Saving energy while showering with Flatmates
Starting in 2021, DUWO carried out some pilot schemes with the Flatmate in Leiden and The Hague. This is a relatively simple way to save energy. This plug & play shower heat exchanger consists of a plastic plate that can be easily placed over the existing floor and connected to the existing tap. This technology allows the heat of the shower water to be reused, without the water being recycled. Because cold water is already heated through pipes in the plate, you can mix less hot water to achieve the right shower water temperature. Most gains can be made in buildings where a shower is shared by several students. However, regular cleaning of the Flatmates is important to ensure proper operation.
HeatCycle
DUWO has installed the HeatCycle in a large student house at the Ruys de Beerenbrouckstraat in Delft. This is a heat pump connected to the central heating system that extracts heat from the building’s waste water. Before the waste water runs into the sewer, it is collected in large containers. Between May and December 2022, 36% less gas was used thanks to this technology. Electricity consumption had also decreased. In total, HeatCycle accounted for an energy saving of 40 percent. This is a technological measure that DUWO can implement relatively quickly in our buildings.
Smart thermostats
To help students avoid wasting heat, DUWO is experimenting with smart thermostats. This is done, for example, with the EN-Key, a space controller which consists of a self-learning volumetric sensor and a radiator valve. The radiator valve is controlled wirelessly by the sensor, which detects if there are any people present. The volumetric sensor builds and maintains a user profile. If there is no one present, or the windows are open, the temperature will automatically drop four degrees. In a student house containing 375 flats situated on the Roland Holstlaan in Delft, gas savings of 20% were recorded after a year of measuring.
Another example is ICY’s Timer thermostat. In this case a motion sensor is used, which prevents unnecessary heating. There is also the option to limit the temperature by setting maximum and minimum temperatures.
Real-time energy monitor Earn-E
DUWO has installed real-time energy monitors in almost 120 student houses. This energy monitor is a device that connects to the smart energy meter. An app immediately tells you how much energy is being used in your house. When you switch on the washing machine or the kettle, you can immediately see the increase in energy consumption. The app also shows what the consumption costs. According to Netbeheer Netherlands, this type of real-time insight into energy usage results in an average of 6.4% less energy consumption and 5.1% less gas consumption.
Zero Energy Design
By participating annually in TU Delft’s Zero Energy Design course module, DUWO is given new insights and technologies in the field of sustainability, architecture, living and living experience. During this module, students in the Master Architecture course are challenged to make a DUWO building more sustainable. This gives rise to exciting ideas, which DUWO can incorporate when developing new projects.