61 energy-neutral houses, NETHERLANDS Ulft

In Ulft, 61 sustainable, energy-neutral properties will be developed, of which 35 are for social housing. This is truly a unique project in The Netherlands. On average, these houses will generate just as much energy as they consume. This will be possible because the outside shell of the building will have excellent insulation properties, the buildings will be as compact as possible, and considerable attention will be paid to the position of the buildings in relation to the sun. In addition, the warmth and cold generated in the building will be stored, ensuring that the energy loss is minimal. Furthermore the roofs will be fitted with solar panels. The plans also include the use of environmentally-friendly construction panels. This so called ‘vertical green’ ensures that fine dust particles are also filtered out, so further reducing co2 emissions. In this way the buildings will provide both environmental benefits and low energy costs for the future residents.

A timeless architecture has been chosen, as well as the use of resilient, durable materials. The maintenance of the building is also extremely minimal. In this urban architectural design, a lot of careful consideration has been given to the quality of life, diversity and social cohesion of the community. This plan is part of a design ‘fast tracking’ system, which ensures development of the design within 6 weeks – from the start of the design process to the submittal of the planning application. Read Less