Bouwhuis in Zoetermeer becomes large-scale testing ground for healthy indoor climate

After the successful launch of the Fieldlab Binnenklimaat Label in the Bouwhuis, the initiative will be further extended to the entire building in Zoetermeer. With this, the Fieldlab will grow into a unique practical environment where indoor climate is measured, analysed and optimised on a larger scale - with the aim of healthy and comfortable workplaces for all building users.

The Bouwhuis, which includes several organisations from the construction and engineering sector, also serves as a clubhouse for a variety of companies and organisations in Zoetermeer, providing an ideal setting to test and further develop the Indoor Climate Label in practice. The Fieldlab previously started at FME, one of the tenants in the Bouwhuis, where two floors are monitored. The first step in further expansion has now been taken: the meeting centre has been fitted with sensors from technology partner Cobra Climate. In the coming period, the other floors within the Bouwhuis will also follow, with these being completed by various technology partners. This will provide an increasingly complete picture of how different workplaces and usage situations affect the indoor climate and well-being of users.

The Fieldlab is a collaboration between Binnenklimaat Nederland, Kenniscentrum Binnenklimaattechniek, Bouwhuis Zoetermeer and technology partners involved. Using smart sensor technology, data are continuously collected on air quality, temperature, light and noise, among other things. These insights form the basis for further optimisation and innovation.

According to Debby Kouwenhoven, director of Bouwhuis Foundation, the extension fits seamlessly with the ambitions of the building: “This extension is fully in line with the vision of the Bouwhuis. We want to offer an environment where healthy and comfortable working is central, but also where meeting and networking play an important role in our conference centre. By applying the Fieldlab more widely in the building, we make this not only measurable, but also concrete and visible for all users.”

Remi Hompe, director of Indoor climate Netherlands, emphasises the unique position of the Bouwhuis: “Because the Bouwhuis houses many sector organisations, it is the place where knowledge, practice and cooperation come together. Precisely in that context, the Bouwhuis is an ideal test environment for new building technologies and innovations in the field of a healthy indoor climate.”

Also Patrick de Ridder from Cobra Climate sees this step as a logical development: “We have been monitoring buildings for years. Joining as a technology partner of the Indoor Climate Label is a logical next step for us to secure and monitor indoor climate in a validated and qualitative way.”

With this next step, the parties involved underline the importance of a healthy indoor climate as a precondition for proper functioning, productivity and well-being. The Bouwhuis is thus developing into a leading example location where innovation, cooperation and practical experience come together.