In 2019, the construction of the Havenlofts project, a neighborhood of eighteen floating houses on the Nassauhaven, was set into motion. Designed to be future-proof, sustainable and great to live in, they presented a very sustainable solution to the housing dilemma. Each equipped with six solar panels, a biomass generator for heating and a state-of-the-art water filtering and purifying system, the houses are fully carbon neutral and allow for comfortable off-the-grid living. Each house even has a private dock to attach a boat. To expand upon the sustainable nature of the neighbourhood, the developer collaborated with local partners to give inhabitants of both the Havenlofts and the Nassauhaven easy access to electric shared cars, charging points and electric bicycles.
As Rotterdam is located in a delta that has open access to the sea, the Nassauhaven is subject to tidal changes that may fluctuate up to two meters. To mitigate this problem, each house was built over a maintenance-free and unsinkable concrete pontoon, making it resilient against future challenges brought on by a rising sea level caused by global warming.
The construction materials were selected on the basis of sustainability, robustness and aesthetics. Due to this, the buildings are as light as they are durable and robust: they are thoroughly insulated, cultivating a healthy indoor climate.
A further testament to their lightness, all eighteen Havenlofts were prefabricated off-site. Once the walls, constructed with aluminium and wood frames, were finished, the roofs were waterproofed with Elevate’s RubberGard EPDM 1.1 mm thick roofing membrane, fully adhered on top of rigid PIR insulation panels. The houses were then transported to their final location in the Nassauhaven.