Sustain the sustainable

Bajeskwartier is leading the way in energy transition. An energy neutral district begins by limiting the energy demand. With good insulation levels, triple glazing, blinds and airtight facades, the buildings use little energy. The systems for underfloor heating and cooling and the ventilation with heat recovery are also energy-efficient and have high efficiency levels. In addition, we look at how users can save energy. The behaviour of the user has the biggest impact. For example, all homes will have a hot-fill connection for washing machines and dishwashers. This will save energy, because instead of electricity, sustainable heat will be used for washing the dishes and laundry. Furthermore, all buildings will have an LED lighting system, connected to a smart electrical network. A dashboard will make it easy for you to keep track of your own energy consumption. Solar panels will soon be generating the majority of the energy demand. In addition to solar energy, it is being investigated whether wind energy can also be used, for example with the Powernest system. This is a roof element with built-in wind turbines that optimise the energy yield. Energy is also generated from organic waste; the composting plant of The Waste Transformers converts this into electricity. Bajeskwartier will be the first area in Amsterdam where organic waste from the neighbourhood will be collected and converted into electricity on site.

Om vraag en aanbod van elektriciteit goed op elkaar af te stemmen en daarmee het energienet te ontlasten, wordt in Bajeskwartier een Smart Energy Grid onderzocht. Met name het direct koppelen van hernieuwbare opgewekte energie aan grote energievragers kan de druk op het elektriciteitsnetwerk verlagen. Eén van de mogelijkheden is het koppelen van de hernieuwbaar opgewekte energie op de Woongebouwen Martin (E) en/of Robin (G) via de laadinfrastructuur in de parkeergarage aan de elektrische (deel)auto’s. Het Grid is ‘slim’ aangezien in de nabije toekomst elektrische auto’s kunnen gaan fungeren als batterij en buffer van energie. En niet alleen stroom, maar ook warmte en koude wordt uitgewisseld tussen alle verschillende gebouwen. Dit gebeurt via een warmte-koudenet, oftwel een Thermisch Grid. Dit Grid gebruikt de ondergrondse leidingstructuur van de oude bajes. Het Thermisch Grid wordt aangesloten op een ondergrondse WKO (Warmte Koude Opslag) en wordt gevoed door verschillende omgevingsenergiebronnen. Zoals het nabijgelegen datacentrum Digital Reality. Zij hebben veel koude nodig en leveren warmte. Dat sluit precies aan op het energieprofiel van de woningen, die juist vaker verwarming nodig hebben dan verkoeling. In Nederland is het nog niet eerder gelukt om de restwarmte van datacenters in te zetten voor woningbouw. Een unieke kans van Bajeskwartier dus.

Circular construction is aimed at closing cycles and preventing waste. No less than 98 percent of the prison's materials are recycled. This minimizes the impact of the construction of Bajeskwartier on the climate. We do not only look at reuse now, but also in the future. All buildings are made in such a way that they can be easily dismantled and reused in the future. Reuse starts with keeping what you have. No or fewer new building materials need to be produced and transported for this. In Bajeskwartier, the main building and the boiler house will be fully preserved. This also applies to the church and the Green Tower. Large parts of the prison wall also remain standing. Of course, these parts will be upgraded, so that they meet modern requirements. The second step is reuse. For example, the facade of the former Kalverstraat is used in public space and old floor parts are given their place on one of the many squares. Parts of the prison wall and old floors are reused in the buildings. The doors of the cells will soon be recognizable in the bridges that provide access to the district. This reuse is not only sustainable, it also ensures that something of the history of this iconic place is preserved. Prison materials are also being transformed into new building materials. For example, the concrete is made into granulate, which is then used in the construction of the new towers. In addition to the recycled materials, new building material is also needed for the construction of Bajeskwartier. These materials are healthy, sustainable and easy to reuse in the future. Materials are selected on the basis of their environmental impact, for which the environmental database of the MPG (Environmental Performance Buildings) is used. Of course, they must also be healthy materials and sustainably produced. For example, all wood has a quality mark.

The average Dutch car stands still for 23 hours a day. And all that time it takes up space. In Bajeskwartier that space is rather spent on green. Parking is therefore resolved entirely underground, so that space above ground is left for gardens and water. Residents must soon walk to their own car or shared car. Or they can use the metro, which stops just around the corner. Amstel Station is also within walking distance and the city centre is very close by by bike. There are plenty of walking and cycling paths in Bajeskwartier. In the two-storey, underground parking garage are about 410 parking spaces. There are also plenty of places to park bicycles. In the parking garage of Bajeskwartier is a 'mobility hub'. Here are electric cars, tricycles and e-bikes to stand. All residents of Bajeskwartier can use a convenient app at any time of day to rent a sustainable means of transport. So you always have transportation, without needing a car. This sharing of transport fits well with the ambition to be the healthiest and most sustainable neighborhood in the Netherlands. After all, shared mobility leads to a clean and safe living environment with fewer emissions.

Our climate is changing and residential areas have to deal with the consequences the consequences of this. Bajeskwartier is therefore 'climate adaptive'. In other words, the district is designed to deal with periods of great heat and heavy rainfall heavy rainfall to go. This is done by the homes to be very well insulated and and providing them with sustainable cooling. But also by installing green roofs and numerous gardens but also by building green roofs and numerous gardens that prevent streets and buildings from heating up. Very Bajeskwartier is also Rainproof. With lots of rain the water is collected and stored using infiltration roofs and installations, on the green roofs, in water plazas and in green zones in the public area. At in case of drought the district will slowly release the water. The water plazas will be designed the water plazas are designed to be fun places for children to play or for water plants to grow like to grow. Bajeskwartier is a nature inclusive neighborhood, in the design is taken into account flora and fauna the design takes into account flora and fauna. So contributes the chosen chosen contributes to the biodiversity in the area by providing food and nesting places nesting places. It also contributes to good water management and traps fine particles captures the fine dust. In Bajeskwartier are everywhere nesting boxes for birds and slots for bats and slots for bats and insects. Part of the bajeswuur remains preserved and transformed into a Valhalla for urban wildlife.