Platform on new construction, renovation, restoration and transformation
These and numerous other smart solutions are being applied at Booking.com's headquarters in Amsterdam.
Persy Control Services (PCS) is responsible for Booking.com's building automation. IQPS, a subsidiary of PCS, takes care of the indoor positioning technology. Director/owner Paul Persy explains, "We apply an innovative open and scalable building management system, in which installations such as climate control, access control and fire alarm systems are linked. From IQPS we add to this a state-of-the-art indoor positioning system."
"In a smart environment, it's not just about technology," Persy emphasizes. "It's about the value that this technology delivers to its users and the organization. Many projects are called smart, but in reality they digitize existing functionalities. For example, controlling lighting or temperature with an app. A truly smart building adds value to the experience of the user and facility manager, among others. We do this by providing qualitative data that is focused on People Centric, i.e., people-centric use cases. Moreover, we ensure that all techniques work together integrally and thus frictionlessly."
He continues: "With the system we are realizing here, we are setting a new standard in smart buildings. As positioning technology, we are applying a scalable Ble system. This system is extremely accurate, up to 30 centimeters, and can be used with simple tags and mobile devices. These are enriched with business rules via BlueGPS, an open Location Intelligence Platform, and offered to the smart platform." The system can collect anonymous position-related data or use person-specific pre-sets. Based on that data, the system offers the ability to find (the closest) free meeting rooms or workstations in real time, signal queues, determine lunch time, optimize room comfort, track assets, et cetera. In addition, insight is gained into the use of the building, on the basis of which processes or room layouts can be optimized.
After an intensive preparation process, in which the client's requirements were translated into a smart and integrated building management system, realization began in October 2020. Persy: "The project and work are now in full swing, but the most challenging part is yet to come. In the last six months, we are putting the smart building system into operation. That's where the focus is for us."
Concrete steel reinforcement from basement to roof for capstone of Oosterdok Island
Reinforcement is used to eliminate one of the weakest points of concrete. This is because concrete is incredibly pressure-resistant, but quite weak in absorbing tensile forces. The cutting and bending of rebar is therefore work for reinforcement technology specialists such as ATG Deutschland, which is part of the international DITH Group. The company with headquarters in Mülheim an der Ruhr has several production facilities in Germany and Sweden.
"The reinforcement of concrete is important for the strength and service life of any building, but in high-rise projects, such as the Booking.com headquarters at the head of the Oosterdokseiland, a lot of different aspects have to be taken into account. We had produced the reinforcement for the De Rotterdam residential towers for Züblin (Stuttgart) in 2012, and for this prestigious project with a total area of 72,500 m², they wanted to work with the same partners," says Operations Manager Benelux Patrick Vermeulen. "Our engineers made all the calculations and drawings so that the reinforcement from basement to roof could be fully tailored to the requirements of this project. Then the cutting and bending of the rebar was started in our own plants. The first production dates back to 2018, and by the end of March 2021, the last rebar is scheduled to be delivered to the construction site."
Technology is all about people
"Both in terms of size and complexity, the City Campus is a challenging building," says Jan van den Brink, business unit leader for Non-Residential Building at Van den Pol Elektrotechniek. The Montfoort family company's responsibilities include the complete E-installation, LED lighting, fire alarm, evacuation and data installation, plus the installation of 1,500 PV panels. "With 250 employees, we have a broad specialization that comes into its own in this project. Furthermore, busy city centers are familiar territory. We are used to dealing with associated logistical constraints."
Half a word is enough
Crucial to the City Campus is the complex integration of architecture and facilities. "Implementation is now in full swing. Many different parties are involved. Everyone has to do the right things, in the right place at the right time, and with a keen eye for each other's roles. The advantage here is that we have many disciplines in one hand. Furthermore, W-partner Klimaatservice Holland is a trusted party. We often pull together on projects and half a word is enough."
User centered
The City Campus is a smart building. Numerous sensors contribute to the high level of sustainability and comfort. User-friendliness is the common thread here. "The starting point is the people who will soon be working in the City Campus. Because innovative technology only has added value if it is easy to operate." An app guides office users to the right workplace. "There they can set their working conditions entirely as they wish."
