'the District of Tomorrow'
De 'Wijk van Morgen" (the District of Tomorrow), is a project by the University of applied Science Zuyd, Heerlen The Netherlands. Students are required for their graduation to design a sustainable Building, 0-energy is one of the requirements. The winner by a professional jury is constructed the year after, by pupils of Building constructions schools, as a learning environment. Each year one building, for the moment 4 years in a row. Other faculties contribute by developing area projects, like a 0-water approach, a PV based electric transport facility, and more. In 2008 the fist project was designed, and now the building location is prepared for construction. The second building has just started designing by the new batch of graduates. The professional market is involved by helping constructing the projects, and research for innovative products and management . The whole area is seen as an open innovation platform, where market stakeholders, education and local government can kick of a transition towards a more sustainable region.
The picture below (click to enlarge) shows how the "district" will look in a few years. The first project, right below, is now started construction phase.The Building top left is now under preparation for construction and will be constructed next year. Several other projects are under devlopment for the area, like water management and electric transport.
project 1 students design winner
The award winning students design for the first project, a passivhouse , with a solar roof 'bending' to the sun. For this project the tender is launched. Design: Addo Frints and Kaj Segers )
the District of Tomorrow - le Quartier de Demain - das Viertel von Morgen
Below: Start of the major thesis design phase for the second building, 9 febr 2009.
The second building for the District of Tomorrow was again the assignment for the final thsis of the faculty Built Environment.
Students had to design the exposition/office building, with 0-energy requirements and 50 pct of materials of renewable origin. Besides, the building will house the service centre for the district: where cars are rented out, a central laundryshop is foreseen and the office of the district's local energy company. And as well, since land is scarce, to use the roof as optimal as possible to change from a consumptive building toward a productive building. With greenhouses on the roof, a combination of food production energy production and water collection ca be made. In fact the consumed land by the building is given back as a productive roof. (0-land use) . This winner was selected by a international ( euregional) jury, and is now detailled for construction next year. ( in the end it will be 0-energy, the total mass is only 590 kg/m2 and 51 % is coming from "renewable" materials) Pictures show some details and facts about the building.
"eco/nnect", by Leroy Merks & Roel Derkx
Zuyd University / RiBuilT is organizing one of the SB10 series conferences, for Western Europe. The Theme is: Towards 0-impact buildings and Built environments.
Since the District of tomorrow will function energy neutral as a whole as well, and fossil fuels are banned, transport needs to be different as well ( no fossil fuelled cars allowed on the area.) . This is the reason three professors involved have now acquired an electric car, to connect university and District . Its already a great success, since students got enthusiastic and are now designing a loading station based on PV panels for the District. In between the use for the district, the car is used as much as possible to promote the project.
Electric car for the District
Change to International Design Atelier
agreeing with Russian governor and university-rector on co-operation in District of Tomorrow.
A Russian District of Tomorrow is now developed, and Students From Nizhny Novgorod join Zuyd University to develop the plans
New project: Existing District for Tomorrow.
In September a similar process is launched for an existing district, to prepare a transition towards environmental neutral situation, and after defining the concept Masterplan, has been developed for the district, students will re-design parts of the area next year. More to follow.
New: Existing district of Tomorrow
Construction work started for the first building, together with market parties and pupils of construction schools (click to enlarge).
we have installed a a grid connected PV powered loading station for the elctric car. Its the first in the Netherlands!
As a result of co-operation between faculties and professors, and with external partners, we have launched a research institute, focussing at the transition for 0-impact buildings and Built Environments: RiBuilT, research instutute for Built Environments of Tomorrow. The Institute wil support -with research- the Distcict, and other projects aiming at high ambition
levels.
The District of Tomorrow has been nominated for the EU Sustainable energy Award 2010. During the energy Week in Brussels it became second place.
Lectures have changed to english, now German, Belgian and Russian students have joined the Design Atelier.
Lucien Kroll from Belgium was one of the international Guests lecturing.
We introduced videolectures, to make international experts knowledge available for the students. Nils Larsson (iiSBE) and Petr Hajek ( Prague University) kicked of the distant lecturing.
We are testing "New communications". Above are videos , real time uploaded from the Construction site.
Above: construction by students is under way.
SB10 conference Maastricht
The first project is under construction. The second one is in the detailling phase, and the Construction starts at 10-10-10. The third one is under design.
project 2: first brick 10-10-10
Pupils from construction schools use the District as a learning environment. Here they are pooring Concrete from 80 pct recycled materal .
