Joint College, Off Grid
Last Friday, De Schoenfabriek was buzzing with activities for the Quadrant4, Klictet, and Gydz teams. On the longest day of the year, the atmosphere turned orange as we participated in a joint lecture on energy management and energy optimization for our projects after lunch. We discussed off-grid scenarios and ended the day with a fully catered BBQ to welcome the summer.
Inside De Schoenfabriek, two companies share a unified mindset. The synergy between them immediately becomes apparent when the conversation shifts to design, building physics, and installation technology. Both teams consist of various disciplines pioneering in their fields, always striving to take that "extra step."
This time, the lecture was given by Roy Goorden (Klictet, sustainability advisor) and Dennis van der Plas (Quadrant4, Project Manager/Commissioning Manager). Both are driven by a passion for technology, sustainability, and innovation. Roy and Dennis share their enthusiasm: "Developments in the field of sustainability are advancing rapidly. Being a part of this, preparing our clients for it, and making a positive impact drives our enthusiasm and motivation."
During the joint lecture, the following topics were discussed:
Grid congestion is a topic that receives a lot of attention, but what exactly does it entail? What challenges are faced within our national energy network, and what does this mean for our projects?
The process of reflection is an essential tool for growth. It involves a methodology where new insights are gained by analyzing and evaluating experiences from completed projects with current knowledge. During the lecture, we asked ourselves: How would we approach a similar project technically today?
Solutions for energy optimization encompass various approaches that are mirrored against proven positive outcomes, such as cost-effectiveness or speed. Simultaneously, there are limiting factors that have an impact, such as noise, environment, and costs. When approaching our clients, we ask ourselves questions such as: what is the energy demand, which energy solution best fits the need and budget, and which advice efficiently contributes to creating a surplus to maintain balance during times of scarcity.
The four steps for energy optimization:
Creating energy-efficient buildings requires an integral approach where design, technical elaborations, building physics, and installation technology are approached in conjunction. Within the teams of Klictet and Quadrant4, various tools are used to optimally implement this integral approach. These tools support the narrative towards investors or end-users and contribute to integrating technically sustainable and energy-efficient designs. A striking example is the three Triasses in pyramid form, each with three steps: Energetica (energy), Humana (space usage), and Materia (material usage). When these steps are simultaneously taken during the design process, it leads to the most optimal form.
The ideal design consists of many hard and soft components that need to be coordinated. Implementing integral and sustainable thoughts is not just a matter of simply doing it. It involves finding steps that can continually be improved and implementing them in the short term. During the development of a new technological process, various uncertainties arise. Together with our client, we determine whether to choose proven or new technology.
During the "Good and Better" workshop, we challenge ourselves to critically evaluate existing knowledge in the off-grid field. What are the elements of our designs that fit an off-grid building, what can be improved in the future, and what do we definitively say goodbye to in our designs? All colleagues contribute from their own knowledge and perspective. Since many of us are venturing into unknown territory, this results in spontaneous "out of the box" ideas. Some outcomes are:
We continue to pioneer together, discussing our passions for design, sustainability, technology, and, of course, the football match of the Dutch national team during the Euro 2024 against France over a delicious BBQ.
