Climate Responsive Spijkerkwartier - This cover
This project proposes to cover larger portions of the neighbourhood’s courtyards and streetscapes with conservatories and pergola constructions that bear panels to generate electricity from solar energy and/or additional plant covers. The photovoltaic panels on the conservatory constructions not only collect solar energy but also cast shade. The plant covers provide shade and cool the environment through evapotranspiration.
The paving of streetscapes is radically reduced to minimize heat accumulation, offering space for bioswales. These are also connected to larger raingardens and can significantly reduce the flooding problem of the Spijkerkwartier. Cars are banned from the ‘green streets’ in the neighbourhood, parked in the fringes of the neighbourhood or are replaced by self-driving ‘on-demand’ cars.
The interventions to collect solar energy (photovoltaic and solar boilers) can provide 37% of the total energy demand in 2050. Outdoor spaces will become more thermally comfortable through the shading of the different cover types and the rigorous greening of streetscapes. In the areas with open covers the physical equivalent temperature on hot summer days will be lowered with about 5 ºC during the day and 2.5 ºC at night. In the courtyards with closed covers the changes are negligible.
Read more on the sub-projects: Dressed in green, Crystalhood, Linear power and Energy canopy.