Sustainability

Healthy Urban Living is the central theme of the city and region. Utrecht’s sustainability and health care ambitions are exceptional. The city wants to be entirely energy-neutral by 2030 and is making solar energy mandatory for all new housing development. The inner city will soon only be accessible for electric cars and even the city buses will soon be electric. In a global Arcadis survey (2016), Utrecht received the highest score for ‘Planet’ and the highest overall score for ‘People-planet-profit’ out of all large cities in the Netherlands.

The largest knowledge institutes, educational institutes and specialised companies, focusing on sustainability and climate can be found in Utrecht. Such as Deltares, the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI), the National Institute for Publlic Health and the Environment (RIVM), Utrecht Sustainability Institute and Utrecht University. There are various hubs in the city that focus on innovative sustainability, such as Eneco Energy Campus, Jaarbeurs Innovation Mile, the Social Impact Factory and Utrecht Community (UCo).

These companies are already established in Utrecht

“Utrecht is in all respects a true student city. The intellectual level associated with this makes it an inspirational environment in which to live and work. This atmosphere is attractive to both national and international companies that wish to base themselves in Utrecht.”

-Rien Nagel, Rabobank
Executive Board

“Utrecht is the perfect base being central to the country and enables us to employ talented people from all over the Netherlands and across Europe and rest of world that can easily access Schiphol.”

-Stephan Sieber, CEO Unit4

“Utrecht is also one of the largest student cities in the Netherlands, with many students from home and abroad. The city is not only commercially appealing, it is also rich in history and culture, such as the Dom Tower and the Central Museum.”

-Rien Braakman, General Manager and lawyer at Nexa Velo Advocaten

“Genmab regards Utrecht Science Park as a unique ecosystem, where innovation actively leads to breakthroughs in the development of new medicines.”

-Yvo Graus, Vice President Pre-Clinical Operations at Genmab

More references