An energy-neutral office building, ready for a long life span
A sustainable and flexible office building, where high quality technology, comfort and design lead to an energy-neutral office. A new generation of working environments, ready for a long and valuable life span.
A sustainable, low-energy office complex with a long life span, high in comfort and with architectonic top design, that was the ambition of property developer and investor Ericis for the GouweZone office complex.
Positive building
Ericis calls this type of sustainable development 'positive building'. GouweZone was the first complex to meet these requirements and hence matched Ericis' ambitions to design energy-neutral offices. Since its completion in 2012, the complex has been one of the most sustainable and energy-efficient buildings in the Netherlands. The executive agency Agentschap.NL and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations are using the building complex as a practical example of energy-efficient commercial and industrial building.
Top ten high-grade buildings
GouweZone is a sustainable office complex for the high-end rented sector and is part of the 'Goudse Poort', a mixed industrial area in the central Randstad area. The city of Gouda wishes to transfer this area into a high-end office location, so as to enter the top ten of Dutch industrial and office areas. GouweZone is one of the first concrete projects of this restructuring effort.
GouweZone
The GouweZone office complex consists of three different office buildings of different height and size. The offices are situated on top of a joint car park. The buildings are derived from each other, but are subtly different in structure and exterior. The latest techniques have been used to lower energy consumption and to create flexibility and multi-functionality. It's a new generation of working environments, offering vast advantages to users, surroundings and environment.
Flexible and transparent
The buildings' supporting columns are situated near the edges. This means the floor plan can be arranged freely. By integrating the engineering into the floors, it was possible to realize a floor height of 310 cm (10 ft 2 in). Combined with the floor-to-ceiling glass façades, this creates a truly high-end office environment. All office spaces are located along the south side, providing employees with beautiful views of the Gouwe river.
Sustainable and very energy-efficient
While GouweZone was being built, the most important innovations in the area of alternative energy were implemented immediately. The combination of several natural sources ensures a comfortable indoor climate. New façade techniques, concrete core activation and led-lighting reduce energy consumption by approximately 45%, and the carbon footprint by as much as 80%. Heat and cold storage and installations for generating solar and wind energy make the building energy-neutral.