Greenville | Utrecht

Prestigious Greenville project in Utrecht:

'We make one whole out of what three architects came up with'

In the Leidsche Rijn district of Utrecht, the luxury apartment complex Greenville is currently under construction. Sustainability, luxury and greenery are key concepts in this project.

Commissioned by Heijmans Vastgoed, Heijmans Woningbouw began the construction of Greenville last October. Project manager Richard Felten points out the special features of the complex. "In designing Greenville, nothing was left to chance. A team of architects made the building fit in perfectly with its surroundings. In addition, it is fully equipped to the living requirements of our time: for example, careful thought has been given to energy consumption and drainage. In this way, living in Greenville is not only very comfortable, but also very sustainable. In Greenville there will be 93 luxury apartments and 30 town houses, all with their own character. The finishing will be very high quality with the use of, for example, natural stone, brickwork, luxury doors, wooden interior frames and floor heating. Almost all the homes will have an outdoor space and can use the two shared courtyard gardens."

Quality, unity and tranquility
A special aspect, according to Felten, is the fact that the building was designed by three architects. "We make one whole out of what the three architects came up with. Above all, the building exudes quality, unity and tranquility. No two floors are the same, and different types of homes are built per floor. In order for everything to run smoothly during construction, we put a lot of time into the preparation. The design is therefore completely worked out in BIM."

Sustainability is a major focus, he points out. "High insulation values are being sought. Among other things, using triple glazing, so that Greenville gets an EPC of -0.3. So at -0.3, we keep more energy than the building part needs. This is only possible by combining different solutions." 

1,700 pv panels
According to Felten, the building will continue to be connected to district heating, which will be powered by a biomass plant. A total of 1,700 pv panels will be installed both on the roof and against the facades. "The panels on the roof will be at a height of 1.80 meters so that the installations can be placed under them. Installing the pv panels against the facades has not often been applied in a similar situation. Nice to come up with solutions for this with different parties, so that ultimately the residents benefit from this in their living comfort and (lower) energy costs." 

Green
As the name implies, Greenville will have a green character. For example, there will be two courtyard gardens totaling 2,000 square meters of green space for collective use. The indoor gardens will feature shrubs, trees, a pond and benches. All plantings will be bee- and butterfly-friendly. And green elements will also be incorporated into the facades and roof terraces. 

Rainwater is collected on the flat roofs, creating water storage that is used to irrigate the roofs and garden. This is done through a computer-controlled system that takes into account the expected precipitation, Felten says. The greenery that is applied will soon also be recognizable in the adjacent parkland. "The construction of the park is commissioned by the municipality. The park will include various facilities for local residents. We are bringing a piece of nature to the city, as it were."

Construction of Greenville is on schedule and Felten expects the building to be completed by mid-2021. "Right now, the installation of the sheet piling for the basement is in full swing. An important part of the whole work that will take us a year all in all." He sees Greenville as a great addition to Leidsche Rijn. "This luxury apartment complex will give this young, fast-growing district a major boost."