Witteveen+Bos has been working on the NRD for Rotterdam’s 2026 heating programme. The Memorandum on Scope and Level of Detail (‘NRD’ in Dutch) is the first step in developing a heating programme. It details the approach to the environmental study. This NRD has now been published. We are also working on a similar project for the Municipality of Delft.

The Municipality of Rotterdam has opted to expand the EIA plan to include physical living environment factors in an ‘Environmental & Planning Impact Assessment’ (EPIA). This covers not only the environmental, but also the social and economic impacts of the Heating Programme. ‘An EIA for a Heating Programme requires an integrated approach. Witteveen+Bos supports municipalities in their studies with our combined knowledge of heating, the environment and socio-economic factors,’ explains Anika Steenstra, Heating Transition Adviser. ‘This integrated lens on the heating transition is vital, to find an approach that can balance the various urban sustainability challenges.’