ROTTERDAM, 23 September 2025 – The municipality of Rotterdam has announced a second round of funding to support sustainable housing projects by local housing corporations. Almost €2 million will be made available to encourage the use of biobased materials and energy-efficient construction.

Focus on reducing emissions

The construction sector is responsible for a large share of national CO₂ emissions, not only through energy use but also in the production of building materials. Rotterdam is addressing this by subsidising projects that incorporate at least 30% biobased materials such as wood, flax and bamboo.

In the first round of the Subsidy for Sustainable Housing by Housing Corporations, projects by Hef Wonen, Havensteder, Woonstad and Woonbron resulted in 122 social housing units designed to be both energy-efficient and affordable. These homes are expected to lower residents’ energy bills while reducing overall emissions.

New opportunities in second round

The second round will provide €1.95 million in funding. Housing corporations that plan to build new homes or rooftop extensions in the next five years are eligible to apply. Projects must use biobased materials for at least 30% of construction and comply with the city’s integrated sustainability indicator (GPR).

Alderman Chantal Zeegers (Climate, Housing and Construction) said: “If we want to meet our climate targets, we must change the way we build. By using biobased materials and reusing resources, we can create more sustainable, energy-efficient and affordable homes for people with smaller budgets.”

Objectives of the programme

The funding has three main goals:

• lowering CO₂ emissions in the construction sector;
• making sustainable and affordable housing available to more residents;
• building practical experience to scale up biobased construction methods.

ROTTERDAM, 18 September 2025 – More streets in Rotterdam will soon have a 30 km/h speed limit. The city has released its next phase of plans to adjust dozens of neighbourhood roads.

Rotterdam expands 30 km/h zones in city neighbourhoods

The municipality of Rotterdam is moving forward with its plans to reduce the maximum speed limit to 30 km/h in various parts of the city. With the recent completion of adjustments in Hillegersberg-Schiebroek and Rozenburg, preparations are now underway to implement similar changes in additional districts.

In total, 115 streets across Rotterdam are scheduled to undergo changes aimed at improving traffic safety. The adjustments include the installation of new signage, road markings, speed bumps, and other traffic-calming measures.

Next neighbourhoods to be adjusted

According to the updated schedule, roadworks will now shift to the districts of Centrum, Charlois, Delfshaven, Feijenoord, Hoek van Holland, and Hoogvliet-Noord. These works will take place between early October and the end of November 2025.

Residents in these neighbourhoods will receive notification by letter at least three weeks before work commences on their street. The municipality is conducting these adjustments on a district-by-district basis to minimise disruption and maintain accessibility throughout the city.

Other districts to follow later

Some neighbourhoods, including Hoogvliet-Zuid, Kralingen-Crooswijk, Prins Alexander, and Rotterdam-Noord, will be addressed at a later stage. This decision was taken to avoid overlapping with other pre-planned municipal projects and to reduce the cumulative impact on local residents.

Information about specific streets and planned works can be found at www.rotterdam.nl/30km. Residents living near streets that will be adjusted will receive a separate letter with further details.

Community involvement and street parade

To raise awareness of the 30 km/h initiative (30 km/uur), a local street parade was organised on Wednesday 17 September in Hillegersberg. The event featured children, older residents, local entrepreneurs and the municipal councillor.

Councillor Lansink-Bastemeijer attended the parade and commented:
“By lowering the speed limit, we are gradually making Rotterdam safer and more pleasant to live and work in. We are adapting more and more streets in partnership with residents. This helps ensure children can travel safely to school, older people can feel comfortable in their neighbourhoods, and everyone can be more mindful in traffic. Ultimately, we are doing this for all Rotterdammers.”

Drawing contest encourages road safety awareness

In addition to infrastructure changes, the municipality has launched a drawing competition for children. The aim is to encourage young residents to think about what makes a street safe. Children are invited to submit their most creative street designs.

Details about the contest and downloadable materials can be found on the city’s website. While the winning drawing will not be turned into an actual street, it will be given a special place somewhere in Rotterdam.

ROTTERDAM, 22 September 2025 – The port of Rotterdam is at a turning point as several planned projects have been paused or cancelled. Local and provincial leaders see an urgent opportunity for national government to strengthen the investment climate and secure future growth.

Major projects postponed

BP announced that construction of a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) plant in Rotterdam will not go ahead for now. The company also shifted its investment in green hydrogen production to Spain and Germany, while shelving plans for an electrolyser in Rotterdam.

Other companies have recently made similar decisions. Mitsubishi Gas Chemical paused the construction of a new facility, and ExxonMobil put investment in a plastic recycling project on hold. Earlier this year, Gunvor, Tronox, LyondellBasell, Westlake and Indorama also reduced or stopped activities.

Chance to improve competitiveness

Alderman Robert Simons noted that the situation highlights the importance of structural measures to strengthen the Dutch industrial base. “The cabinet must now move forward with decisive steps. Incremental change is not enough,” he said, pointing out that the Rotterdam port community has already presented a proposal in The Hague that could make a difference.

Provincial executive member Arne Weverling stressed that the Netherlands has the potential to remain a leader in sustainable industry if issues such as energy costs, grid congestion and regulatory complexity are addressed more quickly. “With the right conditions, companies will continue to choose Rotterdam as the place to innovate and invest,” he said.

Safeguarding prosperity

According to both Simons and Weverling, ensuring that Rotterdam and Zuid-Holland remain attractive for investment is not only about jobs but also about safeguarding Europe’s strategic autonomy. Measures such as lowering network tariffs and accelerating nitrogen policy could help ensure that innovative projects continue to take shape in the port.

ROTTERDAM, 11 September 2025 – The Rotterdam Energy Transition Fund (ETF-R) has invested €50 million in fifteen sustainable innovations over the past five years. Managed by InnovationQuarter on behalf of the municipality, the €100 million fund supports projects that contribute to a cleaner, circular and CO₂-neutral economy.

Investing in a climate-resilient future

The investments target companies active in electrification, sustainable mobility, circular chemistry and energy storage. According to alderman Zeegers, the fund helps entrepreneurs scale up sustainable technology in areas ranging from circular construction to battery innovation. The aim is to strengthen the economy, create hundreds of jobs and build a climate-resilient future visible in the city, the port and the wider region.

The fund’s approach aligns with Rotterdam’s broader ambitions, as outlined in the city’s Climate Action Plan (KAR).

Collaboration across the region

ETF-R focuses not only on energy transition but also on resource transition. “We do this not only with capital, but also with knowledge and our network,” says Robert Bierens, Head of Investments at InnovationQuarter. Partnerships with the municipality of Rotterdam, the Port of Rotterdam, knowledge institutions in Delft and other regional partners play a key role.

By combining these efforts, the fund seeks to reduce dependency on foreign raw materials and foster a stronger, more sustainable economy in Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland and beyond. In 2024, more than 150 entrepreneurs received guidance from the programme.

Examples of funded projects

• CarbonX is developing a sustainable alternative to graphite in batteries, suitable for local production.
• Value Maritime has created compact systems to capture CO₂ from ship emissions, reusing it in greenhouse horticulture.
• DOPS Recycling Technologies works on solutions to process waste streams that are currently difficult to recycle.

More details, including a short film about the fifteen supported projects, are available via energietransitiefondsrotterdam.nl.

Practical information

• Fund size: €100 million
• Invested so far: €50 million in 15 innovations
• Managed by: InnovationQuarter on behalf of the municipality of Rotterdam