Sustainable solutions close to home

Zero-energy neighbourhoods, houses made of silt and other innovative ideas

Sustainable innovations in housing: this was the central theme of a seminar organized by EGM advisors on 14 April 2016 in Midden-Inn in Heerjansdam. During the seminar, five speakers discussed how we should deal with innovations in our immediate living environment, both integrally and at neighbourhood level.

In the future we will be able to live the way we are accustomed to, and the price and continuity of energy will remain secure. But how? Does this call for another way of thinking? How can we deal sustainably with our immediate environment?
 

Hans van Pelt, a building expert at EGM architecten, discussed the 'out of the box' solution of reusing silt as a building material for dwellings. Advisor Hermen Smelt from EGM advisors and architect John Mol from EGM Architects delved more deeply into zero-energy solutions, at the level of both the home and the neighbourhood. After that, Marnix ten Kortenaar of Dr Ten discussed one possible solution for the practical problem of energy fluctuation and storage at neighbourhood level.
 

The seminar series Sustainability, Fire safety and Comfort examines important themes when it comes to the prosperity, safety and the wellbeing of society. As an independent consultant on construction projects, EGM advisors is very aware of its importance and has therefore taken the initiative to hold a series of seminars for housing associations, property owners, municipalities and care institutions, in which on each occasion one theme is highlighted from the perspective of function, science, design and evidence based design.