1. cleantech playground
A CLEANTECH UTILITY IN AMSTERDAM NORTH
FEBRUARY 2013
metaboliclab

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Version 2.1 - February 11, 2013
ISBN: 978 - 90 - 5059 - 501 - 8
Notice — For any reuse or distribution, you must make clear to others the license terms of this work. InnovatieNetwerk Report Number: 13.2.312
2 / 146

4. Reading Guide
This report consists of the following main sections: The Executive Summary describes the main fea- The Vision and Deployment Plans describe how
tures of the modeled “test case” that we used to the final system for each of the sites should work
• An Executive Summary examine the feasibility of the technical designs for and how much it will cost. The Deployment Plans
• A Process Description both the de Ceuvel and Schoonschip communi- detail which steps need to be taken over three
• A Vision and Deployment Plan for each of ties. phases to achieve this end vision.
the two urban developments (de Ceuvel
and Schoonschip) The Process Description provides a quick snap- The Appendices contain additional information on
• Appendices with additional data shot of the steps we took to achieve these final the site, rules and regulations, assumptions about
designs. site resource demand, and the initial scenarios we
developed as part of the design process.
4 / 146

5. Index
FOREWORD6 SCHOONSCHIP: VISION 60
urban plan 62
costs and time line 64
INTRODUCTION 9 final material flows 66
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 14 SCHOONSCHIP: DEPLOYMENT PLAN 68
de ceuvel 16 phase I: house construction 70
schoonschip 18 phase II: capacity expansion 82
phase III: ugrades experimentation 93
PROCESS STRATEGY 20
design process 22
system goals 24 NEXT STEPS 94
ctp toolkit 28
APPENDICES98
DE CEUVEL: VISION30 appendix a: site details 100
urban plan 32 appendix b: regulations 10
costs and time line 34 appendix c: baseline demand 112
final material flows 36 appendix d: initial concept designs 118
DE CEUVEL: DEPLOYMENT PLAN 38
phase I: boat retrofits 40 COLOFON 142
phase II: on-site construction 48
phase III : upgrades experimentation 58

6. Voorwoord InnovatieNetwerk
Een van de grote uitdagingen op het gebied van duur- ren van energie, bijvoorbeeld door faciliteiten te delen,
zaamheid is het sluiten van kringlopen. Met name in zoals wasmachines die worden gevoed met warm in
een stedelijke context is dit een hardnekkig probleem. plaats van koud water. Ook de verantwoordelijkheid
Gemeenten zamelen gescheiden afvalstromen in, par- voor de eigen voedselvoorziening vraagt om een conti-
ticulieren kiezen steeds vaker voor het opwekken van nue inspanning van bewoners en gebruikers.
eigen zonne-energie en stadslandbouwprojecten zijn
er in overvloed, maar we kunnen nog lang niet spreken De eerste locatie in Amsterdam-Noord – kantorenpark
van gesloten nutriëntenkringlopen en onafhankelijk- De Ceuvel – wordt in 2013 ingericht, hopelijk snel
heid van fossiele energie. Kunnen we kringlopen gevolgd door de drijvende woonwijk Schoonschip.
beter sluitend krijgen als we de stad gaan zien als een Beide locaties kunnen uitgroeien tot een ‘speeltuin’
natuurlijk ecosysteem? voor schone technologie en kunnen gaan dienen als
een blauwdruk voor nieuwe stedelijke ontwikkeling,
Deze vraag staat centraal in het rapport ‘Cleantech gebaseerd op de ecosysteemgedachte. Zij kunnen
Playground’, waarbij voor twee locaties in Amsterdam- daarmee een inspiratiebron vormen voor stedebouw-
Noord een plan is gemaakt om voedselproductie, kundigen, architecten en stadslandbouwprojecten die
afvalwaterzuivering en energieopwekking te combi- hun initiatief op een hoger en duurzamer plan willen
neren. De ene locatie betreft een drijvende woonwijk tillen.
(Schoonschip) en de andere – naastgelegen – locatie
een tijdelijk kantorenpark (De Ceuvel). Door op een Ger Vos
slimme manier verschillende technologieën samen te InnovatieNetwerk
voegen heeft het bedrijf Metabolic Lab een ontwerp
gemaakt dat kringlopen vergaand sluitend maakt. De
toekomstige gebruikers en bewoners van de twee
locaties zijn vanaf het begin intensief bij het ontwerp
betrokken, omdat kringlopen alleen sluitend te krijgen
zijn als bewoners en gebruikers zelf willen investeren
in duurzame technologie en als ze bereid zijn om hun
leefstijl aan te passen. Onafhankelijkheid van fossiele
energie begint immers bij het zoveel mogelijk bespa-
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7. InnovationNetwork Foreword
One of the major challenges in the field of sustainable that can take hot instead of cold water as inputs. On-
development is the closing of cycles. Especially in site food production will require continued effort and
urban contexts, linear material flows remain a per- maintenance from both residents and users.
sistent problem. Municipalities collect segregated
waste streams, individuals are increasingly opting to The first location, the office park de Ceuvel, will begin
generate their own solar energy, and urban agriculture construction in 2013, hopefully soon to be followed
projects abound, but we still cannot point to examples by the floating residential community Schoonschip.
of successfully closed nutrient cycles or true indepen- Both locations can become a “playground” for clean
dence from fossil energy. Can we be more successful technology and serve as a blueprint for new urban
at closing cycles if we start to see cities as natural development, modeled after natural ecosystems. They
ecosystems? can thus serve as a source of inspiration for urban
planners, architects, and urban agriculture projects
This question is central to the ‘Cleantech Playground’ that wish to raise the ambition and sustainability of
report, which describes a plan made for two locations their initiatives.
in Amsterdam North that combines food production,
sanitation, and energy systems. One of the sites is a Ger Vos
floating residential development (Schoonschip) and Innovation Network
the other, next door, an office park on a temporary
development site (de Ceuvel). By cleverly combining
different technologies, Metabolic Lab designed a
system that closes material cycles on both sites. The
future users and residents of both developments were
intensively involved in the design process. Their invol-
vement was essential as it is these users who will need
to invest in the sustainable technologies and be willing
to adjust their lifestyles. Achieving independence from
fossil energy starts by achieving maximum energy
savings, such as those that can be gained through the
use of shared facilities, like using washing machines

