our living environment for extreme heat, drought and flooding. And… the ability to approach goals in an integrated way, allowing us to tackle multiple challenges at once.

Improving liveability

That’s why we look to the power of innovation. One message came through clearly: without innovation, sustainability simply isn’t achievable. To accelerate at the pace required, a wide range of innovators is essential. As Bram Adema said in his opening: “From start-ups to scale-ups and established companies. We need everyone.”

A diverse group of pitchers took the stage to present their latest innovations. “Today we’re throwing several pitchers to the lions again,” Bram noted. “But… there’s a lot in it for them. We’ve seen new collaborations emerge many times before. Of course, the winner receives an award, but the true prize is in the deals made between investors and innovators.”

The gong sounded, time to head to ’t Wiel, where one of the first pitch rounds was about to begin. We settled on a comfortable sofa as the first pitcher stepped forward: Tobias Witteveen from Blooming Buildings.

Curious what happened in the other room, Parkside Hall? Read that recap here.

A green and sustainable urban environment

1. Blooming Buildings – Tobias Witteveen

Opening the session is never easy, but Tobias did so with confidence. He posed a question:
“Can nature act as a building partner?” The answer? It can, and more importantly, it must.

“There’s increasing urban hardening, and cities are heating up. Drainage isn’t functioning properly and we’re facing major floods. All of this impacts our health and liveability. Biodiversity is under pressure, but the good news is: there’s a solution. We bring plants and green façades into the city to make it cool and liveable again. Sometimes we introduce more than 200 plant species into a single project.” The impact is clearly visible on both buildings and districts: “With this, you can score exceptionally well on your Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) objectives, and your BREEAM-NL credits.” He shared an example: “A building in Rotterdam had 30,000 square metres of vacancy and major leasing issues. After bringing nature back to the property, wellbeing for users returned. Thanks to our team—from architects to climate scientists—we restore the power of nature.”

2. Lumeco – Marvin Meijs

That the built environment can become not only greener but also more circular was demonstrated by Marvin Meijs from Lumeco. As the company name suggests, it’s all about light, but with a focus on high-quality reuse. Marvin: “Lighting systems that are good for people and planet exist—and we want to prove that. We’re active in existing real estate such as sports halls and offices, offering a circular lighting solution. We revive fixtures and deliver lighting that meets every technical requirement the market demands. We reuse existing materials in collaboration with Wecycle.”
A proven concept: PwC—who would appear later in the day as a pitcher—already adopted their solution. Marvin explained: “We implemented biodynamic lighting there and provide guaranteed lighting for ten years in a light-as-a-service model. Another client is RET, the public transport operator in Rotterdam. We were commissioned to renovate all fixtures in their metro trains. So, who’s next?”

3. Mevrouw Meijer – Wilma Kempinga

Next, Wilma Kempinga of Mevrouw Meijer addressed a major issue: CO₂ emissions from the built environment. Approximately 38% of global greenhouse gas emissions come from our sector. Her solution: “There’s enormous potential in renovation. Instead of demolishing, we use existing materials more effectively and avoid wasting energy on producing new products.”

Easier said than done. Renovation requires deep expertise, especially in educational environments with many stakeholders. “That’s why we research how to transform the current school stock. Schools whose buildings no longer meet today’s standards are given new life.”

Very concretely, school renovation means:

• Less material use
• Lower embodied carbon
• Shorter lead times
• Lower costs
• Schools that feel pleasant and promote wellbeing

Wilma concluded: “Schools already have everything they need to build on, so make better use of what’s there.”

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4. Sanura – Tomas Schietecat

The final pitcher of the first round kept the energy high. Tomas Schietecat of Sanura highlighted overlooked opportunities in the energy transition, specifically in saving energy while showering. “We develop shower heat exchangers that recover heat from wastewater. This means your boiler or hot water system needs to work less. Energy savings and carbon reduction are within reach.”
A common concern: does this require bathrooms to be demolished? Tomas reassured the audience: “No. Our systems, like the Flatmate, are designed to be placed on top of an existing shower floor, without breaking or demolishing. Installation uses standard connectors, making it quick and accessible.” The potential is huge, especially for housing associations. “If you implement this across all homes in the Netherlands,” Tomas said, “you’ve solved the energy problem.” As for payback time: “With four occupants, it’s about three to five years.”

