Valk Exclusief Eindhoven-Best builds sustainably with BREEAM
On June 20, 2024, the Valk Exclusief hotel Eindhoven-Best will open its doors for the Digital Building of the Future conference. The brand new hotel is one of the most sustainable hotels in the Netherlands and is BREEAM Outstanding certified. General Manager Lars Binda tells more about this certification.
Seven years ago, Lars Binda was asked if he wanted to become General Manager of the new hotel in Eindhoven-Best. Together with the Van der Valk family and project supervisor Edgar Bolwerk, he supervised the construction for four years. He proudly says: “I have been involved in the development of the Valk Exclusief hotel from the very first pile to the last interior choices. It has to be beautiful, but also practical. The whole process is finding the right balance between efficiency and styling. And we are now reaping the benefits of that.”
With fifteen floors and an area of over 26,000 m2, you cannot miss the hotel. The inside is stylishly decorated with lots of wood and organic shapes. “We want guests to feel like they are coming home,” says Lars. “We want to create a wow effect, but at the same time radiate a warm and friendly atmosphere.”
BREEAM
The Building Research Establishment's Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) is a certification method to assess projects for sustainability. It is the most commonly used method to determine the sustainability performance of buildings and looks at sustainability across the board. “The BREEAM method looks at many different aspects. Think of energy, but also management and use of materials.”
The Valk Exclusief hotel Eindhoven-Best is certified with the BREEAM label 'Outstanding'. “In April this year we achieved the highest possible certificate with a score of 90 percent,” says Lars. The score is made up of partial scores within the various categories, including management, transport, materials, waste and energy. These partial scores each have their own weighting and together form a total score.
Lars explains that this process is initiated before the start of construction: “The responsibilities in the field of BREEAM are shared by the architect, project developer and client. As a client, we have formulated sustainability ambitions and this is linked to a certain BREEAM score. During the design and construction process, all parties involved work towards that score. A BREEAM expert is involved throughout the process and checks whether we are working according to the guidelines.”
“Van der Valk has an exemplary role within the hotel industry. We think about the future and want to be at the forefront of sustainability. In addition, we see that sustainability is also becoming increasingly important for our guests and is part of the experience.”
Would you like to experience the Valk Exclusief hotel Eindhoven-Best yourself? Then come to the Digital Building of the Future conference on June 20. The conference focuses on practical solutions for sustainability, safety and digitalization in building automation. Visit the website for more information and Sign In.