Scale Up future-proof artificial turf fields suits us perfectly |
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Project leader Christianne van der Zouw on Finovi's participation in the Scale Up project and the development of future-proof sports parks
For Finovi, participation in the project Scale Up Future-proof Artificial Turf Fields by the municipalities of Haarlem and Amsterdam and SRO feels like a logical step. 'The name Finovi stands for fields and innovations. Then you can hardly do anything other than participate,' says project leader Christianne van der Zouw. According to her, the project's ambition aligns seamlessly with the company's DNA: innovating, making things more sustainable, and using sports parks to address social challenges.
| AI-generated concept visual of the ACE Layer Cake concept, developed by ACE Global (copyright ACE Global). |
Finovi leads the EnergieVeld consortium together with Edel Grass, ACE Global and Oostendorp Nederland. The EMVI plan (the tender submission) of the partnership was described by the assessment team as 'well substantiated, ambitious and innovative'. The formation of the consortium began at meetings organised by the municipality, including a matchmaking event at the Johan Cruijff Arena and later during an event at Het Koelschip. That is where the parties met. Forming the consortium required more effort than initially expected. 'You have to get to know each other and make sure you start to understand each other's language. You tend to dive straight into the content, but first you also need to discuss where you want to go together and how you will get there,' says Van der Zouw.
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'We are building different variants to collect data and validate and compare the impact on the sustainability goals.'
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The prototype and research phase will start in the first quarter of 2026. 'The location assigned to us is Sportpark Ookmeer in Amsterdam. There, Finovi will construct several prototypes that will be measured and monitored for a year. We are building different variants to collect data and validate and compare their impact on the sustainability goals. This helps determine which direction we will further explore in the next phase,' says Van der Zouw. Finovi delivers two core innovations: the Collector Field and the Climate Control Field. The Collector Field extracts heat from the artificial turf, generating energy and preventing the urban environment from heating up. 'But you do need a customer for that energy. That is why we solve this differently in the prototype phase, so that we can still measure.' The Climate Control Field works through evaporation to limit warming and thus helps reduce heat stress. Which variant is most suitable depends on the location. 'It remains custom work. In the end, you put together a package that fits the environment and the demand.'
Modular
Van der Zouw emphasises that the project is not about developing one ideal field. The ambition is to build sports parks in a modular way, so that functions can be combined: energy, water, cooling, storage and social facilities. 'You want a sports park to become a hub. A place that supports the neighbourhood and contributes to broader challenges.' Within the consortium, ACE Global plays an important role. The company develops the so-called Layer Cake: a table construction that can lift sports fields and create space underneath for energy storage and other applications. During the prototype phase, work is also being done with a Digital Twin, which is used to simulate and test these new technologies.
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'You see how long it takes before innovations are widely applied. This project can accelerate that a lot.'
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For Finovi, participating in the tender was a major step. The company has around thirty employees. 'It takes a lot of capacity and you never know for sure whether you will be selected. Still, we felt that this project fits so well with who we are that we could not stay on the sidelines,' says Van der Zouw. According to her, the scale of the project offers an opportunity to further support both the sector and the energy transition. 'You see how long it takes before innovations are widely applied. This project can accelerate that a lot.' Circularity plays a recurring role in all parts of EnergieVeld. The artificial turf systems from Edel Grass are based on Post-to-Play technology, in which more than 50% recycled plastic is used in the turf fibre, and a high percentage of end-of-life artificial turf is also used in the coating. The substructure, pipes and retention crates are also made from recycled or reusable materials wherever possible. 'We aim for the highest possible level of circularity. Everything you apply must be reusable later,' says Van der Zouw.
Smarter
Consortium partner Oostendorp Nederland is developing the Ralph Smart City Management system, which links data on water, energy, lighting and weather forecasts. The system should make it possible to continuously monitor and optimise the performance of the innovations within the sports park and to better align supply and demand. Data models and energy needs can be predicted more accurately in this way. The use of this system contributes to the ambition to manage sports parks in a smarter and more efficient way.
 | | Christianne van der Zouw |
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'You do not have to see each other as competitors. By sharing mistakes, everyone learns faster.'
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According to Van der Zouw, the tender setup is special because cooperation is central, also between consortia. This can lead to shared equipment, joint hubs and the exchange of materials between projects. 'Because the volume is large enough, you can work much more efficiently. You do not have to see each other as competitors. By sharing mistakes, everyone learns faster.' This way of working does require clear agreements and a joint approach. The first year will therefore strongly focus on collaboration, setting direction and establishing principles. 'Ultimately, you want to work smarter and reduce failure costs. The entire chain benefits from that.'
Roll out more broadly
Interest in the project is high. After the official start, the consortium was frequently approached at trade fairs and events. Van der Zouw expects other municipalities to closely follow the developments. 'Amsterdam and Haarlem are taking the lead. It would be good if this is followed up elsewhere. We are happy to share the knowledge.' The innovations developed within the Scale Up are not exclusive to the municipalities. They may be applied elsewhere in the Netherlands or abroad. 'The municipalities are aiming for scalability and affordability. Then you also have to be able to roll it out more broadly. This is also one of the objectives of the Scale Up and the European LIFE subsidy that has been received.'
This article was previously published on 11 December 2025 on the Fieldmanager](https://www.fieldmanager.nl/article/52348/scale-up-toekomstbestendige-kunstgrasvelden-is-ons-op-het-lijf-geschreven]Fieldmanager) website.
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