Challenge 1

Description of challenge

Rijkswaterstaat North-Holland is responsible of the water management of the North-sea canal. Rijkswaterstaat intends to manage the water level in an environmentally friendly manner and at highly reduced costs; maybe even making a profit. Two innovative water energy systems, blue energy (sweet/salt water energy) and the ‘wave rotor’ (wave/tidal energy) are seen as the most realistic options to reach the goals of sustainability. The challenge is a solution that is sustainable, fits in the landscape and respects the other users of the canal.

Why is this challenge important to Rijkswaterstaat?

Rijkswaterstaat takes the climate change seriously and aims for a sustainable organisation. Sustainable water level management of the North-sea canal would be a significant step in this process. Reduction of costs is also important; the yearly costs are 1 million euro. 

What are likely topics to touch on when working with this challenge?

- Innovations within sustainable energy from water  
- Regional Planning 
- Consumer motivation 
- Technical issues 
- Financial feasibility  

Challenge 2

Description of challenge

Cradle-to-Cradle is a new and inspiring design principle with some successful examples in different industries. This specific challenge focuses on road infrastructure embedded in an environment. This can be rural, nature or a city. In every case the infrastructure can’t be seen as isolated line infrastructure connecting A to B, but also as an object dividing C and D and influencing the surrounding. How can road infrastructure add value to a bigger system when applying C2C principles? 

Why is this challenge important to Rijkswaterstaat?

In the Netherlands Cradle-to-Cradle is mainly embraced in respect to the development of areas. Different projects have started, but there is a lack of knowledge and experience in the role infrastructure can play in these projects. It’s a challenge for Rijkswaterstaat to contribute to the goals of these projects and help the sustainability program of Rijkswaterstaat at the same time.

What are likely topics to touch on when working with this challenge?

- C2C applied on material, construction, object, or system level  
- C2C on a biological or sociological level  

It’s up to you, depending on your background and interest. It will be great if you look for added value in directions nobody has ever thought of. Create value chains with new industries and make the impossible come true. 

There is a preference to work out a specific direction and possibility as concrete as possible. In that case you and your challenge can be contacted to one or more of the real life projects in the Netherlands.

Challenge 3

Description of challenge

In the field of water management Rijkswaterstaat has recently founded a new Water Management Centre Netherlands (WMCN) to support Rijkswaterstaat, the waterschappen and other players in the professional field of water management with their task in intergrated water management. What can be done to use the potentials of this new organisation to improve the information management, the management of knowledge and the communication on water management for the organisations concerned?

The results can be used in realising a new working environment and better working processes in the WMCN in Lelystad.

Why is this challenge important to Rijkswaterstaat?

The WMCN is one of the three centres of information and support for water management that play a vital role in daily practice in normal and crisis situations.

What are likely topics to touch on when working with this challenge?

- Integrated water management 
- Information 
- Knowledge 
- Communication 
- Crisis management  

Challenge 4

Description of challenge

Design a closed system that consists of the highway and vehicles that we use. This system must be energy neutral.

Vehicles consume easily accessible energy sources. This can be partly in the form of gas, but also electricity and possibly hydrogen depending on possibilities. The roads (surroundings) can be modified to generate energy. Think of solar panels, windmills, possibly energy from asphalt but also perhaps energy from the vehicles themselves. Is it conceivable to design a system that requires no external energy source? All of the energy could originate from the system/surroundings. How would such a system look? What are the requirements of the vehicles, road/water ways and the surroundings of the network?

Why is this challenge important to Rijkswaterstaat?

Rijkswaterstaat takes the climate change seriously and aims for a sustainable organisation. Sustainable highways/highway systems would be a significant step in this process. Reduction of costs is also important.

What are likely topics to touch on when working with this challenge?

- Integrated road management 
- Systems thinking 
- Regional planning 
- Communication 
- C2C applied on material, construction, object, or system level  

Challenge 5

Description of challenge

We would like to take one room/location at Rijkswaterstaat and make it sustainable. We need to take into consideration all the real world challenges that Rijkswaterstaat faces, while opening up to the endless opportunities that lie within sustainable facilities. What is being done elsewhere and how can this make a difference in the bigger scope of Rijkswaterstaat?

Why is this challenge important to Rijkswaterstaat?

This challenge is important to Rijkswaterstaat as we today, more than earlier; need to think smart sustainable ways to manage our ressources. By thinking inwards first – the physical Rijkswaterstaat, we create a point of reference from which we can think sustainable facilities in all of Rijkswaterstaat’s undertakings.

What are likely topics to touch on when working with this challenge?

- Facility management 
- Procurement 
- Sustainable development 
- Strategic innovation