Schoonschip is Amsterdam’s innovative circular neighbourhood, a community-driven project set to become a prototype for floating urban developments. It is situated in the North of Amsterdam, in the Johan van Hasseltkanaal. This neighborhood used to contain mostly industrial activity, and now is transformed into a sustainable residential area.
The project area is home for around 150 residents (46 households), on 30 arks. The process was initiated in 2010 by a group of enthusiasts set to create an energy-neutral community. The dwellings are installed with 516 solar panels, 30 heat pumps and 60 thermal panels in total.
Schoonschip is designed around a specific set of values defined by the community of residents and represents an architectural vision responsive to climate change. The project is created around a circular community model and features a smart grid of solar panels that helps residents trade energy among themselves. The development also incorporates submerged heat exchangers for heating and cooling and water treatment technologies to retrieve energy and nutrients from wastewater. Additionally, the community strives to achieve local loop closure.
Smart features of the neghborhood:
- shared mobility concept with cars, electrical bikes and electrical cargo bikes
- two sewerage systems for gray- and black water
- floating gardens and green roofs
- building materials: high standards for low environmental impact, high end insulation
- social benefits: a closely knit community that worked together in taskforces for over 10 years to realize the project by collective project development, design and maintenance
- smart devices and ICT applications to optimize yield and exchange self-generated energy
- no gas connection, smart-grid construction, one connection to the main grid.
