CO2 Performance Ladder for construction and infrastructure
In the Dutch civil engineering sector (grond-, weg- en waterbouw, or GWW), the CO2 Performance Ladder is de facto the standard. Rijkswaterstaat (the national Dutch agency for roads and waterways), ProRail, provinces and municipalities use the ladder as an award criterion in tenders. For contractors and infrastructure companies, the ladder is therefore not optional if they want to bid on large public contracts. The tender advantage works most strongly here, because contract values are high and a small notional discount already makes a big difference.
The construction sector also has objective reasons to use the ladder. Plant, transport and materials create a high CO2 impact. A construction company that takes its emissions seriously can use the ladder to turn that effort directly into tenders. You can read more about scheme management on co2-prestatieladder.nl .
Rijkswaterstaat moves to handbook 4.0
Rijkswaterstaat applies handbook 4.0 in GWW tenders published after 1 July 2026. This is a firm decision. Companies that bid on those tenders must be able to show that they meet the requirements of handbook 4.0.
Do you have a 3.1 certificate now? It remains valid until January 2028 at the latest. But for new Rijkswaterstaat tenders after 1 July 2026, you need a 4.0 certificate. The transition arrangement from SKAO gives more detail on the exact timing. More on the two classifications is on the page levels and steps.
Check which handbook version is required for every new tender. Rijkswaterstaat states this in the tender documents.
Which level is common in construction?
Level 3 (handbook 3.1) or step 1 (handbook 4.0) is the most requested entry level in GWW. You then focus on your own organisation: scope 1 (diesel plant, natural gas at the workshop) and scope 2 (electricity).
Larger contractors that want to maximise their tender advantage aim for level 4-5 or step 2. Then the chain also comes into view: subcontractors, materials and transport by third parties. Step 2 also requires a climate transition plan, which takes more strategic work.
Reduction measures that work in construction
The largest CO2 sources in construction are plant, transport and materials. Reduction measures are therefore most effective when they target those sources.
Electric and hybrid plant. Electric excavators, pile drivers and compactors are available and becoming cheaper. When you hire or replace equipment, leave out the diesel alternative.
HVO fuel. Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) is a drop-in replacement for diesel, with about 90% less CO2 per litre (on a life-cycle basis). It needs no conversion, but it costs more than diesel.
Emission-free construction. Urban projects sometimes make emission-free construction a contract requirement. Then electric equipment is not a choice but a requirement. This also directly affects your scope 1 emissions.
Reuse of materials. Reusing milled asphalt, breaking concrete and reusing it, and repurposing soil all lower your scope 3 emissions at higher levels.
More economical driving. Training for machine operators and drivers quickly yields 5 to 10% fuel savings, without investment.
Scope 3 and the chain at higher steps
At step 2 or level 4-5, subcontractors and materials must also be in the footprint. That requires cooperation: suppliers must provide data, and subcontractors must give insight into their emissions.
In practice this is a process that spans several years. Start small: first ask the large suppliers for their emissions data. More and more sub-suppliers in the infrastructure sector have their own CO2 reporting, which makes this easier.
Relationship with VCA
In addition to the CO2 Performance Ladder, VCA is a common tender requirement in construction. VCA concerns safety, while the ladder concerns sustainability. They complement each other: clients often ask for both. Both certifications require their own process and their own evidence.
Do you already have VCA? Then you are used to audits and documentation. The approach in the ladder assessment is similar, but the content is entirely different.
Getting started
First determine which level or step you need for the tenders you have in mind. Then follow the step-by-step plan to start the process.