A sustainable complex for now and the future

A world of difference: elderly complex the Gooise Warande in Bussum is being completely renovated and made more sustainable. Yet it is not such a strange combination as it may seem at first glance. "The residents are incredibly enthusiastic about the renovation and understand themselves how important it is to make the world more sustainable. For their own grandchildren." Nijhuis Bouw BV makes it possible.

The renovation of the Gooise Warande began in 2022. The elderly complex in Bussum was built in the 1950s and could use a facelift. Nijhuis Bouw BV. was given the rewarding task of taking care of this project: from initiation phase to aftercare and including the communication process. The construction company has been in existence for over 110 years and has already renovated thousands of homes. No wonder, then, that housing corporation de Alliantie was eager to work with this company.

Sustainability as a green thread

"The Gooise Warande is being completely preserved," says André Franken, work planner for the Gooise Warande project. "This is happening step by step and eventually the building must run entirely on green energy. Among other things, with all-electric heat pumps." The complex was built in the late 1950s when other building regulations applied. "There were eight central heating boilers and a lot of gas was consumed. That is no longer of our time," says Franken.

Nijhuis Bouw BV and the Alliance like a challenge. For example, in this project they are working with self-generated energy and applying new techniques. "It is exciting. Of course you never want to leave a customer out in the cold, both literally and figuratively, but certainly not these elderly residents," says Cees Luyckx of the Alliance. Fortunately, all the choices worked out well. "We are proud of that. By not shying away from challenges, you learn and allow your company to grow."

Building with public

Nijhuis Bouw BV works on both stacked and ground-level housing. In that respect, the Gooise Warande is no oddity. "It is one large complex," explains project manager Arie Nijkamp. "We are doing the renovation of this complex in occupied condition. That means that every day residents are curious and involved watching what we are doing. That's nice, because that way we hear the opinions of the people who will eventually have to live in our creation. And, of course, we're doing it for them."

"It's a different audience than we're used to," Franken adds. "That makes it fun, because that way we learn new things. On this project, for example, we are not allowed to work between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. because this is a time of rest for the residents. We are always a guest with residents and therefore try to carry out our work with as little inconvenience as possible." Nijhuis Bouw BV obviously keeps well to the agreements made and this is also rewarded. In fact, the residents of the Gooise Warande recently gave the construction company a 9.4 in a customer satisfaction survey. Nijkamp: "You can't get a nicer compliment!"