On Friday, October 3, the last straw was blown in as insulation material at the Versnellingshoeve in Frederiksoord by Deputy Yvonne Turenhout (Province of Drenthe) and Alderman Renate den Hollander (Municipality of Westerveld). The straw comes from locally grown wheat and is used as renewable, healthy insulation. The renovation of the Versnellingshoeve is an example of circular and biobased construction in Drenthe. Blowing in the last straw marked an important moment in the renovation. At the same time, the Province of Drenthe announced that it supports the project with a subsidy of €25,000.
The Versnellingshoeve is located in Frederiksoord, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Society of Benevolence. The project is a striking example of a local chain from land to building in the municipality of Westerveld. Farmers, builders, and other parties from the region are working together to make a farm from 1930 more sustainable. Natural and reusable materials are used, such as straw, harvested wood, and building materials from demolition projects in the area.
Sustainable Chain
The renovation of the Versnellingshoeve shows how older buildings in Drenthe can be made more sustainable in a healthy and future-proof way. This offers new opportunities for farmers and entrepreneurs in the region and contributes to Drenthes ambition to stimulate circular construction with natural materials. Deputy Yvonne Turenhout: “Future-proof construction is one of the three main pillars of the Drenthe housing agenda. With over 72,000 homes built before 1970 in Drenthe, of which 25,000 were built before 1945, this renovation provides valuable insights for the sustainability of the existing housing stock.”
Alignment with National Ambitions
The project aligns with the National Program for Circular Economy 2023–2030 and the National Approach to Biobased Building by the Dutch government. These programs aim to make the Netherlands fully circular by 2050 and to rapidly scale up the use of renewable, natural materials in the construction sector. With more perspective for farmers, industry, builders, clients, and residents. The Versnellingshoeve contributes to this by demonstrating how circular renovation and the use of natural materials work in practice, with a focus on reuse, biobased materials, and collaboration in the region.
Learning and Sharing Together
The Versnellingshoeve is a place where people and organizations work together on sustainable solutions for building and living. There is attention to education and knowledge sharing about biobased and circular renovation. The renovation will continue until the end of 2026. After that, experiences will be shared with and support provided to other parties in the region.