8. “By following the recommended phasing plan and achiev-
ing the technological and social targets outlined in the
Cleantech Playground plan, de Ceuvel and Schoonschip
can become among the most socially and ecologically sus-
tainable developments in the world.“
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9. INTRODUCTION
the cleantech playground
The Cleantech Playground (CTP) is a planned cleantech have many areas open for public visits where these technologies The de Ceuvel project was initiated by spacematter and
utility and demonstration ground that will be integrated will be on display for all to see and understand. Smeelearchitectuur, and the concept for the site was developed
throughout two adjacent sites in North Amsterdam: a by spacematter. De Ceuvel is a 10-year temporary development
land-based office and commercial park, de Ceuvel, and a Construction on the de Ceuvel site will begin in spring of 2013. that will feature beatifully retrofitted houseboats placed on the
water-based residential community, Schoonschip. It will The Schoonschip community does not yet have its site secured, land and surrounded by a “forbidden garden” of soil-cleaning
combine urban agriculture, small-scale renewable energy but hopes to win a tender procedure held by the municipality of plants. The architectural plan for both sites has been developed
technologies, biological water purification systems, urban Amsterdam for a property directly adjacent to de Ceuvel. by spacematter and the phytoremediation plan for the de
food production, and several other components of a healthy Ceuvel site is being developed by Delva Landscape Architects
urban metabolism to: in collaboration with the University of Ghent in Belgium. The
PROJECT BACKGROUND overall feasibility study for both projects was conducted by
›› produce food spacematter (design) and Duurzaam Drijvend Wonen (financ-
›› purify water Schoonschip and de Ceuvel are two separate community devel- es).
›› generate energy opment projects that were initiated by different, but overlapping
›› treat organic waste groups of citizens. Sustainability has been a key objective of In September 2012, Metabolic Lab received financial support
›› support cleantech RD, and both projects since their inception, with both groups requiring from InnovatieNetwerk, a program of the Dutch ministry of
›› provide education and inspiration for those wishing to all members to sign a manifesto committing them to sustainable economic affairs, to help translate the projects’ high sustainabil-
adopt decentralized and renewable technologies living and practices. ity ambitions into a concrete, implementable technical design
with a workable business case. The design process involved
This report presents Metabolic Lab’s recommendations for how Schoonschip was the initiative of Marjan de Blok who was in- close collaboration with the existing development team as well
to achieve these goals in a financially, socially, and technologi- spired by the Gewoonboot, a largely autarkic houseboat docked as regular feedback from both the Schoonschip and de Ceuvel
cally feasible manner. By following the recommended phasing in Amsterdam North, to imagine the possibility of a sustainable communities and other relevant stakeholders. Metabolic Lab
plan and achieving the targets outlined here, de Ceuvel and floating community in her home city. She soon found a group of worked closely with these groups to develop a technological
Schoonschip can become among the most socially and ecologi- citizens inspired by the same vision, and formed a foundation to plan that was consistent with the broader vision behind both
cally sustainable developments in the world. oversee the process. This now close-knit community has been developments.
working towards securing a site for the execution of the plan
Our recommendations also include ways to make the system since 2009, with many of the community’s members taking lead-
measurable and transparent; a network of sensors installed ing roles in pushing the project forward (among them, board
throughout both sites will monitor the system’s performance, members Sjoerd Dijkstra, Thomas Sykora, and Marnix van der
display this information for the community, and provide insights Pool).
for continued development. In particular, the de Ceuvel site will

