The Roeterseiland Campus of the University of Amsterdam is the winner of the WKO Sustainability Award 2025. The campus uses 2 systems for heat and cold storage (WKOs), which heat and cool 10 of the 11 buildings on the campus. The campus received the award from the Users Platform for Soil Energy, co-founded by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO).
Significant Savings on Heating and Cooling Energy
WKOs are important in the heat transition (the switch from fossil fuels to sustainable and renewable heat sources). A WKO system stores energy from the building and/or the environment in the ground. The WKO is connected to a heat pump and thus saves up to 60% heating energy and 80% cooling energy. This award is a recognition of the work of an end user or manager of a WKO system, who also shares knowledge with other end users.
Improving the System
Ap Borsje and Arjan van Grunsven received the award during the National Symposium on Soil Energy on May 15. Borsje is a cluster manager of technology at the University of Amsterdam and as an end user is responsible for the system. Van Grunsven is a technical advisor at DNA Duurzaam and manager of the system. They received the award partly because they constantly improve and optimize the system.
Sharing Knowledge
Another important reason for awarding the Roeterseiland Campus is that they are actively engaged in knowledge sharing and promoting soil energy. For example, students from the Energy Technology program at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences regularly visit, learning how a WKO works through presentations and projects. Borsje and Van Grunsven also demonstrated how the system works with a video to create support among, for example, university policymakers.
Efteling and National Military Museum
The other 2 nominees were the Anderrijk area in Efteling and the National Military Museum. Through a WKO system in Anderrijk, the gas consumption of the Efteling amusement park was reduced by about 20%. The National Military Museum has had a WKO installation since its construction, allowing for investment in improving the system. The museum is now investigating whether it can become completely gas-free.
What is the WKO Sustainability Award?
This year, the Users Platform for Soil Energy presented the WKO Sustainability Award for the 9th time. Since 2024, nominations go to both the end user and the manager of the system together. The jury primarily looks at measurable criteria, but also at communication about the system and information and promotion of soil energy in general. This year, the jury received 22 submissions.
Want to know more?
- Ministry of Climate and Green Growth