Woon Connect – Netherlands

Woon-Connect is an interactive digital tool that enables consumers to turn their homes into low-energy environments. The platform brings together various parties toward the goal of greener living, thus enabling synergy on all levels of the supply chain, while creating jobs and improving the standard of living.

Fast facts:

55 million euros spent on Eindhoven project involving 15,000 homes;
22,500 structural tonnes of carbon dioxide forecast for reduction;
30 billion euros projected to be saved over the coming 12 years;
Granted “most appealing innovation award” in 2014 by Dutch building association Bouwend Nederland.

The problem

Cities and communities face not only climate change, but demographics around the world are changing as well. In many areas, families are becoming smaller and cities growing. This has created new demands for city planning. However, energy efficiency in cities has typically been influenced and restricted by existing construction, as well as the established behavior of their inhabitants. While cities and construction companies have set challenging targets to become carbon neutral, greener living is also a very complex topic for tenants and homeowners, who often find it difficult to get good information on how they can change.

The solution

Woon-Connect creates awareness for homeowners seeking to make energy-efficient structural alterations to their homes, while also acting as a completely new way of building by connecting all parties in the chain. Suppliers of construction and electrical equipment, installation companies, architects, building companies, and the people in the houses can all link together in a real-time digital model over the Woon-Connect platform.

The tool allows users to select changes in their house and see in three dimensions how they relate to comfort, aesthetics, practical use, cost, and savings on energy. The tool incorporates a library, a communication platform, and the 3-D HouseConfigurator. Users are able to communicate with other parties on the platform through these different functions.

Helping the planet

The project gives homeowners along with tenants the opportunity to make their everyday lives more sustainable and energy efficient. Not only the homes themselves, but also the entire construction process are made to be more energy-efficient. The tool allows for improvements that reduce waste and transport, and therefore greenhouse gas emissions.

Helping people

Although options for home improvements are predefined, the number of combinations is virtually limitless. Options are not limited to energy efficiency and sustainability only, but also relate to comfort, safety, access, health, space, and attractiveness. This gives inhabitants vast choice and flexibility on how they can improve their lives, and save money on energy. At the same time, cities and the construction industry achieve their goals for growth and energy efficiency, thus stimulating the local economy.

Spillover effect

In cities such as Eindhoven, Rotterdam, and den Bosch, the project has facilitated cooperation toward greener living between housing corporations, local governments, and construction suppliers. The activity is scalable, because it was designed to be used by all parties in the building sector. The ultimate plan is to digitize all houses in the Netherlands and expand Woon-Connect with modules across sectors.