Kiwa Stories - Articles

Testing environmentally friendly infill in artificial turf pitches

Every day, millions of people play on artificial turf pitches infilled with plastic or rubber granules. Despite the major advantages of these pitches, there are also drawbacks in terms of environmental impact. Kiwa has tested the use of environmentally friendly or organic filling. What challenges do these alternatives to rubber or plastic infill present?

Mechanical testing of water supply products: a growing wave

We all expect our taps, water meters and other water supply and plumbing products that come into contact with drinking water to perform reliably and safe. A wide range of mechanical and hygiene tests exist to ensure this. The best place to submit products to mechanical testing? Kiwa’s state-of-the-art Water Lab in Rijswijk, the Netherlands.

Reliable innovations, safe installations and a sustainable future: Kiwa’s role in the energy transition

Working with companies across the value chain to support the energy transition is a strategic focus for Kiwa, and a key driver of growth globally. But as Luca Votta, Global Business Sector Leader Renewable Energy at Kiwa, says: "This is not about following market trends. We believe that our new world will be greener and more sustainable for our future and also for generations to come.

How to have a safe and compliant working place

Globally, more than 6000 people die every day as a result of work-related accidents and diseases. The ISO 45001 standard helps companies around the world reduce the burden of work-related accidents and illnesses.

Eat them pure: delicious tasty bananas with a holistic touch

Biodynamic farming stands for consistently organically grown food produced in harmony with nature, following a holistic, ecological and ethical approach to agriculture. We take you to Finca Laguna Salada, one of the first biodynamic Demeter-certified banana plantations in the Dominican Republic.

Explore PVEL’s Testing at Historic PVUSA

PVUSA is one of the first solar plants built in North America, and currently serves as the home of grid-connected, research-grade outdoor testbed operated by PV Evolutions Labs (PVEL), a member of the Kiwa Group.

Solar panel field at sundown

Making responsibly sourced concrete visible: CSC certification

Schellevis, a Dutch manufacturer of concrete products used for various applications, including ornamental paving, is CSC Silver certified by Kiwa. CSC is a worldwide quality mark for concrete which proves that companies are part of a responsible concrete chain.

Kiwa helps Luleå University of Technology get its chemicals in order

Organizations that work with chemicals must comply with many laws and regulations. Luleå University of Technology (LTU) in Sweden conducts research and teaches in a wide range of scientific fields. Kiwa helped them developing a standard for chemicals management as part of improving safety in LTU's laboratory environments.

How certification can prevent food fraud

Food fraud is an increasing challenge for the food industry and requirements for the prevention of food fraud are becoming more and more stringent. How can international food safety standards help to combat food fraud?

Finns and Dutch certify first water utility in Finland to ISO 55001

Kiwa Finland has awarded the ISO 55001 certificate to Alva Water Supply. Kiwa colleagues from Finland and the Netherlands worked closely together, helping Alva to become the first water utility in the Nordic region to be certified according to ISO 55001. An effective international cooperation, with a satisfied customer as a result.

Remote auditing: efficient working method with great benefits

Lead Auditor Jürgen Harbaum has increasingly implemented remote auditing into his modus operandi: “Over the past two years, it has become increasingly clear that certain processes and activities can be audited remotely without restrictions. This saves both parties costs and time and provides greater flexibility."

Rock-solid equipment for rock mechanics testing

When digging tunnels or excavating mines, soil and rock mechanics suddenly become a key consideration. Trilab in Brisbane, Australia, part of Kiwa Group’s Intega family, leads the way with state-of-the-art triaxial testing equipment.

Get started certifying your IoT products

As of 1 August 2024, all smart devices have to meet minimum cyber security requirements. That means manufacturers have less than two years to get their products tested and certified. “But don't wait too long,” warns Sabyne van Mourik from Kiwa. “We are talking about a huge number of IoT products.”

Building trust in organic farming

Organic food production is booming. But how do farmers get to know the proper organic rules and principles, and how do consumers recognize organic products? Kiwa helps building confidence in organic food production.

Allego and Kiwa – securing a cleaner, greener world

Allego is the leading European public Electric Vehicle (EV) charging network with 28,000 public charging ports. Security of the vast amount of financial and personal data generated by this network is of paramount importance. To demonstrate its commitment to the highest standards of information security management, Allego has achieved ISO 27001 certification by Kiwa.

Innovating for sustainable construction: a new era for life cycle assessment

With a growing focus on climate change, it is becoming increasingly important to understand where our environmental impacts are coming from, in order to limit them. We look at one of the ways to assess the impact of construction: life cycle analysis.

Assuring safe utilization of electrolysers to accelerate green hydrogen production

Green hydrogen can facilitate the global energy transition, enhancing the potential of renewable energy and its demand is rising worldwide. To grow confidence in the market, uncertainties and hazards must be reduced. And that is where Kiwa kicks in.

Making the invisible visible: uncovering groundwater with data

Almost all of the world’s liquid freshwater – about 90 percent – is hidden under the ground. However, the water supply is under pressure; we need huge volumes of water to keep people healthy and run today’s economy. Therefore it's important to remember groundwater is a limited resource.

The increasing ransomware problem: protecting your ICS

Ransomware threats for ICS (Industrial Control Systems) are growing. The impact of attacks on critical infrastructures can be enormous. Chris van den Hooven from cybersecurity company Hudson Cybertec explains how organisations can protect themselves against ransomware attacks.

How building inspection can literally save lives

Whether an industrial production hall, an office or a residential tower, a building must be safe for people to work and live in. In Germany, the VDI 6200 Directive is the comprehensive building inspection guideline. Kiwa Germany’s Engineering team is intimately familiar with it.