10. PROJECT OUTCOMES trees that will guide users through the suitable technologi- At the end of all three deployment phases, both sites should be
cal options we have identified for the site. fully self-sufficient in renewable energy, water management,
This document summarizes the work done by the Metabolic organic waste processing, and a large part of food production.
Lab team since phase two of both projects began in September ›› A financial modeling tool that will allow users to see the
2012. Though this was officially a conceptual design and feasibil- cost and earnings profile of any selected technological mix, BLUEPRINT FOR SUSTAINABLE CITIES
ity study for the technological aspects of the plan, our goal from including upfront investment, overall costs, and payback
the start was to ensure that the design we developed would lead times. Besides aiming to exceed the targets currently set by state-of-
to a socially, technologically, and financially realistic plan within the-art ecovillages, the drive behind the CTP is to fundamentally
the contexts’ of both Schoonschip and de Ceuvel. ›› A phasing and deployment plan recommending when shift the pattern of urbanization by providing a reusable blue-
investments should be made in order to keep the project print for development. A large part of this is the goal of making
From early on in the process, we knew that a single, inflexible de- financially feasible while still reaching the highest sustain- these systems transparent and educational for visitors who wish
sign would not constitute a realistic solution for these sites. Both ability targets. to see the functioning of the system.
communities are diverse in terms of their financial means and
desired levels of hands-on involvement. Moreover, due to the ›› Recommendations for creating specific management Cities are currently consumers. They are drainage points for
nature of both projects, there remain many unknown variables structures within both communities to handle do-it- resources; river deltas of food, fuels, metals, minerals, and other
in how the development process will unfold. One of the clearest yourself (DIY) constructions and shared oversight respon- valuable materials. Despite their enormous social, cultural, and
examples of this uncertainty is the fact that the de Ceuvel site sibilities, such as system maintenance, which will continue economic value, the primary physical output of cities is waste.
will be populated with upcycled houseboats, most of which throughout the lifetime of both developments. A majority of the materials that enter are destined to become
still need to be acquired. Properly retrofitting these houseboats pollutants of some kind.
will require a plan that is specifically adapted to the quality and Taken together, these elements result in a flexible toolkit of
typology of each boat. Meanwhile, the Schoonschip community technologies than can be selected by individual home or office As urbanization continues at a fast clip, we believe it is essential
has diverse income levels and housing preferences, which can- owners based on their specific requirments, financial situations, to alter this pattern of lineral material flows by making cities
not be optimally served with a single design. To handle these and market prices for technologies at the time of construction. producers in their own right. This shift requires the adoption of
unknown variables, we have developed an overall technological new technologies, new infrastructural patterns, and changes in
framework and toolkit that includes the following elements: TEST SCENARIOS the mindsets of individuals and communities.
›› Performance targets: A set of performance targets for To make our recommendations concrete, this document pres- URBAN ECOSYSTEM
each major aspect of site construction (on the level of indi- ents a worked out test case for each site to demonstrate that
vidual buildings as well as the level of each neighborhood the toolkit yields options that are feasible even for the lowest The Cleantech Playground can be seen as an urban ecosystem
as a whole). possible range of financial flexibility. embedded into the fabric of the city. All ecosystems are made
up of a complex web of actors: plants that harvest sunlight as
›› Fixed and flexible elements: a mix of fixed technological We summarize the general plan, the anticipated system perfor- fuel, herbivores that consume the plants, carnivores and omni-
recommendations and flexible elements that can be se- mance, and estimated costs for each site. For both Schoonschip vores that consume each other, and detritivores that break down
lected by users depending on their specific preferences and and de Ceuvel, we have described the final vision of how the wastes, bringing nutrients back into a state that can be used as
financial means (similar to buying a computer or car and communities will function and relate to the suggested technolo- food by other living creatures in the system.
being able to choose preferred options and add-ons). gies. We have also included a more detailed deployment plan
for how new technologies can be adopted over time by the users Natural systems are not perfect, but they are much more ef-
›› A technology selection tool consisting of a set of decision of both areas. ficient than most current urban and industrial human systems.
10 / 146

11. DIY wind turbine
- approx 1kW
- uses inexpensive and available materials
Integrated collector system with PV
- cold water cools the panels, increasing efficiency DIY photovoltaic cells
and producing warm water. hydroponic systems
and roof gardens
dual flush toilet
to heat exchanger Jetty contains piping, cables,
and water filtration
Electricity storage possibilities
Electric vehicles small scale DIY digester systems
- peak load balancing - produces biogas
- consistent demand - harvests nutrients and heat
Battery bank storage
- inexpensive
- uses reclaimed batteries
Grid connection
- cost savings
- ensures reliability
internal grey water to
biofilter treatment

12. Above are photos of members of the Schoonschip community taken throughout the fall and winter of 2012/13 by Marnix van der Pool, one of
the community members. This close-knit group is highly committed to achieving a vision of sustainable living.
12 / 146

