Besix completes energy-neutral Sluishuis building

Besix Real Estate Development (Besix Red), a subsidiary of Brussels-based construction and development company Besix Group, has completed its work on Sluishuis, an energy-neutral residential building in eastern Amsterdam.

Sluishuis is a residential neighbourhood consisting of four man-made islands in Amsterdam. (Photo: Besix Group)

Rising 40 metres above the surrounding water of the IJmeer, Sluishuis is part of IJburg, a residential neighbourhood consisting of four man-made islands.

Described as a “modern and sustainable way of living on and around water” and designed for a variety of income levels and age categories, the Sluishuis building comprises 442 owner-occupied and rental apartments, 234 underground parking spaces, 34 houseboat lots and 54 berths for pleasure crafts.

After being awarded the contract by the Municipality of Amsterdam in 2016, Besix Red worked alongside Rotterdam-based developers Vorm Bouw to build the structure, appointing architects Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) from Denmark and Dutch Barcode to the project.

According to Besix, which has recently received approval for the design and construction of a new 30,000-seater stadium in Christchurch, New Zealand, the sustainability of the building was a key consideration for the project.

The building, which connects directly to the city centre via a bridge and also features 1000m² of catering facilities, 112m² of commercial space, and a shared rooftop garden, has an energy performance coefficient (EPC) of 0.00 and generates more energy than it consumes.

A heat and cold storage (CHS) system installed in the ground, coupled with high-performance insulation and heat recovery systems mean that heating requirements are minimal.

A total of 2,200m² of solar panels, located on their own floating island nearby, provide energy for the building - a feature that Besix Red says “fully compensates” for the energy needs of the structure’s heating, heat pumps, ventilation, and LED lighting.

Gabriel Uzgen, CEO of Besix Red, said, “In addition to the ambitious architecture conceived by BIG and Barcode Architects, Besix Red was convinced by the ESG commitment of the project, entirely in line with our values.

“This formula proved to be successful, and attracted the investor, BouwInvest, as well as individual buyers looking for a unique living experience and an ESG investment.”

Jan-Bert Vroege, District Administrator for the municipality of Amsterdam, added, “With the completion of Sluishuis, IJburg will have a new iconic entrance. It gives a new face to a neighborhood that is still in full development and will continue to grow in the coming years.

“We will now take on the challenge of further developing IJburg into a vibrant neighborhood for these new residents.”