- English
Leiden – On October 29, HortiQ-certified greenhouse builders, installers, consultants, and insurer Achmea came together in Leiden. It was a moment for meeting, reflection, and looking ahead. The horticultural greenhouse sector is dynamic and constantly evolving. Building the greenhouse of tomorrow requires making joint decisions today.
Hans van der Salm, Chairman of HortiQ, stated: “The sector faces major challenges in climate, labor, and energy, and significant progress has already been made. This calls for greenhouse designs that not only meet today’s requirements but also allow room for future applications such as renewable energy, electrification, automation, and robotics.” “It is essential that we, as HortiQ-certified companies and as an insurer, look at this together,” added Bart Stengs, Sector Manager Horticulture at Achmea/Hagelunie and board member of HortiQ.
How do we anticipate the future?
During the meeting, participants explored how each party can contribute from their own expertise to building future-proof greenhouses. This includes safety, sustainability, and new technologies. Bart Stengs: “The greenhouse of 2040 will have a different setup than today’s. What will it look like? We need to prepare for that future together.”
Thinking together about what’s needed
The annual meeting covered current topics such as cyber resilience and reducing emissions to comply with the Water Framework Directive. Achmea shared insights on future-proof building. Stengs said: “The greenhouse of the future is resilient, efficient, clean, and digitally connected.”
Building on and with each other
The event provides a platform to share perspectives discuss trends and jointly explore what is safe and technically responsible. The annual meeting demonstrates that HortiQ-certified companies not only stand not or today’s quality. Together, we are building a greenhouse that is ready for tomorrow and already makes a difference today.
More about HortiQ
HortiQ is the quality mark for the horticultural greenhouse sector. The certificate confirms that companies meet objective and verifiable quality standards in the design, construction, and installation of horticultural greenhouses and systems. The HortiQ foundation was established in 2009 as an initiative of industry organization AVAG. It guarantees the quality and reliability of suppliers in the greenhouse horticulture sector. This year, the 34th company joined the program.
More about Achmea
Greenhouse entrepreneurs who want to build seek insurance for reliable and safe greenhouses and installations. Insurer Achmea (with brands such as Interpolis, Avéro Achmea, and Hagelunie) likes to collaborate on design from the drawing board stage. This way, together we ensure greenhouses are not only safe and reliable but also operationally sound and future-proof. Thereby, capable of meeting sustainability goals and withstanding extreme weather. We pay close attention to this in collaboration with the sector and HortiQ-certified companies.
More about our collaboration with HortiQ