13. Ecosystems are made up of diverse, complementary players, PROJECT TARGETS viable within the short- to mid-term, and to be user-friendly
consuming and producing materials and energy in short cycles. enough that they represent a realistic alternative to the
They are also quite resilient to abrupt changes, like storms and We believe that the Cleantech Playground will be a success if it status quo. All of the designs and calculations for our work
modifications to the environment, because they have many exceeds the standards of existing eco-communities in at least are therefore published under a non-commercial Creative
different species fulfilling the same role and compensating for the following ways: Commons License and distributed broadly to encourage
the decline of any individual actor or species due to disease or widespread adoption.
environmental stress. ›› Achieving the highest goals for renewable resource
management (further defined in the “goals” section on
Our goal with the Cleantech Playground was to create a system pages 24 and 25). PROJECT EXECUTION
that works similarly to an ecosystem: harvesting ambient energy
and water for use on site, cycling nutrients locally, and creating ›› Exemplifying integrated design principles. We recog- Perhaps the most important measure of success, however, will
an environment that is supportive of natural biodiversity. Our nize that sustainability goes far beyond just physical re- be to see the Cleantech Playground actually built. As part of our
goal is to create a new blueprint for biobased cities, rooted in source management. The CTP should support a healthy, en- commitment to its realization, Metabolic Lab has joined the de
the strength of human community. joyable, and beautiful living environment. The technologies Ceuvel community as a stakeholder; we plan to retrofit a house-
included should work with realistic behavioral constraints boat on the site to serve as our own office. This houseboat can
and contribute to a socially cohesive environment. also potentially become a focal point for educational activities,
COMMUNITY FOCUS public site visits, and the integration of new technology pilots on
›› Providing room to experiment and to evolve over time. the de Ceuvel site.
Though much of the focus of this report is on technology, the Neighborhoods should not be created in a static vision
essential core of this new developmental blueprint is the power of what is possible right now: they should be designed to We believe this project offers an opportunity to implement a
of community. Without trusting communities of individuals who improve and grow over time. It should be possible to up- working system of environmental technologies and community
hold shared values and are willing to work together to build a grade to newer and better functioning technologies as they practices that can inspire the rest of the world to imagine what is
greater whole, the kind of urban development we describe is become available on the market. The site should also be possible. It shows how inexpensive, beautiful, and comfortable
not possible. People make up the most important part of this a testing ground for small-scale technology pilots that can the path of a sustainable lifestyle can be if we choose not to walk
cleantech ecosystem. They become essentially linked to one become more broadly adopted if they are successful. it alone.
another in caring for their local resources, trading energy, pro-
ducing shared crops of food. This is not a retrograde approach ›› Inspiring and educating. The implemented technologies
hearkening us back to pre-modern lifestyles. Rather, it is a big should be made visible and their functionalities explained.
step forward, where technology is used to assist in making con- The site should be at least partly accessible to parties
nections between people, facilitating the transfer of knowledge, wishing to learn about this kind of development approach.
easing the burden of work, and increasing the comfort and joy Data on the system’s performance should be collected via
of living. At both sites we have designed for the preservation of an integrated IT system and used both in user feedback
modern comforts to as great an extent possible. mechanisms as well as recommendations for policy devel-
opment.
Fundamentally, however the willingness of individuals to
cooperate with one another, work together, share, and trust one ›› Replicability. Though pioneering projects can sometimes
another is the cornerstone of the success of these endeavors. require an extra boost to get off the ground, we want the
fundamental approaches used in the CTP to be financially

14. cleantech
playground
executive summary
14 / 146

15. The Cleantech Playground spans two The test case we have worked out for both sites, summa- sential functions on both sites, though some have been
linked, but quite different development rized on the next two pages, will achieve extremely high recombined in unique ways (for example, the custom-de-
sustainability performance on both sites with a compara- signed waste processing system we have recommended
sites in Amsterdam: land-based office
tively minimal investment. One of the key challenges to on both sites; see pages 51 - 53).
park de Ceuvel, and floating residential overcome was the limited budget of the whole de Ceuvel
community, Schoonschip. project and the financial variation among the members PHASED DEVELOPMENT PLAN
of the Schoonschip community. To cut the costs of our
Here we provide a quick snapshot of the proposed technological system, we have used two ap- To reduce the total amount of up-front investment,
proaches: a focus on “do-it-yourself” (DIY) and low-tech we have recommended three phases of technological
two projects and the performance of
solutions, and a phased development plan which spreads deployment for both de Ceuvel and Schoonschip. For
both sites if the test scenarios detailed in investment over time. both developments, the first phase focuses on essential
this report are fully applied. Both the de infrastructure, the second phase on power genera-
Ceuvel and the Schoonschip communities “DIY” FOCUS tion and food production, and the third phase on the
have very high ambitions for sustainabil- continued addition of technologies over time to keep the
The DIY approach requires more labor from individual system up to date and evolving as technologies become
ity, with the Schoonschip group express-
house owners and higher personal risk, but can achieve less expensive and improve.
ing an even more pronounced desire for a the desired ambitions for self-sufficiency at around a
sustainable and self-sufficient lifestyle. third of the price that would otherwise be possible. We
have recommended only proven technologies for es-

