City of Enschede, the Netherlands.
Oikos, suburbansustainable development of 600 houses in the east of the Netherlands, by the German border.
Abstract
Oikos is part of a new planned suburb, 'The Eschmarke', to be situated between the eastern part of the city of Enschede and the German border. The Eschmarke will consist of 5300 new houses. 600 houses based on sustainability principles will be accommodated in Oikos. Oikos is intended to offer a sustainable urban environment in respect of energy, water, landscape and ecology. The main features of the landscape in Twente (the region in which Oikos is situated) are water and nature. These served as the leading elements in the design of Oikos. The houses will be constructed in a integral, energy efficient way, in accordance with a landscape oriented masterplan. Oikos will contain a mixture of dwellings: social housing (35%), flats (26%), two-dwelling buildings (69%) and one-dwelling buildings (5%).
Objectives
The design of Oikos is based on a multi-discipline approach, and aims to create a living environment in which several sustainability aspects are integrated with human desires and needs. Because the natural environment is close to the inhabitants, they will be closer to nature and will have more respect for the natural environment. Oikos will serve as an example of urban sustainable development in the linear urban structure of the region Twente.
Project Status
The first phase of the project (250 dwellings) started in spring 1994. Construction started in August 1996. The second phase (350 dwellings) will start in 1997. Oikos has been selected as an example of sustainable and attractive living environments by the Dutch organisation for energy and environment and as an example in the Altener-project of the European Commission 'Implementation of solar energy in urban planning in four European regions'.
Background Information
In the Netherlands there is a need for the construction of over 800.000 houses in the next ten years. Two-thirds will be situated in so-called 'VINEX-locations'. Eschmarke, in the east of the Netherlands, is such a location, in which 5300 houses have to be built, of which 600 in Oikos. With Oikos, the city of Enschede created their own expertise in sustainable construction, which can be applied in other, bigger construction projects.
Existing water and green structures determined the urban design. Differences in heights in the landscape are clearly marked and used as drains for the rain water. This prevents the drying out of the neighbouring heath and the caving in of the banks of the Dinkel-river, one of the few natural brooks in the country. These 'drains' are called 'wadi's' and are used for catchment, temporary storage, infiltration and drainage of the rain water. The overground discharge of rain water makes special sewerage superfluous. This water system, especially developed for Oikos, will be applied in other parts of The Eschmarke as well. The acquired know-how is and will be integrated in other projects and in other fields of knowledge.
Implementation
Strategy
The strategy pursued in this project was based on a method to formulate the ambitions of the project team for Oikos. The ambitions were intended to embrace each environmental theme relevant to the project. The broad ranging and multi-disciplinary composition of the project team guaranteed sufficient knowledge and understanding for the drawing up of ambitions and the incorporation of these into a starting report. At this stage, the project team was accompanied by an environmental consultant who tested the ambitions in relation to their environmental-friendliness. A method to define the degree to which elements in urban plans and building plans are environmentally friendly was used. The ambitions concerning each element were specified in smaller groups. After integrating these in the urban plan, the plan was discussed in plenary meetings of the project team. Project developers who wanted to participate were asked to sign a letter of intent to conform to the ambitions of the project.
Activities
The project started in spring 1994 with a report, resulting in urban planning and visual/ environmental quality plans. After public participation had been arranged, project developers were selected, houses were designed and the plans elaborated. Two years later, in spring 1996, the site was prepared, the selling of the houses started, followed by actual construction. The first houses will be ready in spring 1997.
In the letter of intent which the project developers had to sign, they were obliged to conform to the sustainability demands formulated in the starting report, participate in the experiment to qualify the integral environmental quality of the houses (including building materials, energy and water), establish a society of owners for management and maintenance of the eco-garden, and provide financial donations for an information centre in the suburb and the hiring of an external urban planner as supervisor of the project.
The architects were selected within a two tier system. The first selection was made by the local authorities based on their expertise in sustainable building. This resulted in a list of qualified architects. The project developers had to choose their architects from this list, or where well-grounded, the local authorities allowed them to select another architect.
The building team (all architects and project developers) had three plenary meetings with the project team. In working meetings, also attended by the local welfare commission, the plans were explained and modified where necessary. This resulted in a presentation of the plans to the city council, civil servants and interested citizens.
This schedule applies to the first phase of the project (250 houses). The second phase (350 houses) will follow the same procedure. The starting report for the second phase is expected in spring 1997.
The municipality of Enschede established a working group for sustainable building to communicate the experience, knowledge and lessons learned from Oikos to other departments in the municipality.
