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To catch a glimpse of the office of the future, check out The Edge in Amsterdam, a sustainable building that is not only a really inviting place to work, but also setting a new global benchmark for connected, energy-efficient office buildings.
I’ve had the privilege to see The Edge first-hand, but if you don’t have plans to visit Amsterdam just now, that’s OK. We’ve got the next best thing: a video that will give you an overview of the sustainable building and pique your interest in what’s possible with effective building design, technology and management.
The Edge in Amsterdam is the world’s most sustainable office building.Opened last year, The Edge is a 430,000 ft2 (40,000 m2) office building that is recognized as the most sustainable office building in the world. Indeed, the building earned the highest score ever awarded by the Building Research Establishment (BRE) – 98.36% – as well as a BREEAM NL New Construction certification of “Outstanding.”
Technically, operationally and aesthetically appealing
Outstanding is the perfect word to describe The Edge, which is home to Deloitte Netherlands, the primary tenant. The building is a marvel to look at: a nearly all glass structure designed in a U-shape around a bright 15-story atrium that ensures every office space is inundated with natural light. The Edge is a comprehensive array of building engineering and energy efficiency ecosystems enhanced by powerful IoT connectivity. It’s also a marvel of sustainable technologies coming together to create an environment that is efficient to operate while offering the utmost in comfort and convenience for its occupants.
Mobile app enhances employee comfort and productivity
Just one example of how IoT is leveraged in The Edge is an app on employees’ smartphones that, among many other functions, is used to regulate lighting and climate in their individual workspaces. This convenience is much appreciated because there are no assigned desks at The Edge, which promotes a flexible and creative environment. Based on employees’ daily goals and tasks, they can settle in at a regular work station or in a quiet conference room, or collaborate in working groups on a terrace overlooking the atrium. The app even helps them make their way around the building, such as finding a conference room they’ve never been to.
The app is also helping make the building smarter and more optimized because it collects and analyses data based on users’ habits and behaviors as they move throughout the facility. The building-wide data is collected, monitored and optimized with SmartStruxure™ solution building management system. This innovation not only saves money on energy costs, but also provides information and data analytics about how the building is operating and used so additional enhancements can be made as needed.
A net-zero energy building
Additionally, The Edge is a net-zero energy building, generating all the energy it needs with approximately 45,000 f2 (4,200 m2) of solar panels. In addition to solar, aquifer thermal energy storage is used to heat and cool the building, with wells some 425 feet below ground. Even rainwater is harvested and used for non-potable purposes in the restrooms.
Do you work in a sustainable building? Let us know! In the meantime, learn more about The Edge in this video and read the case study. You’ll be looking at the future. And for an even deeper dive, watch this presentation on The Edge made at the Green Buildings Conference in Prague last year.