16. de ceuvel
executive summary
DE CEUVEL
De Ceuvel is a planned workplace for creative and social
enterprises adjacent to a canal off the river IJ in northern
Amsterdam. The land was secured for a 10-year lease in 2012.
The formerly industrial plot has heavily polluted soils that will
be treated with a phytoremediation garden (“The Forbidden
Garden”) designed by Delva Landscape Architects in collabo-
ration with the University of Ghent. Scattered throughout the
plot will be reclaimed and retroffitted houseboats that will
house offices, ateliers, and workshops. The de Ceuvel site will
also have some public functions including a teahouse and bed
and breakfast.
STRATEGY AND ACTIVITIES
The de Ceuvel development strategy we recommend takes
place over three phases.
In the first phase of the de Ceuvel deployment plan, the boats
will be retrofitted off-site to a very high level of eco-efficiency.
The focus is primarily on basic repairs, insulation, and the instal-
lation of a solar heating system. The main goal of this phase is
to achieve sufficient insulation and renewable heating capacity
to eliminate the need for a gas connection. Secondary goals in-
clude installing a rainwater collection system, dry toilets for sani-
© 2012 spacematter
tation, and integrating ecological elements such as green roofs
into the boat structures. We will work together with architects
spacematter to ensure that the boats are retrofitted to a high
level of architectural quality. The materials budget for phase one
Above is an artist’s impression of the de Ceuvel site once the buildings and walkways are constructed. The site design and image were made is capped at a strict limit of 5.000 € per boat. To keep to this bud-
by architecture firm spacematter, one of the initiators of the de Ceuvel project and the developer of the concept. get, a lot of creativity will be required to scavenge free and cheap
16 / 146

17. materials and adapt the plan during the retrofit process. main flexible and continue to evolve. The site can serve as a pilot FINAL TARGETS ACHIEVED (HIGHLIGHTS):
space for decentralized, renewable technologies. If the associa-
In phase two, the boats will be placed on the site, the phytore- tion managing the site is able to generate profits from festivals,
mediation garden will be planted, and the communal infra- educational activities, and other planned sources of income, ›› 100% renewable heat and hot water supply
structure will be built. A central feature of the technology plan these can partially be re-invested in the continued development ›› 100% renewable electricity
in this phase is the construction of the D-SARR system, a waste of the plan. ›› 100% wastewater and organic waste treatment
treatment and resource recovery unit that will serve the entire ›› 100% water self-sufficiency
de Ceuvel site, producing biogas and harvesting nutrients for FINAL SYSTEM PERFORMANCE ›› 60 - 80% nutrient recovery
on-site use. Additionally, urban food production and floating ›› 50 - 70% reduction in electricity demand over
gardens will be deployed during this stage. Electric power gen- The de Ceuvel development plan has the following key fea- conventional offices
eration capacity will also be installed in this phase if sufficient tures: ›› 10 - 30% vegetable fruit production using lo-
funding is acquired. If not, this step will be pushed to phase cally recovered nutrients
three. A site-wide IT system will show live feeds of all resources ›› “Featherlight” footprint: infrastructure on site will be ›› sensor network and real-time system perfor-
used and produced on site to give users feedback about their minimized, with the objective of all boats only having a con- mance displays
behavior and showcase the performance of these technolo- nection to the electric grid, but no other utility demands. As
gies for visitors to the area. This IT platform will also serve as a largely autarkic elements, the boats will be able to leave the
collection point for information on monitoring biodiversity, and site after ten years without leaving much of a trace.
sharing resources (such as cars or tools) among site users. The
total estimated costs of phase two development are 10.000 € per ›› Regenerative development: the phytoremediation plan
boat. and biodiverisity measures will result in a cleaner and more
biodiverse area than at the start of the project.
By 2014, once the two first development phases of the de Ceuvel
site have been completed, the houseboats on the de Ceuvel site ›› Fast return on investment: using a DIY approach and re-
should be fully self-sufficient in renewable heat and electricity cycled materials, return on investment is possible in under
supply, water collection and upgrading, and 50 - 70% lower five years for all recommended interventions.
electricity demand than a conventional office building. The
buildings themselves will not only be highly eco-efficient, but ›› Closed material cycles: reuse of nutrients and energy on
also designed in a variety of architectural styles with creative site.
exterior finishing.
›› Evolving technology landscape: continual improvement
In phase three of the development, which spans the remaining of system performance by adopting new technologies as Greenhouses 250 sqm DESAR organic waste treatment 110 sqm
Green roof terraces 600 sqm Reedbed filtration 200 sqm (1,4 sqm/person)
period of the ten year lease, the technological plan should re- they become avaiable and affordable. Greenhouses
Solar heat collectors
250 sqm
80 sqm (5 sqm / house)
DESAR organic waste treatment
Food production
110 sqm
300 sqm
Green roof terraces 600 sqm Reedbed filtration 200 sqm (1,4 sqm/person)
Solar PV cells 160 sqm (10 sqm / house) Ecosystem elements 1.500 sqm
Solar heat collectors 80 sqm (5 sqm / house) Food production 300 sqm
Solar PV cells 160 sqm (10 sqm / house) Ecosystem elements 1.500 sqm