Data as the key to faster and higher-quality sustainability

5. Fenicks – Jan-Hylke de Jong

After a short break, the second round began. Jan-Hylke de Jong of Fenicks opened with insights into what real-time gas and electricity consumption data can mean for end users.
“Not based on estimates,” he clarified, “but actual usage. We specialise in digital monitoring of monuments and heritage buildings. We collect up-to-date data on maintenance status, adaptive reuse, and energy consumption. This allows municipalities and provinces to make better policy decisions.”

Efficiency stands out: in a sector that must decarbonise rapidly, visiting every building simply isn’t feasible. Jan-Hylke illustrated: “You don’t want to walk into every building for meter readings. We deliver valuable data quickly, enabling fact-based sustainability decisions. We make sure property owners know their top ten energy consumers right away, making it easier to create impact.”

6. NXTBLDNG – Bram Weggemans

Data is the key to faster and better sustainability. This became clear not only from Fenicks but also from Bram Weggemans’ pitch about NXTBLDNG, CFP’s digital twin platform that assigns every building worldwide a digital identity. “We have a data problem,” Bram noted, “but we’re tackling it. Our platform combines public data with commercial datasets and enhances them.”

It quickly becomes clear how extensive the data is: from location details to consumption, accessibility and more. “We also show climate risks,” Bram explained. “Our data is available via API or CSV, making integration with systems of banks, insurers and governments easier. The origin of each datapoint is transparent. And importantly: we do not own the data. Ownership remains with the original source.”

He concluded with examples of how the outcomes can be applied: “We can identify opportunities to reduce carbon emissions and make it easier to meet Corporate Real Estate Management (CREM) objectives.” Bram Adema closed the pitch session with a call to action: “We challenge everyone to join us. The more the platform is used, the more valuable it becomes.”

7. Aeroscan – Stefan Quak

Met Aeroscan bleven de deelnemers binnen het onderwerp data en digitalisering. Stefan Quak deed uit de doeken hoe zijn organisatie zich specialiseert in het digitaliseren van vastgoed met drones en sensoren. Aeroscan continued the focus on data and digitalisation. Stefan Quak explained how the organisation specialises in digitising real estate using drones and sensors. “We provide highly detailed 3D models of buildings, with measurements, quantities and volumes. This allows us to provide evidence for repair plans and maintenance. With drones, we can reach areas that would normally be difficult to access.”

Inspections become faster, cheaper and safer than traditional on-site inspections. There’s also less debate over square metres, speeding up decision-making. “We document any structural issues and enable improvements in the multi-year maintenance plan (MJOP). We’re seeing considerable interest from housing associations.” His advice: “Start small. Objective data is the foundation for your asset management processes and the sustainability of your MJOP.”“We leveren zeer gedetailleerde 3D-modellen van gebouwen, met maatvoering, hoeveelheden en volumes. Hierdoor is er bewijslast om onder andere herstelplannen en onderhoud uit te voeren. Door het gebruik van drones komen we dichtbij objecten die normaal gesproken lastig bereikbaar zijn.”

Circularity as the new standard

8. PwC – Rob Klinkert

Sustainability of the property portfolio is a key theme for PwC. Rob Klinkert offered insight into how strategy becomes circularity in practice. He began by outlining their context: “We have twelve offices and more than six thousand employees. One of the main challenges is tackling—or at least reducing—climate change. We aim to operate fully circular by 2030, with responsible material use, product reuse and closed material loops.”

But circularity isn’t just internal—suppliers, partners and clients must also participate, forming a circular ecosystem. Rob shared concrete examples: “From reusing old doors, kitchens and pantries to circular lighting solutions.” He emphasised one major pillar: Social Return on Investment (SROI).
Not just a theory, but a fundamental part of PwC’s societal approach. “We use impact measurements to make social value quantifiable. We want to drive a societal transition where economic and social benefits are seriously considered.”

Rising tension: the winning pitch

Without doubt, the most exciting part of Innovation Day is the award ceremony: who delivered the best pitch? This year was another close contest, but the winner was… Urban Jungle!

They build urban jungles for the liveable city of the future and deliver “Green as a Service”: not only designing and installing greenery but also managing and maintaining it. Green roofs provide natural insulation, and the evaporation of water from plants helps cool the environment.

After a networking moment to discuss the pitches, CFP Innovation Day 2025 came to an end—another edition for the books.

Text: Marvin van Kempen, Duurzaam Gebouwd.

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Want to read more pitches from the other room? Read the Parkside Hall recap here or watch the aftermovie here.