News from the Netherlands - Woonmeij as a frontrunner in innovation and sustainability

A net zero energy retrofit of 66 apartments for the Dutch housing organisation Woonmeij. The apartments are spread over 2 apartment complexes: ‘t Liereke and the Oase. Both complexes are still under construction, but almost all the tenants are already happy with the progress. The tenant group being the central contact point might have something to do with this positive vibe. Or was it the ice cream cart?

Woonmeij has taken up the challenge together with contractor De Bonth van Hulten: 36 apartments at 't Liereke in Sint-Michielsgestel and 30 apartments in the Oase complex in Schijndel will be made more sustainable. This is not just a sustainability project, but also a project which the whole of Europe is watching. We will explain why…

European eyes on us

MustBe0 is a European innovation project to make multistorey housing more sustainable. In countries in North-West Europe, the majority of social rental housing is of a stacked form (apartments). The sustainability of these homes is still lagging somewhat behind the ground-based homes. This is reason enough for Interreg to deploy an incentive scheme. In this way, organisations gain experience faster in making multistorey homes more sustainable.

“Woonmeij has been approached for this purpose and receives a grant for these projects,” explains technical project leader Peter Janssen. “We are one of the first Dutch organisations to become more sustainable in this way. Together with other social landlords in various other countries, we are a frontrunner in this area. This also includes knowledge sharing. Meetings are regularly organised throughout Europe. At these meetings we share experiences from our pilot projects with each other.”

Who, what, where

Woonmeij has selected a number of apartment complexes and sought cooperation with the contractor De Bonth Van Hulten. First they worked out an approach together. Then they started talking to the tenants. What will they face? How long will they be inconvenienced by the work? And what will the financial picture look like in the future?

“In the beginning, not everyone was immediately convinced”, social project leader Claudy Rikken continues. “This is of course all new for tenants. It is the task of Woonmeij to present a good picture. The financial side is important, but so is the comfort of the home. Soon there will be no more radiant heat from a radiator, but the house will have a continuous temperature. People will have to get used to that. On the other hand, the system can also cool, so that's nice in hot summers. Fortunately, we eventually convinced almost everyone. The tenants are especially happy that they will no longer be bothered by high energy prices.”

From insulation to ventilation

Up until July 2022, there will still be a lot of work going on in the homes in 't Liereke. The work on the Oase site will continue until September 2022. “We are insulating the outer walls and roof of the entire building and the individual apartments,” says Peter. “We are also replacing the frames and installing triple glazing. We install solar panels and then it is over to the ventilation and heating system.”

Energy neutral living

The tenants will soon live completely energy neutral. This not only provides a pleasant living environment, but in most cases also provides lower energy bills. Tenants will no longer have energy costs, but instead will pay an EPV fee (energy performance fee) to Woonmeij. This is in exchange for making the home more sustainable and is in the form of an energy bundle. If they use less energy than is included in the bundle, they will receive a refund. If they use more, which is unlikely in such a sustainable home, they will pay a little extra. “We assume that tenants will see a financial improvement or, at the least, will remain the same,” says Claudy.

Towards 2050

The agreement with the government is that Woonmeij will have 100% CO2-neutral homes by 2050. “Of course, to achieve that goal, we have to start on time,” said Peter. “We are therefore taking these first steps with great enthusiasm. The fact that so many people from all over Europe are watching makes it even more exciting. Fortunately, most residents are happy to cooperate and the work is running smoothly. So it will be all right!”

 This is what the tenant group thinks

The tenant group of 't Liereke regularly meets with people from Woonmeij and De Bonth Van Hulten. The group of four is the point of contact for the tenants in the complex. If there are questions, they collect them and ask them on their behalf. Miriam Brekelmans and Marijke Breukers explain how the project is progressing so far.

Marijke: “We all received a book from Woonmeij beforehand. Everything was well explained, including photos of how it will be. Even now that we are in the middle of the work, we are kept well informed of every step. We can call if we have any questions. Sometimes De Bonth Van Hulten also comes to your home personally to explain something. It’s all super organised.

I have never heard anyone complain about the workers. They do their job as it should be and are immediately ready for you, which is nice. Of course, it is difficult that we have temporarily lost part of our parking spaces. And yes, it was a lot of noise when they replaced the roof. But that's to be expected, isn't it? We get something nice in return.”

Miriam: “I like the fact that the heating is out! In my corner apartment I sat near the boiler, which was 22 years old. I lay awake all winter because of that howling thing. I literally cheered when I heard that it was being removed. Now we get a system that also cools, I think it will be great when it's warm outside later on.

The plastic frames are also an asset. These homes are forty years old, making them more sustainable was really necessary. In summer and winter, I always kept the curtains closed in front of one window, because there was a draft. That is no longer necessary. And the timing of the whole project? It couldn't be better, if you look at current energy prices. Yes, I am very happy with it.”