18. schoonschip
executive summary
SCHOONSCHIP
The Schoonschip project is a prospective floating residential
community of 30 houseboats (a total of ~48 households) to
be built over the coming two and a half years, where people
with diverse incomes can live together with shared values.
The group focuses on sustainable living, which is partially
achieved through building a strong community. This water-
based site will be built surrounding five piers, each of which
will have 5 - 6 buildings, most of which will be shared by
multiple households. In between these piers is space for addi-
tional program like gardens or a swimming pool. The commu-
nity will determine what they would like to build and invest in
over time, and jointly finance these projects in later phases of
construction.
STRATEGY AND ACTIVITIES
The Schoonschip technological development strategy we
have recommended takes place over three phases and must
match the financial phasing and communal investment in the
overall construction of the site.
To limit the risk of investment in communal infrastructure such
as the piers in between the boats, the Schoonship site will be
constructed one pier at a time. Because of this construction
© 2012 spacematter
pattern, we have also recommended the centralization of certain
technological functions on the level of each pier. Some of the
recommended technologies in our plan, such as urine separat-
ing toilets, are fixed. Others, such as the degree of insulation for
Above is an artist’s impression of the Schoonschip site once the full plan is completed, which will take an estimated three years from the start of each home’s building envelope, are flexible. In the test case de-
the development. The site design and image were made by architecture firm spacematter. scribed throughout this report, we have used the passive house
standard of insulation. However, this is by no means a require-
18 / 146

19. ment. Home owners will be able to select other options as long gardens, playgrounds, pools, food processing and storage, FINAL TARGETS ACHIEVED (HIGHLIGHTS):
as the recommended performance targets are met. and other elements will increase community interaction
and facilitate resource sharing.
Phase one includes the construction of the passive and active ›› 100% renewable heat and hot water supply
heating system, water collection and ugrading, wastewater and ›› Demand side management: The success of the plan will ›› 100% renewable electricity
organic waste treatment, green roofs and greenhouses, and partly be achieved through strong demand-side manage- ›› 100% wastewater and organic waste treatment
some of the communal gardens. In this phase we also recom- ment approaches which will limit overall resource demand. ›› 100% water self-sufficiency
mend the construction of the communal laundry facility, com- ›› 60 - 80% nutrient recovery
bined with greenhouse, kitchen, and play area. This facility will ›› Heat and nutrient cascades and closed material cycles: ›› 50 - 70% reduction in electricity demand over
allow for approximately 20% reduction in domestic electricity reuse of nutrients and energy on site, cascading of heat conventional households
use by employing laundry machines that can use hot water as a from waste sources for reuse in other functions (from green- ›› 60 - 80% vegetable fruit production using lo-
direct input and using this hot water to heat the community pool houses to the community pool). cally recovered nutrients
(to be built in phase two) via a heat exchanger. ›› sensor network and real-time system perfor-
›› Evolving technology landscape: continual improvement mance displays
Phase two includes the addition of solar electricity and poten- of system performance by adopting new technologies as
tially other power generation equipment such as a gassifer. In they become avaiable and affordable.
3m
this phase, additional communal areas will also be built, some
of which, such as a community managed bed and breakfast,
can also generate profit for future investments. The urban food
24 m
24 m
26 m
32 m
production plan comes into full development at this stage, with
31 m
44 m
collective harvesting,management,and processing of various
26 31 m
food types in a collective area. 10 m
m
30 m
m 23
m
m
5m
20
24
15 m
34 m
In phase three of the development, the technological plan
should remain flexible and continue to evolve. The site can serve
218 m
as a pilot space for decentralized, renewable technologies.
Green roof + solar infrastructure 1.155 sqm DESAR organic waste treatment 110 sqm (22 sqm /pier)
FINAL SYSTEM PERFORMANCE Greenhouses 490 sqm Reedbed filtration 600 sqm (1,4 sqm/person)
Green roof terraces 741 sqm Vertical food production 300 sqm
The Schoonschip development plan has the following key Vertical ecosystem 220 sqm
Solar heat collectors 384 sqm (8 sqm / house)
features: Pool and sauna 250 sqm
HOUSE BOATS: 6300 sqm (30)
Solar PV cells 480 sqm (10 sqm / house) JETTY: 1635 sqm
Play area 60 sqm
Outdoor food production 180 sqm
›› Communal facilities: shared laundry facilities, kitchens,
Food processing storage 120 sqm

