Major maintenance and energy improvements to apartments The Hague

Clear communication with residents imperative in renovation project

The residential towers located on Richard Holstraat and Denijsstraat in the Waldeck residential area in The Hague date from the 1970s. BAM Wonen was commissioned by CBRE Global Investors to make the two complexes completely sustainable and future-proof. The homes are going from an inefficient energy label F/G to an economical class B. The clear communication with the residents - mainly seniors - before and during the project is decisive for the success of this renovation project.

The existing windows will be replaced with new turnkey ones equipped with high-efficiency glass. The front doors will also be renewed.

Waldeck is a quiet, green residential area with different types of houses and apartments. Just under two kilometers from the Dutch coast are two residential towers, which no longer meet the requirements in terms of insulation, ventilation, living comfort and energy performance, among other things. "We were asked to give both residential blocks a thorough overhaul and make the necessary energy improvements," says Peter Aleman, Renovation Concepts project leader at BAM Wonen. "The entire project comprises one hundred and forty apartments. For each apartment, we are taking into account a renovation period of fifteen working days, which means that a complete block must be finished within three months. In six months' time, all residents must occupy a renovated apartment."

Maintaining and preserving

During the project, roofs and panels will be better insulated. Existing windows will be replaced with wooden ones equipped with high-efficiency glass. The front doors will also be renewed. There will be solar panels on the roofs, two of which will be connected to each home's individual meter box. This will allow residents to enjoy sustainable energy generation. Thanks to these measures, the buildings will save 87 tons of CO₂ emissions. In addition, residents will save on their energy bills. Living comfort is also being considered, because in addition to painting and minor maintenance, the existing elevators will be replaced with new modern systems with automatic sliding doors and the balcony railings will be modernized.

The two residential towers are undergoing major maintenance and energy improvements.

Clear communication with residents

The apartments will remain occupied during the renovation project. One apartment in the building was completely redesigned so that residents could temporarily move there during the work in their homes. "The age of the residents is 70 years on average. It was therefore very important to go over the plans with each of them individually before the start of the project and make clear agreements, taking into account their living situation and health. Even during the works, we had to keep communicating," says Aleman. "In the beginning, people really looked forward to it and were afraid of all these innovations, but now that the project is in full swing, they are satisfied with the approach and the result."