Paul de Ruiter wins ABN AMRO Sustainable 50

This was announced during the Climate Summit for the Built Environment at the Jaarbeurs Utrecht. Every year, ABN AMRO and Duurzaam Gebouwd (Sustainable Buildings) publish a new list of 50 leaders in sustainability. Paul topped this list of D50 members and was also crowned the winner in the Inventor category, further recognizing his innovative contribution to sustainable architecture. "Receiving this recognition is a wonderful signal to the profession: sustainable building is possible and will be rewarded," De Ruiter responded.

Putting Integrated Sustainability on the Map

The expert jury, including Robert Koolen (Heijmans), Andy van den Dobbelsteen (TU Delft, winner 2024), and Sacha Brons (Climate Cleanup), praised Paul's integrated vision of sustainable architecture and how he translates it into projects that visualize sustainability at scale, with an eye for quality of life and health. This is a wonderful recognition for over 30 years of pioneering, innovating, and striving to lead the way in building within planetary boundaries, even when sustainability was far from self-evident. Paul's number one ranking is a wonderful signal to the architectural profession. Sustainable building is possible, and designers play a key role in this. By working with clients and partners to embrace reuse, smart energy savings, circularity, and biobased materials, the built environment can be gradually renewed instead of replaced. Other architects on the list this year include Daan Bruggink (Orga Architect, 8th place), Thomas Bögl (Liag, 21st place), Tim Vermeend (The Urban Woods, 33rd place), Jurrian Knijtijzer (Finch Buildings, 34th place) and Willem van Genugten (Group A, 48th place).

De Ruiter has been working on sustainable, innovative buildings since the 1990s. What began in 1994 with the dream of creating "about six sustainable buildings" has grown into a team of more than forty passionate architects and a portfolio full of projects demonstrating that sustainability at scale is indeed possible. In an interview with De Architect last year, he explained that it took a while for sustainable construction to get off the ground. In 2007, his firm designed the TNT headquarters. "It became Leed Platinum, because BREEAM hadn't yet been introduced in the Netherlands." Today, his firm, Paul de Ruiter Architects, is a leader in sustainable architecture. For example, the firm is involved in the transformation and sustainability upgrade of the monumental office building at Coolsingel 93 in Rotterdam, which will become the city's first "Paris-Proof" monument. Earlier this year, it was also announced that the firm would renovate the Meppel theater in collaboration with KRFT. Last year, in collaboration with WE architects and ZUS [Zones Urbaines Sensibles], the firm completed the Lloyd Yard project, an energy-neutral residential block in Rotterdam with 136 energy-neutral homes and a unique communal garden. This project was nominated for Building of the Year in 2024 and recently won the 2025 Rooftop Awards held at NEMO.

Major Impact

As last year, several winners took home awards. Niki Loonen of TBI won in the Doer category for concrete actions and initiatives related to sustainable concrete. His mission: accelerating the transition to more sustainable concrete within the supply chain: "The Road To Zero Impact." The jury concluded that Niki's campaigns, internal activities, and lectures help reduce the significant impact of concrete. Program Director Wietse Walinga, as the founder of the Climate Summit GO and the driving force behind Duurzaam Gebouwd (Sustainable Building) and Smart WorkPlace, was awarded the Green Connector Award.

New Generation of Designers

In the Maker category, Emma van der Leest of BlueCity Lab emerged victorious for her tangible contribution to sustainable projects and product development. Emma focuses on the intersections of design, biotechnology, and sustainability and works on sustainability in various ways: developing sustainable materials, the circular economy, and waste streams, and education and knowledge sharing to train new generations of designers. The jury found this combination striking and worthy of a winner.

Young Professional Award

This year, a Young Professional was once again recognized: Jip van Grinsven, consultant and member of the management team at Alba Concepts. She won, in part, for her dedication to raising the profile of the financial impact of circularity. One of her key achievements is co-authoring "Circular Buildings – a measurement method for detachability," which quantifies circularity in existing buildings.

Rewarding Leaders

The ABN AMRO Sustainable 50 annually spotlights inspiring leaders, innovators, and creators who are committed to a sustainable future. This year, the list once again showcases the diversity and impact of people who prioritize sustainability in their work and projects.