In Delft, The Netherlands, the construction of a large-scale wooden building has started, The Urban Woods. This will pave the way towards sustainable high-rise building construction in the Netherlands.
High-rise buildings in wood
The Urban Woods represents a progressive housing formula; it combines sustainability with health and social housing. The homes are wooden cascos with inside walls made of flax. They are net-zero and 85% reusable. The modular high-tech rental homes can be easily adapted to changing rental wishes. The high-rise building now under construction in Delft has no concrete central shaft. It will satisfy changing preferences. Construction is 30% faster than traditional construction. And the new method will allow buildings of up to fifteen storeys. The structural techniques used are simple and easily reproducible, says Tom Vermeend, founder of the company The Urban Woods. ‘The modular system is perfectly suited to multiple locations and applications. It is flexible, functional and most of all: honest.’
A breathing building
The building is net-zero and circular, as far as possible. It doesn’t just have a wooden casco; the inner walls are made from flax, and wood fibre is used as the insulating material. Which has the major advantage that the building breathes. Energy is being produced by solar panels, and recovered from water and hot air. Smart technology distributes heat efficiently across the building.
Water, too, is used efficiently. Rain water is being stored. Thanks to special rooftops, water is being retained for a long time. This water can be used for garden irrigation, and also for the toilets of the apartment hotel. The inside climate is being regulated through soil temperature. A heat pump draws heat from the soil in winter time. In the summer, the same system is used for cooling.
A sustainable building
Rooftops, gardens and even walls are used for growing plants and animals. Moreover: living in The Woods is living in wood. This eases out any stress. It takes care of a better humidity, it is hypoallergenic, free of toxic substances and releases less dust. Warm and calm: it never feels cold. And in the WoodsApp, inhabitants can check when the building produces more electricity than it uses. These are the moments when energy use puts the least burden on the environment – the moment when it is appropriate to do washing. A sustainable building!
The demand for sustainable building solutions grows explosively. The EU Taxonomy regulations will in the near future require to report CO2-impact. This can put pressure on investors to green their portfolios drastically. Traditional construction techniques will not do anymore, in the near future. Building like in The Urban Woods will offer a solution. Moreover, important as well: construction will take less time.
Reusable
The Urban Woods Delft will become the highest wooden building in the Netherlands. Wood is being used even for the lift shaft and for stability – no concrete. 85 percent of the materials are reusable. The ecological footprint is as low as achievable, thanks to new techniques like wooden frames of recycled wood and the smart stabilization system. And living within a wooden building promotes rest and health.
The Urban Woods is a blueprint for sustainable housing construction. After Delft, towns like Deventer, Amsterdam and Groningen are on the planning list. ‘We consciously chose a scalable concept’, says Sebastian Monteban, co-founder of The Urban Woods. ‘We would like to share our techniques with the sector. This is a milestone for Delft, but it reaches much further; there is interest from Poland to the United States.’
A new form of housing
The Urban Woods doesn’t just offer a constructive innovation; it also incites a new way of living. Facilities are being shared. Residents can choose for additional services, like washing machines, workplaces, extra storage facilities or a guest room for the night. There is ever more need for flexibility in housing! Whereas the concept is very sustainable as well.
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