IF Technology and DeltaSync win first Sustainable Urban Delta Awards 2014
Dutch companies IF Technology and DeltaSync won the Sustainable Urban Delta Awards 2014. The awards were handed out on the occasion of the Clean Tech Business Day in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, on 9 December.
Barry Scholten (centre on left top photo) of IF Technology received the award for 'best project' and Karina Czapiewska (centre on right of photo) of DeltaSync received the award for the 'best concept'.
The Sustainable Urban Delta Award is an award for Dutch companies that offers an innovative solution for challenges in urban delta cities that - located in low lying, densely populated coastal areas with large river estuaries - are faced with big impacts of climate change.
Scheme of the aquifer terminal storage system (ATES) using surface water differently in four seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter.
Best project: Smart polder
IF Technology was honored the award for its innovative thermal energy storage system for the residential complex Torkdael in Wageningen, the Netherlands. Compared to a conventional seasonal thermal energy storage, the residents have a 25 percent better energy efficiency,
The thermal energy storage systems uses the temperature differences in the surrounding surface water. During the summer the heat in surface water is used as a primary energy source for heating buildings and hot tap water by means of a heat pump.
By storage of the relatively warm surface water in the soil by an aquifer terminal storage system (ATES), the heat of the water can be used during cold winter months.
By distracting heat from the surface water during the summer, the temperature of the surface water is lowered. This has a cooling effect on urban heat island occurrences. The low temperature of the surface water also has a positive effect on the water quality.
Concept of a floating city that includes large aquaponic systems to produce algae for food and energy supply for the land-based city.
Best concept: first floating city
DeltaSync received the award for its concept Blue Revolution, the first floating city in the world. The city is self-sufficient in terms of water, energy and food supply. Water is either collected through rain water harvesting or can be drawn from the large reservoir on which the city floats. Positioning the city on a large body of water also provides opportunities for implementing thermal energy storage systems. Large aquaponic systems can produce algae for food and energy supply.
DeltaSync has done several design and feasibility studies, including one for the US-based Seasteading Institute that wants to establish communities living on the oceans. The firm also supports the Blue revolution that is based on floating food cities, using the nutrients wasted by conventional cities, to grow algae, fish and crops.
Other nominees
The two other nominees were:
• consultancy firm DWA for its project Hoogeland that supplies the heat surplus of a greenhouse complex to a nearby residential area
• horticulture and development firm Wayland Developments for its project Glasparel+ in Waddinxveen, the Netherlands, that integrates the water and energy supply systems of a 90 hectares newly built greenhouses, 36 hectares newly built offices and 130 newly built homes.
Clean tech business day
The Sustainable Urban Delta Award is an initiative of the partners of the Cleantech Business Day: FME, Climate-KIC, Cleantech Delta, Innovation Quarter Topsector Energy and Euro Forum.
The Cleantech Business Day is the national meeting place for developers, producers, buyers and financiers of Cleantech. The Cleantech Business Day was held this year at the WTC in Rotterdam and is visited by more than 400 cleantech professionals.
More information
Greentech Business Day/Urban Delta Award
c/o Euroforum (in Dutch only)
www.euroforum.nl
IF Technologies
Arnhem, the Netherlands
+31 26 353 55 55
www.iftechnology.nl
DeltaSync
Delft, the Netherlands
+31 15 256 18 72
www.deltasync.nl
Blue revolution
http://blue21.org