The Edge building is located in Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, and has been described by many experts as the most sustainable building on the planet, earning the highest score ever recorded by BREEAM thanks to the use of innovative technologies.
The Edge building features a an area of 40,000 square meters and received the Highest score ever recorded by BREEAM: 98.36 %, creating an entirely new work environment.
The building's orientation is no accident; it is designed to allow for make the most of natural sunlight, reducing the use of artificial light. About 130 meters deep (underground) the building has a aquifer for thermal energy storage.
The building features, on its upper level and on its south-facing facade, solar panels which generate the electricity needed to power the building. The north-facing wall of The Edge building features a thicker glass to prevent noise from a highway from disturbing workers.
For a better energy savings, the building uses Powered Ethernet (PoE) connected to the lighting system, thereby allowing employees to use their phones to adjust the temperature and lighting in their workspaces. The Edge was the first office building to use this system.
In addition, since users' phones are connected to this smart building, they are kept informed of their energy consumption and other relevant information, such as, for example, parking spaces or available workstations.
The Rainwater is reused for watering terraces and other green spaces in the building, and it is also used in toilets and for heating.
Video of interest:
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