Partners
A broad approach was adopted in the composition of the project team for Oikos. In addition to community-experts in urban planning, landscape architecture and transport, the project team included representatives of the water board and the energy provider. External experts in urban design, civil engineering, sustainable building and psychology of the built environment were also engaged in the project team. Project developers and architects were added to the project team in the building plan phase. The selection of project developers was guided by the selling of the land (which belonged to the municipality). The project team was co-ordinated by two persons: one project manager from the municipality for the organisational aspects and one external urban planner for the substantive part of the project.
Financing and Resources Used
The project has been financed by the ground exploitation of the plan and the building exploitation of the houses.
Results & Impacts
The concrete results of this project are to be found in the urban design of Oikos. Oikos will become an ecological suburb, with several aspects contributing to sustainability integrated. A water system serves as the basis for the urban design. Solar energy potentials are a second determinant of the (direction of the) parcelling of Oikos. Several forms of solar energy are applied in the houses, even when these are not situated in north-south direction.
Oikos is not only a place to live, but also a place to work. Oikos is divided into an inner- and an outer-part. The innerpart can be seen as 'green in the city', the outerpart of Oikos is developed as an eco-garden ('city in green'), in which people can live, work and recreate. The road infrastructure is also designed according to sustainability principles: public transport and slow traffic (walking, cycling) have priority over car traffic. Although the road structure is not very clear and speed limits of 30 kilometres an hour are no exception, cars can reach every part of Oikos. Parking is mostly concentrated in small parking places.
Two central open spaces form the 'heart' of Oikos. One space is a grassland, the other is a tiled square with trees, situated at the highest point in Oikos. Oikos will not have many facilities, only some small neighbourhood shops and services. However, the city can easily be reached by good quality public transport and cycle lanes.
The project Oikos resulted in a substantial creation and development of know-how of sustainable building within the municipality. Knowledge, in which various aspects of sustainability are integrated and made transferable and applicable to other municipality departments and projects.
Barriers & Conflicts
Only minor barriers were encountered in this project. This project had been explicitly asked for by national and local policies. Perhaps the biggest problem in this project concerned professional differences between the members of the project team. Especially civil engineers and transport experts held a different view on how the public space can be designed. When differences in opinion were encountered a solution was sought in intensive debate, supported by examples. This proved to be a good method to reach an agreement.
Transferability
The project of Oikos can be transferred to other municipalities. The city of Enschede recognises the value of their acquired expertise. The publication 'Building stones for a sustainable urban planning', is useful for all local authorities in developing new building locations.
In this case study it is especially the project organisation and the concept of integral sustainable urban design and building which are applicable to other communities. The principles to be formulated in the starting report, have to be developed according to the local situation and the desired housing environment.
Lessons Learned
The municipality of Enschede has learned several lessons from the Oikos-project. These lessons are also formulated as recommendations for other municipalities:
- involve several disciplines and external parties in the project from the outset;
- allow new ideas and high ambitions, but within a realistic scope;
- formulate common and clear ambitions in a document;
- involve management and maintenance experts in the formulation of this document;
- make sure that feedback from the project team to the specialist teams takes place in time;
- reserve time for learning processes when planning and budgeting the project;
- select the partners in urban planning and construction based on their enthusiasm for sustainability; and
- facilitate open communication to the construction partners and the public.
A final lesson learned by the municipality is that sustainable building-projects can strengthen the co-operation between departments responsible for design and management.
Further Information
Contact
City of Enschede, Building and Environment Department
Mrs. M. Stuurman, project manager
P.O. Box 173
7500 AD Enschede
The Netherlands
Tel: + 31 / 53 - 48 18 181
Fax: + 31 / 53 - 48 15 111
Zandvoort, Urban and Regional Planning Consultants
G.J. Hellinga, urban planner
P.O. Box 3594
7500 DN Enschede
The Netherlands
Tel: + 31 / 53 - 43 24 747
Fax:+ 31 / 53 - 43 22 785
References
- City of Enschede and Zandvoort Ordening & Advies, Oikos, and ecologically justified district in Enschede, State of affairs, Enschede 1995.
- City of Enschede, Oikos, Sustainable Building in the Landscape of Twente, Gouda/Enschede, September 1996.
- Dutch Enterprise for Energy and Environment (Novem), Energy in attractive housing environments, Waddinxveen, August 1996.
Acknowledgements
This case study was prepared by EURONET - Zandvoort Ordening & Advies (Mr. Gerard-Jan Hellinga) in association with Mr. Schukkink, City of Enschede, Building and Environment Department.
© EURONET/ICLEI Consortium, 1996. See Impressum.
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