As we are currently renovating many buildings in the University Quarter or have the ambition to do so, it is the right time to enhance energy efficiency. Sustainability is essential for the future of our real estate, as outlined in the goals of the Climate Agreement ('Paris Proof'), the municipality's ambitions (gas-free by 2040) and the UvA's commitment documented in the White Paper on Sustainability (PDF, 19 pages) and further detailed in the Energy Transition road map (in Dutch).
One measure to make the real estate in the University Quarter more sustainable is an area-oriented approach through the installation of an ATES network. In this approach, several ATES systems are connected to create a network for the energy supply of UvA buildings in the area. The advantage of a network is that not every building needs its own source, preventing over- or undercapacity. The network can balance a surplus or shortage in energy demand among the buildings or sources within the network.