Sustainable
Renovation
The aspiration is to make the Van Gendt Halls a completely energy-neutral national heritage building. New ways of sustainable renovation are constantly being explored, with preference given to repairing rather than replacing.
Innovative techniques in the field of restoration and renovation are developed and deployed on site, making it possible to develop an energy-neutral monument that will make a major contribution to the city's sustainability ambition. This also makes the Van Gendt Halls a model project for innovative restoration and renovation.
Smart thermal energy storage systems
Two installations, at 180 meters and 120 meters depth, extract heat or cold from the ground by applying earth buffering. To respectively heat the building in winter and cool it in summer through the floors. In addition, fresh and salt water layers at different depths are used for energy storage with a technique that is currently only used at the Afsluitdijk and is new for application in buildings.
Vacuum glass in 4,600 historical window panes
The authentic cast iron rebates of the 4,600 characteristic single glass panes are too thin for standard insulation glass. By using vacuum glass of only 7 mm thickness, unprecedented for a national monument, we still manage to achieve a very high insulation value.
Iconic steam hoods recycled
The renovated steam hoods give the halls their iconic profile and have been repaired with Duplicor, a duo composite made of bio-resin and foam from recycled PET bottles. This makes them fireproof and CO2-conserving while being strong and lightweight enough to allow solar panels to be installed on them.
Solar panels on the smallest of surfaces
In addition to the 3,100 solar panels on the closed part of the roof, 5,000 square meters of slats are being designed for the glass part that are equipped with solar cells. Once the slats are developed, they can be placed at any angle to keep heat out and generate maximum solar energy. This creates an additional opportunity to place solar panels even on the smallest spaces, such as on the steam hoods.
Less cooling and heating through smart earth buffering
The floor area is intentionally left uninsulated. The heat and cold given off by the building create a bubble under the ground of the Van Gendt Hallen. With earth buffering, a technique in which this heat or cold is stored and regulated in the ground, efficient use is made of this storage. This means much less cooling in the summer and less heating in the winter. To avoid losing too much heat to the ground, edge insulation is installed along the facades.