EcoCentre

Download the (dutch) EcoCentre Brochure here.

An international investigation done by Jones Lang LaSalle has shown clearly that only 70% of the businesses consider sustainable housing to be a matter of urgency, despite the economic malaise (December 2008). The One Planet Foundation would also like to establish itself in sustainable premises. Our present office is situated on Stationsplein in Amersfoort, but this building, property of VROM, is old and closed to redevelopment. VROM, the Civil/ Government Building Services, the community of Amersfoort and Essent are interested in the ambition One Planet has to redevelop the present building as a prototype of sustainable CO²-neutral multifunctional housing; the EcoCentre Amersfoort. Together with TiasNimbas, architect Tjerk Rijenga and others One Planet is at present looking into the business matter of an EcoCentre where it will have to become clear whether buying and the added costs of redevelopment could be covered within a few years by letting the rebuilt space.

The EcoCentre will offer space to public and social organisations and any function in the service of sustainability. In this respect one thinks, for example, of an information centre, a sustainable media library, exhibition and project spaces and an auditorium. The rest of the multifunctional and flexible spaces will be rented commercially to organisations and businesses with a green heart. The intention is to gather a wide variety of partners under one roof so that ‘people planet profit’ could be brought to the market in full strength.

The structure will be lively, bright, green and people-friendly and the entire building will be energy-neutral. This will be the antithesis to the bare, rectangular, monoculture and dead-after-5-o’clock architecture currently around it. The premises lie in the geographic centre of the Netherlands and are easily accessible by public transport. Amsterdam is only 35 minutes away by train and Utrecht 15 minutes. One Planet has asked Phil Jonckheer, an experienced developer of commercial real estate, to advise and guide them with the redevelopment of the project EcoCentre.

Contact:
phil.jonckheer@oneplanet.org