20. cleantech
playground
process ^ strategy

21. PROCESS STRATEGY
Designing a complete ecosystem of technologies for the Cleantech The final result of our work is a framework for further decision making
Playground was a complex process with many iterative steps. that will lead to a customized mix of technologies and practices that
will make these neighborhoods largely resource self-sufficient and
Here we briefly describe our design approach and how we came to the adaptive over time.
final decisions represented in this report. These solutions are not ideal
or recommended for every situation, but rather, have been adapted to In this section we describe some of the tools we have developed to
this particular context, the desires of the communities and stakehold- guide this further decision-making process. We focus specifically on
ers involved, and the financial constraints of both communities. the technology selection tool and the financial modeling tool. It is on
the basis of these tools that we have modeled the test case scenarios
This quick snapshot gives insight into how we arrived at certain key detailed further in the document.
decisions and why certain tradeoffs were made.

22. DESIGN PROCESS
Metabolic Lab is a sustainable design company that takes a parallel trajectories to help us collect the necessary information and is by now ubiquitously used to generate clean energy. Other
systemic and iterative approach to urban and agricultural for the complete design process: a community and stakeholder technologies, such as waste digestion, gasification, and local
development. We work on applied projects, making it essen- engagement path, and a technical design process. These two food production, have more complicated regulatory hurdles.
tial to integrate the users and address practical challenges approaches were used to clarify community preferences, receive
throughout the process. From the start of the Cleantech advice from external experts, and test proposed systems against Based on precedent research, Metabolic Lab catalogued regula-
Playground project in October 2012, Metabolic Lab actively technical parameters. tory concerns and what they meant for the Cleantech Play-
engaged community stakeholders, utilities, knowledge ground in initial design phases. Nevertheless, new regulatory
institutes, technology partners, and other relevant groups in COMMUNITY AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT questions arose throughout the iterative process as we incorpo-
a high-input design process. rated community interests and the contextual challenges of the
De Ceuvel and Schoonschip are separate but connected com- sites themselves.
De Ceuvel and Schoonschip have unique contextual consider- munities, both of which have existed since 2009. Both communi-
ations. The entire Buiksloterham region, where both sites are ties require all members to sign a manifesto committing them to
located, is highly polluted with industrial wastes. For de Ceuvel a sustainable lifestyle.
this is of particular concern because no digging can be done on
site. There are differing levels of commitment to sustainability Metabolic Lab joined the De Ceuvel vereniging (association), be-
between and among the De Ceuvel and Schoonschip communi- coming a stakeholder in the process and part of one of the com-
ties. The Schoonschip community is a more cohesive, residential munities involved in the Cleantech Playground. As a member
group with a stronger commitment to sustainable living. The de of the association, we participated in monthly meetings and in
Ceuvel group formed more recently and is still evolving. These sub-teams for the site’s development. We met at least bi-montly
and other legal, financial, and environmental particularities of with the Schoonschip management team as they also oversaw
the case impacted our design objectives. More details on the site the development process for the Schoonschip tender. We met
location can be found in Appendix A. with both communities as a group in October, December, and
January.
Our design process began with defining shared performance
goals for both sites (these are listed on the pages 24 and 25 of We worked with public utilities and government agencies to
this document). Once the initial set of goals was established, we understand their potential interests in decentralized technology
followed several design process loops. as pilot opportunities for research. We reached out to agencies
responsible for different regulatory aspects of the sites, including
Our first step was to scan for as many technological solutions as the water authorities and the local government, to gain a clear
possible by examining the latest eco-community designs and understanding of the regulatory process, detailed further in Ap-
augmenting our existing database of clean technologies with pendix B. Clean technologies providing resource self-sufficiency
the latest published breakthroughs. We used this technology are innovating faster than governments’ ability to regulate them.
database as a starting point to create a tangible pallette of op- For some technologies, like solar PV, regulatory issues are clear;
tions to work with. With this information in hand, set off on two the technology has been available on the market for decades
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24. CTP SYSTEM GOALS
GOALS USING ELSIA FRAMEWORK
›› Optimized transportation access; re-
At the start of the design process for the Cleantech Play- ›› Maximum reduction of energy and duction of systemic transport demand
ground, we established a set of performance goals that we material resource demand through through information sharing tools
wanted the final technological plan to uphold. implementation of best practices and
highest efficiency technologies ›› Feedback systems should be incorpo-
These goals were formulated using the ELSIA framework, rated into the design to provide users
which is most simply understood as an alternative to the ›› 100% renewable electricity supply with information on their own energy
traditional People, Planet, Profit division. It recognizes an usage patterns
implicit hierarchy in areas of concern: energy and materi- ›› 100% renewable heat supply
als, ecosystems and species, culture and economy, and
health and happiness. ›› Smart energy systems for local load
balancing and optimized day cycle
The functional foundation of any system is its physical uses
performance in terms of energy and material use. Misusing
resources in these category has consequences throughout ›› Self sufficiency in food production
the more complex ranks of the system above, beginning ENERGY for all food types that can be feasibly ENERGY
wtih ecosystems and species. System complexity continues MATERIALS produced in the local area MATERIALS
to increase towards the “health and happiness” category.
There is an implicit dependency between each set of goals, ›› 100% recycling collection capacity for
with all of them aiming towards high ultimate performance recyclable materials
on human health and happiness.
›› 100% sustainably sourced materials
Throughout the iterative design process, we continuously
checked whether our recommendations would satisfy the ›› 100% reusable and recyclable con-
initial performance goals outlined on this page. structions and materials
›› 100% water self-sufficiency (excluding
potable water for legal reasons)
›› Greywater recycling
›› Nutrient recovery from wastewater
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25. ›› Beneficial impact on existing ecosys- ›› The system design should incorporate
tems: focus on not only conserving an intelligent governance model, ›› A healthy safe and enjoyable environ-
existing value, but regenerating eco- which insures appropriate manage- ment to work and live in
logical quality where possible ment
›› No use of toxic chemicals or materials
›› Regenerative treatment of local soil ›› The system is financially viable within that may pose a threat to human or
and water a short to mid-range time horizon ecosystem healthy
›› High on-site biological diversity ›› Provides high levels of self sufficiency ›› Aesthetically pleasing in outside ap-
and fossil fuel independence for pearance, enriching landscape quality
›› Preservation of existing species habi- residents
tats and migration corridors ›› Design for social cohesion and com-
›› Engages the broader community be- munity interation
›› Consider animal welfare a top priority yond the immediate development site
ECOSYS- within all agricultural production CULTURE ›› A highly resource efficient and
TEMS systems ECONOMY ›› It provides opportunities for functions HEALTH comfortable living environment that
SPECIES in addition to basic utility provision. HAPPINESS achieves all performance objectives
These functions could include: educa- without compromising fundamental
tion, tourism, social uses, product quality of life
processing and sales (particularly food
products), etc.

