THE NETHERLANDS: “Ideal Sustainable Home” goes on show

The "Ideal Sustainable Home" will be constructed for public view at Sustain '99, The World Sustainable Energy Fair. The architecturally designed house, which will be available for sale, will be built inside the exhibition hall and later relocated to its own plot near Utrecht in The Netherlands.


The house will be designed to appeal as a desirable “above average” middle European family home. The home will be fully fitted with all accessories and using the latest innovations, it is intended to demonstrate that clean energy and energy efficiency can be affordable with a higher standard of living.

The “Ideal Sustainable Home” is a substantial practical demonstration project piloted by several different organisations. The project is being co-ordinated by Ecofys, one of the leading international consultancies working in energy in buildings. It will be designed by Architectenbureau Aantjes b.v. and will be built by Moes Bouwbedrijf.

The house will be relocated after the fair on the major housing project at Leidsche Rijn near Utrecht. NOVEM-The Netherlands Agency for Energy and Environment, The World Wide Fund for Nature and Stichting Mitros and Stichting duurzaam huis Leidsche Rijn, are all backing the project. REMU, the electricity supplier in central Holland, will assist co-ordination of the project and will consult on all energy issues. Postbank part of the ING Barings Group will provide a mortgage for the buyer of the house through its green mortgage scheme.

The Definition of a Zero Energy House

A zero energy house is a combination of low energy house, energy efficient installations e.g. heat pumps and renewable energy eg. Photovoltaics (PV); the annual energy demand is the same as the annual production of electricity by renewable sources. As well as the use of PV, solar thermal water heating, passive glazing and combined heat and power, the house will take on board many energy efficiency techniques, including a low water washing machine and rainwater collection system. Furniture and fittings will be produced from sustainable wood and other materials.

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