One uniform language for the sustainable construction sector

"In construction, everyone knows how long a metre is and how heavy a kilo is. But when you ask about material sustainability, you get ten different answers."

That observation by Roel Laban, director of the newly established Sustainabuild Collective foundation, cuts to the heart of a longstanding problem in the building sector. Ten construction organisations have now signed an intent declaration to change that — committing to a single, standardised language for sustainability data, built on the GSES platform.

The Sustainabuild Collective

The Sustainabuild Collective operates as a membership-free foundation with a clear mission: ensuring that sustainability claims made by organisations are supported by trustworthy, verified data. The initiative launched with ten leading construction wholesalers and purchasing organisations, including Zevij-Necomij, Veris, Bouwcenter, De Stiho Groep, Grafton, Bouwmaat, 4Plus, TABS Holland, Asamco, Meno, and Copagro.

"One platform with all data for connected wholesalers in the Benelux means producers no longer need to report separately to multiple partners," Laban explains. "All data within the platform are standardised, validated, and therefore reliable."

The House of Sustainability

GSES developed the "House of Sustainability" benchmark, which translates over 500 international ESG certifications into underlying KPIs. The framework features six organisational pillars and three product-level pillars, measuring ecological footprint, circular impact, and health impact.

Existing supplier certifications can be used within the GSES platform to demonstrate sustainability performance, avoiding duplication of effort. Product assessments focus on environmental footprint based on Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) data, ensuring fair comparisons aligned with Dutch and EU construction regulations.

Data integration

Manufacturers joining the initiative share data via the GSES platform. Sustainability data can be distributed through APIs directly into purchasing organisations' ERP or PIM systems, with integration points including EZ-Base, IB, and 2BA platforms. Manufacturers retain full control over which data is shared and with whom.

Kelly Ruigrok, CEO and founder of GSES: "Speaking one common language is essential on the path to a sustainable sector."

About GSES

Founded in 2019 by Kelly Ruigrok, GSES operates from Rotterdam serving global clients including Schiphol, the European Commission, Xenos, A.S. Watson, Transdev, and ABN AMRO. The platform has measured sustainability for World Expo Dubai 2020, Johan Cruijff ArenA events, Coldplay concerts, KNVB matches, and SAIL Amsterdam 2025.