Who Is Contributing to Accelerated Energy Savings in Office Districts?

There is (financial) capacity available to start working on accelerated energy savings in an office district within the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area (MRA) in the short term. Who will join Knowledge Mile, Sloterdijken, Zuidas, and Zuidoost?

Of course, the efforts don’t stop outside the MRA: multiple local Green Business Clubs (GBCs) are actively working on energy (saving) projects.

The urgency to save energy was already high due to the climate crisis, rising energy prices, and the ambition to be energy-neutral or Paris Proof by 2030. In 2022, the war in Ukraine added even more pressure. This led to the formation of an action network in the MRA, aiming to accelerate energy savings, particularly in office districts.

GBC Zuidas and GBC Sloterdijken took the lead and developed an action plan. BIZ Knowledge Mile and companies in Zuidoost are also participating. Funding for collective quick wins has been made available by the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations.

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The approach consists of three components:

1) Turning off the lights

Energy saving starts with preventing waste. Unnecessarily burning lights are a clear example.

GBC Zuidas kicked things off with ‘Zuidas Turns Off the Lights’. Sloterdijken also began with a baseline measurement. Other districts such as Knowledge Mile and Zuidoost have shown enthusiasm. Outside the MRA, GBC Eindhoven Spoorzone, GBC Utrecht Centraal, and GBC Fascinatio (Capelle a/d IJssel) are joining in.

2) Adjusting climate systems for greater sustainability

Real impact comes from optimizing climate systems. This includes:

• Lowering indoor temperatures in winter
• Raising them in summer
• Scaling back systems during nights and weekends

Companies are encouraged to implement these measures and share knowledge about their internal processes.

3) Roadmaps to Paris Proof

Often, there is a lack of insight into the actual energy use of buildings. Sustainable technology or certifications (such as BREEAM) do not always translate into real performance.

Roadmaps clarify:

• What information is missing
• How to achieve short-term energy savings
• What the path is toward becoming Paris Proof by 2030