Schoonoord

Hidden within Amsterdam’s bustling cityscape lies Schoonoord, a unique floating neighborhood. Schoonoord isn’t just a collection of houseboats. It’s a testament to sustainable living, a vision brought to life by its residents. Schoonschip, as it is also known, started as a dream over a decade ago. A group of enthusiastic individuals envisioned a community that lived in harmony with nature. They yearned to build an eco-friendly haven in the heart of the city. In 2020, that dream became a reality in the Johan van Hasseltkanaal. Schoonoord consists of 30 floating homes, housing 46 families. Each home is a marvel of sustainable technology. They are incredibly well-insulated and completely gas-free. Heat pumps draw warmth from the canal water, supplemented by solar energy. Solar water heaters and heat pumps provide hot water, and showers are equipped with heat recovery systems. Schoonoord generates its own electricity with photovoltaic solar panels. Each house has a battery to store surplus energy, and a smart grid connects all the homes. This allows residents to share electricity efficiently, needing only a single connection to the national grid. Schoonschip even has a shared meeting space on one of the arks. Schoonoord’s commitment to sustainability extends beyond energy. They have separate disposal systems for greywater and blackwater. A pilot project with Waternet will soon turn blackwater into energy. Green roofs cover at least a third of each roof surface. Residents share electric cars, cargo bikes, and e-bikes. Schoonoord is more than just a sustainable housing project. It represents a new way of living. A close-knit community where sharing is a way of life. Half of the homes are semi-detached, a unique arrangement in the Netherlands. This helps keep the homes affordable. Residents actively participate in various workgroups, managing everything from energy and sanitation to shared mobility and ecology. Schoonoord is not a closed community. They actively share their knowledge and experience with others. They collaborate with innovative companies and governments, participating in projects at local, national, and European levels. Schoonoord invites you to learn from their journey. They hope to inspire others to embrace sustainable living. Their Greenprint website documents their entire process, a valuable resource for anyone interested in similar projects. Schoonoord is a vibrant, diverse community. It is a beacon of sustainability in the heart of Amsterdam. A place where residents live not just in houses, but in a shared dream realized.