First Living Places prototype in the Netherlands opens

 

Today, the first Living Places prototype outside of Denmark, the Smûk house, opens its doors in Dokkum, Friesland in the Netherlands. Her Majesty Queen Máxima, Princess of the Netherlands visited the Smûk house as one of the first guests. The prototype is built by the Dutch house builder, Bouwgroep Dijkstra Draisma (BGDD), who entered a partner agreement on the Living Places concept with the VELUX Group in 2023. 

 

 

The Netherlands face enormous challenges in the built environment that is dominated by a significant housing shortage, houses being built with four times the recommended CO2-footprint [1], and homes becoming increasingly complex and less comfortable for users. The Smûk house is an example of how to address these challenges as it showcases a house based on the Living Places concept that is affordable to build, healthier to live in, and with a minimal CO2-footprint.

 

 

CEO of Bouwgroep Dijkstra Draisma, Biense Dijkstra, says: “In the construction sector, we have an enormous responsibility, and the urgency is becoming increasingly clear. We are actively innovating in many more areas than just buildings. Smûk ensures a healthy indoor climate with plenty of daylight, an increased use of natural ventilation, and a pleasant temperature both in summer and winter. This is achieved through a different way of designing, demand-controlled natural ventilation, and the use of biobased materials.”

 

 

The built environment is responsible for 38% of all Dutch CO2 emissions with 27% of these coming from energy use during the building's lifecycle and 11% from emissions during the production of building materials [2]. These numbers underline the urgency of transforming the building industry by applying new construction methods and ways of thinking.

 

 

"With the Living Places concept, we offer a recipe for building houses that benefit both people and planet; we ally with pioneering partners to accelerate the transition towards a more sustainable building industry. Based on Living Places principles, our partners can offer homes that are attractive, affordable and enhance the wellbeing of the people living and working in them. We are very excited to see the principles applied in the Smûk house and look forward to following Bouwgroep Dijkstra Draisma on their continued journey of transforming the built environment in the Netherlands," says Lars Petersson, CEO at the VELUX Group. 

 

 

 

A new way forward for Dutch housing

 

Although the Smûk house offers higher comfort, and is affordable to build, it still faces challenges in Dutch legislation to actually be built as an alternative to the current housing tradition. From environmental plans and installations to visible beam constructions, there are challenges to overcome in urban planning and to achieve  permits.

 

 

“With the launch of the Smûk house, we want to show that things can already be done differently. Biobased buildings require a different perspective. If we want to build healthy, CO2-negative homes affordably and at scale, we must take steps now to achieve that,” says Biense Dijkstra.

 

 

BGDD is known for its innovative approach and collaborates with local farmers to grow biobased insulation materials, such as hemp and flax. Additionally, peat meadow areas are flooded to cultivate cattail and miscanthus. This not only reduces CO2 emissions but also produces circular materials for construction. 

 

 

The Smûk house was unveiled on Thursday, September 19, at the construction company's site in Dokkum, Friesland where over 350 customers, policymakers, and partners participated in a large event that focused on inspiring, connecting and setting new standards by presenting the Smûk house; a new way of building low-carbon houses that are affordable and healthy. Her Majesty Queen Máxima, Princess of the Netherlands, Director General from the ministry of Housing and Spatial planning mr. C. Kuijpers, King’s commissioner from the province of Fryslân mr. A. Brok and Mayor from the municipality of Noard-East mr. J. Kramer were also present at the event.

 

[1]Coppe8: Woningbouw binnen planetaire grenzen

[2] Dutch Green Building Council (DGBC); Whole life carbon

 

 

 

For more information, please contact

 

Geartsje Weidenaar, Marketing & Communications at Bouwgroep Dijkstra Draisma:
g.weidenaar@bgdd.nl or +31 519 22 99 99 99 

 

Christine Boeriis Dannisøe, Senior Global Media Relations Manager at the VELUX Group
Christine.dannisoee@velux.com or +45 28978072