Drastic reduction in gas consumption Amsterdam Science Park

Published on 08-02-2023 12:02

Building F at the Amsterdam Science Park is the UvA’s biggest energy user. It is the oldest building at the campus and has not been renovated since it was built in 1995. Because the UvA’s goal for the Science Park is to be natural gas-free by 2025, a number of changes were made that drastically reduced gas use in Building F.

The measures

Building F relied on a big boiler in Building E for its hot water and heating. This boiler was used throughout the year, even in the summer months. To improve efficiency, (refurbished) electric boilers have been installed to supply Building E with hot water. The big boiler is no longer needed in the summer as a result.

The Science Park has a sustainable energy supply in the form of a so-called geothermal heat pump. It provides the Science Park with seasonal underground storage - storing heat for the winter and cooling for the summer. Building E was already being fed with energy from this storage system. By laying some pipes between buildings E and F, we have been able to connect Building F to the system as well. The expectation is that almost all energy will be generated sustainably from now on. Depending on the temperature outside and the level of insulation in place, just a small percentage of the energy required will be provided by (temporary) boilers.

Last but not least, we have been able to replace the air conditioning unit earlier than planned. The new unit has a heat recovery function, which uses less energy too.

The results are clear from the chart below. Gas use from summer 2022 onwards was ‘0’, with usage increasing gradually from October 2022. In December 2021 more than 16,000 m3 of gas was consumed. In December 2022, this figure had fallen to just 5,000 m³.

This table shows how gas consumption at Science Park was drastically reduced in the period 2021-2022.

The measures described have drastically reduced gas use by the UvA’s least energy-efficient building. We are well on the way to becoming natural-gas-free.

To ensure this goal is actually achieved, we will spend the weeks and months ahead investigating opportunities for improved insulation.

UvA natural gas-free

The UvA’s sustainability efforts are not limited to the Science Park. The Roeterseiland Campus will be natural gas-free by 2030 and, once renovation work is complete, the University Quarter will only use natural gas in extremely cold weather conditions. In 2040, natural gas will no longer be used at any of the UvA sites.

More information

If you would like more information about efforts to make the UvA’s buildings sustainable, read the REnergy Transition Road Map (in Dutch) (pdf).
Take a look at the Sustainability White Paper (in Dutch) (pdf) for more information about the UvA’s sustainability targets.
See uva.nl/sustainabilityExternal link

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