Let’s get to know SWECO
Interview with Bert van Renselaar
Business Unit Manager Energy & Sustainability and Chief Sustainability Officer
1. Could you briefly explain what SWECO does and what your role is in the energy transition?
a. Sweco is Europe’s leading architecture and engineering consultancy, with 22,000 architects, engineers, and advisors. In the Netherlands, we work with around 2,200 colleagues every day to maximize our impact on sustainable developments in society. We do this by working on sustainable projects and making existing projects more sustainable. This has been our mission for over 60 years. One of our founders, Gunnar Nordström, described it as follows:
“We make sure people have clean water, clean air, clean energy, and a physical environment where they can live, work, and prosper.”
b. We are working to accelerate the energy transition through innovative and pragmatic solutions to ensure everyone has reliable access to clean and affordable energy. We support our clients in developing their strategy and assessing its feasibility. We also design solutions, oversee implementation, and often stay involved during operation. This includes work for grid operators like TenneT and Gasunie, as well as developers, property owners, and government bodies. Thanks to the breadth of our organization, we are able to handle all aspects—whether it’s permitting, engineering, environmental studies, or Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA).
2. Why is SWECO supporting this conference on SMRs and supply chains?
a. Over three years ago, we published a whitepaper on the overall challenge of the energy transition up to 2050. One of its conclusions was that we need all possible technologies to realize a low-CO2 energy system. At that time, nearly 90% of our energy consumption came from fossil fuels. Greening our current electricity production only solves about 15% of the problem. Additionally, in the next 30 years, industrial energy demand is expected to rise by 50%, and electrification of mobility will double the current electricity demand in the same time frame.
b. That’s why it’s important for us to apply our knowledge and expertise wherever it’s needed to advance the energy transition. SWECO has experience in virtually all relevant areas, allowing us to make a meaningful contribution. In the Netherlands, we have extensive experience in the full process of area and project development required to make such projects successful. We also leverage the broader expertise of the Sweco Group in nuclear safety and nuclear plant design, particularly from Sweden and Finland, where we have significant experience.
3. What opportunities do you see for SMRs in the Dutch or European energy mix?
a. SMRs offer a unique opportunity to drive the energy transition forward. Current renewable sources like solar and wind have the drawback of often producing energy at the wrong place or time. SMRs make it possible to choose specific locations in the energy system to create a sustainable, stable baseload supply.
4. In your opinion, what is a key issue within the SMR supply chain that is still receiving too little attention?
a. Over the past few years, we have consistently observed that the complexity of our projects doesn’t lie in the technology. The true complexity lies in the surrounding environment. The context in which a project must be realized is primarily shaped by stakeholders. In a small country like the Netherlands, there are many stakeholders with varying interests. It’s a struggle for our limited space—housing, nature, agriculture, and the energy transition are all competing for it.
5. If we had to know one project or initiative from SWECO that aligns well with this theme, what would it be?
a. Interestingly, the project that aligns best isn’t a nuclear project. While we do have experience with nuclear projects—such as one where we are working as an EPCM partner—the most relevant project is not nuclear. Because the complexity lies in the environment rather than the technology, the best-aligned project is of a different nature. There are many, but the Bajeskwartier in Amsterdam is a great example. SWECO played a crucial role there, particularly due to the extreme complexity of the site and its surroundings.
b. The site of the former Bijlmerbajes required coordination on a massive scale: urban transformation, circular demolition, environmental noise, infrastructure, green-blue design, water management, soil investigation, and more. SWECO led the project as an integrated project director. From the tender phase onward, we used a ‘one-stop-shop’ approach in which SWECO acted as a link between the developer, municipality, water board, utilities, architects, and designers. SWECO developed a digital platform where all disciplines centrally manage their data—BIM, execution plans, environmental information, version control, etc. This enabled traceability, real-time data exchange, and integrated decision-making.
c. Just like with the Bajeskwartier, SMR sites are complex—think of safety zones, permits, stakeholders like residents, industrial partners, and governments. SWECO’s process and environmental management provides clarity, structure, and support. For SMRs, expertise in water, civil structures, environmental hygiene, radiation protection, logistics, and civil engineering is essential. SWECO’s integrated teams and Connected Data Environment (CDE) platform enable cohesion without disconnected information streams. Decisions about safety, environment, planning, and technology require up-to-date data. CDE provides traceability, version control, and collaboration—crucial for permitting processes and safety reports. For SMRs, sustainability is just as important as safety: for example, reuse of materials, energy efficiency, and locally tailored infrastructure (like heat networks or water extraction). SWECO’s experience with circular strategies and local energy networks is highly relevant. As with healthy urban living, SMRs must consider radiation zones, air and water quality, and evacuation planning.