Sustainability

Sustainable Event Location

As a reward for the many sustainable adjustments in recent years, the Meervaart has received the BREEAM-NL In-Use certificate 'Very Good'.We are very proud to call ourselves a sustainable event location and theater, with this (internationally) recognized standard. Click here for more information about BREEAM and the sustainable Amsterdam cultural sector.

Energy-saving measures such as replacing heating boilers and lighting with energy-efficient options and installing 300 solar panels have resulted in a major gain in energy consumption.

The result is 20% less CO2 emissions and Energy Label A.

How do we get to these results: 

• use less gas, electricity and water
• generating our own energy 
• recovering energy

How do we manage to do this: 

• To save gas, we have installed new heating boilers and thoroughly insulated the underlying installations
• Many fluorescent fixtures throughout the building have been replaced by LED tubes
• The halogen hall light in the theater halls has been replaced by LED hall light
• We used these LED adjustments to have the lighting in the public foyers redesigned by lighting designer Coen van der Hoeven. Almost all incandescent and halogen lamps have been replaced by LED lighting
• Major adjustments have been made to the air treatment systems of the theater halls. Moving and heating or cooling air is a huge energy expense. A smart control has been added and we now use the warm air that would otherwise be blown away via heat exchangers (twin coil).
• Lighting and air conditioning are also being worked on in the areas of our tenants, the Music School and the Library.
• Solar panels: we have installed 300 solar panels on the roof, with which we generate electricity ourselves

 

What does that achieve?

Compared to years before the sustainable adjustments, power consumption has decreased by 170,000 kWh. That is equivalent to the annual consumption of about 50 households.

The 300 solar panels on our roof have generated more than 70,000 kWh. This means that 100,000 kWh savings can be attributed to the transition to LED lighting, adjustments in air treatment and the awareness of our visitors and employees.
Gas consumption has decreased by approximately 9,000 m3 compared to 2015 due to, among other things, the other boilers and heat recovery. Translated into CO2 savings, this amounts to more than 106 tons of CO2.
The energy costs saved are used to partly finance the sustainability measures and pay off the necessary loans.

 

Sustainable Hospitality Concept

Catering is an important part of our theater and of course also during business events. In addition to all the above interventions, we have also moved our catering suppliers and products to an increasingly sustainable plan in recent years.

Why is our catering industry sustainable?

• We aim to reduce waste, we do not use plastic bottles, but refillable glass bottles. Tea is used with a compostable teabag. Moreover, only 'bio-plastic' straws are used.

• Less CO2 emissions: we use tap water from Made Blue and serve glass bottles in our Meervaart (collector items). This makes the transport of plastic bottles unnecessary. In addition, the spring water does not need to be cooled. And our wateruse donates their profit to water projects there where needed. 

• Our napkins are made of recycled paper and 100% ECO. (via PlaceAdd)

• Payment can only be made by card, which uses relatively less energy than cash transactions.

• Most of our suppliers are known for their sustainable approach. They are (relatively) small-scale, and have a preferably local and organic / sustainable / artisanal approach. Some examples are Gulpener beer (Bcorp), Grapedistrict wines, Senza and Mr. Jones tea, Beukenhorst coffee, water from Made Blue, Grandma Bob's bitterballen and chocolate from Tony Chocolony.