26. TECHNICAL DESIGN PROCESS test case scenarios for review. From these midterm designs, we The system designs presented in this report do not reflect an
received feedback from the communities and a selection of engi- optimal level of technological decentralization. Rather, because
On October 31st and November 1st, 2012, Metabolic Lab hosted neers from different backgrounds. This informed our final design the main focus of this project is to illustrate what is possible
a technical design workshop for the Cleantech Playground, decisions and our approach of creating flexible tools in addition even within severe financial constraints, our primary drivers for
which was attended by our core team and a number of domain to design recommendations. technological selection in this regard were the expressed desire
experts. of the community to be self sufficient and the financial invest-
Early in the design process, we contacted hundreds of technol- ment capacity of both communities.
During this workshop, we explored three conceptual approaches ogy providers in order to understand the specifications of prod-
for how the CTP system could work. These scenarios were con- ucts offered by cleantech companies, which products at what
ceived of as thought experiments to test the range of potential performance were in development, and how companies would
technologies and edge conditions that we may encounter. They like to be involved in projects like the Cleantech Playground.
are further documented and described in Appendix D of this Thus far, potential technology partners have been interested in
document. the opportunities embedded in the project and have been re-
ceptive to providing technology in-kind in exchange for visibility
The scenarios were: and ongoing research.
›› Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Scenario: explores what can be TECHNOLOGICAL SCALE
achieved with minimal funding, repurposed materials, and
a high level of community participation for both construc- Within the sustainability field, there is a debate about the opti-
tion and management of the CTP. mal scale and degree of centralization of technologies for energy
generation, waste processing, and other resource management.
›› Proven Technology Scenario: evaluates how commer- There is a tradeoff between the costs and materials required for
cially available systems can be recombined to provide the decentralization and the flexibility and responsiveness of the
targeted needs of the CTP. system.
›› Fantasy Technology Scenario: imagines how to incor- It is possible to develop an algorithm for determining the
porate developing and new technologies into the CTP optimal level of technological decentralization by factoring in
and how to reasonably push the boundaries of current stan- parameters such as: the occurance of a resource (spatial density
dards in cleantech. and abundance), the cost of the technology required to process
that resource until it is useful, the material impacts of the pro-
Using and adding to a clean technology database we had cessing technology (represented sometimes in proxy by cost),
developed over the summer of 2012, we created cleantech cards the cost of transport, and the density of demand / consumption
showing inputs, outputs, and key information about individual of that resource. These variables are constantly in flux, so the
technologies. We used these cards and their data to visually answer to how centralized or decentralized should optimally be
model different technological systems. From modeling these is also contantly changing.
systems with internal and external experts, we designed three
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