Houses of Energy
The design of the energy system, and therefore the neighborhood itself, significantly influences how people live in this neighborhood, how they organize themselves, how they travel, and what activities they undertake. The environment creates conditions, opportunities, and boundaries. The design of the energy system, and therefore the neighborhood itself, is of great importance to the behavior of people in the neighborhood. What if every neighborhood would have an Energy House, a space where the energy system is accessible and that facilitates the exchange of energy and functions as a space for social interaction.
A neighborhood using biogas as energy source, the House of Energy is a space where waste becomes a shared resource. Organic material from kitchens, sewers, public spaces is collected here and transformed into renewable energy. It is a green meeting place for residents. People gather to borrow tools, manage street greenery, and pet the animals in the petting zoo. This biohub creates a space for initiatives like urban farming and a shared kitchen. This House of Energy creates a local, circular system that supports both the environment and the community.
What if the neighborhood is heated by a hot water tank? In this House of Energy hot water storage is a shared facility. By cleverly designing this space, it also creates a welcoming meeting place where the neighborhood can discuss energy. This space makes energy storage visible and thus contributes to raising awareness about energy consumption and the social aspects of energy in the neighborhood.
In a neighborhood with passive houses, where heating is organized privately, the House of Energy is located in the heart of the neighborhood. It serves as a hub where residents can access information from the service desk about how to live efficiently and comfortably in their passive homes. It also faces a solar square, making it a sunny meeting place. The House of Energy is easily accessible for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists. Vans regularly deliver spare parts for individual home heating systems to ensure optimal maintenance.
In a neighborhood that uses a source network to bring the heat (and cold) to the homes and other buildings the House of Energy is a place where this system is accessible for the neighborhood. This House of Energy is a wellhead for the thermal energy storage system. Here, the energy system is clearly visible in the neighborhood and also serves as a meeting place and information center. Locals exchange information here about the best ways to live in a passive house, as well as about managing the collective heat pumps. It also houses one of the four wellheads, which are accessible to the public.