Residential-care complex Ambla excels in architecture and sustainability

A building with character

On the north side of Hollum, at the location of sports complex 'Ons Hol', the finishing touches are being put on the construction of residential-care complex Ambla. Thanks to the new residential-care complex, residents will soon be able to live on Ameland for life, with care in their immediate vicinity. The new building fits in nicely with the characteristic buildings of Hollum and is distinguished by commander's houses with asymmetrical and gabled roofs, different shades of brickwork and wood and excellent sustainability scores. For example, the 100% building functions gas-free, thanks to two all-electric heat pumps with ground loops, 48 electric hot water heaters and over one hundred solar panels. Underneath the mechanical and electrical installations is the signature of Royal Damstra Installatietechniek.

Familiar face on Ameland

Koninklijke Damstra Installatietechniek is a familiar face on Ameland. In recent years, the Driezum-based installation company has realized projects including a campsite, various vacation homes and the expansion of the Jumbo supermarket including ten gas-free apartments. In the second quarter of 2023, Koninklijke Damstra Installatietechniek was commissioned by Bouwgroep Dijkstra Draisma to start the installation work for the Ambla residential-care complex, whereby the electrical installations were outsourced to subsidiary Faber Wijnberg Installatietechniek of Hollum.

All-electric heating and cooling

Residential-care complex Ambla provides space for 44 low-pressure homes, consisting of 32 independent apartments and 12 care apartments. In addition, there will be four care studios for short-term primary residence. A central hall forms the connection between 'Ons Hol' and Ambla, says Jan Prins, Engineering Manager at Royal Damstra Installatietechniek. "For the heating and cooling of the residential-care building, thirty to forty ground loops were made on the site. Two water-to-water heat pumps extract heat from these soil loops, upgrade it to the desired temperature and release it to the underfloor heating systems in the homes and common areas. This ensures a constant temperature throughout the year in the residential-care complex. Thanks to four-pipe manifolds and six-way valves, the system can also be used in the summer to cool the homes by a few degrees." An 80-liter electric hot water heater in each residence meets the hot water needs.

Conserving drinking water

To offset the electricity consumption of the heat pumps and electric water heaters, more than one hundred solar panels have been installed on the roof of the assisted living complex. The possibilities for a battery system are currently being explored, says Prins. "Also interesting in the context of sustainability is the gray water tank. Rainwater is collected and buffered in a thousand-liter gray-water tank and used, for example, for flushing the toilets. This can save considerably on drinking water consumption." 

Around the construction period, residential-care complex Ambla must be structurally completed. Every day about six mechanics of Royal Damstra Installatietechniek and Faber Wijnberg Installatietechniek work on the project to meet this deadline. The adjustment of the installations will follow shortly afterwards.