SUSTAINABILITY
SUSTAINABILITY NEWS
A greener Zuidas
It’s no secret anymore that green spaces are vital to the quality of urban living. Plants help purify the air, soak up rainwater, keep the city cool and offer homes for birds and insects. And that’s to say nothing of the effects plants have on people! In urban environments like Amsterdam’s Zuidas, there’s less room for planting, so it’s important to green other parts of the district too. GREEN ROOFS One place with tonnes of potential space is Zuidas’ rooftops – offering as much as 180,000m2! Green Business Club Zuidas, Waternet and the Zuidas Amsterdam Development Office have a shared ambition to install 25,000m2 in water-retaining green rooftops in the district. With about 30% covered so far, there are still quite a few square metres left to go. That’s why GBC Zuidas, Loyens & Loeff, Waternet, the Zuidas Amsterdam Development Office and DGBC last year organized a dinner for property owners, developers and managers to tell them about the benefits of green roofing. Interested in joining the Green Roof Diner of 2021? Please let us know: zuidas@greenbusinessclub.nl. The City of Amsterdam and Waternet have also agreed on incorporating water-retaining green roofs in area development plans, in the form of water-neutral and wildlife-inclusive building envelopes. This has already led to the inclusion of green rooftops on many buildings, including VU Amsterdam’s new research building, the EMA building and The George.
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