North Sea Skills Integration and New Technologies

Speaking a multi disciplinary language to integrate the worlds of spatial planning and water management. Encouraging the implementation of innovative technical and sustainable solutions which have already proved to be successful.

Solar City (Stad van de Zon), Heerhugowaard, The Netherlands

In the early nineties a large housing task was projected on the area Heerhugowaard-Alkmaar-Langedijk. The area had a need for recreation and water storage as well. In a joint future plan of these municipalities water storage, recreation and housing were combined and projected in a new to build Solar City. The planning of the project lasted form 1990 to 2006. The water system was mainly dug in between 2003 and 2006.



Solar City is a sustainable quarter. It is built climate proof as (in the name) solar power generates the needed electricity. The quarter and its surroundings got an excellent water quality to progress water related recreation. To achieve the good water quality the clear rain water is retained and circulated in a purification system.
 
Birds discovered the lakes around Solar City as well. The bacteria in their excrements sometimes cause problems for swimmers. Another problem is caused by sport fishermen when evicting fish themselves.
 
The municipality built the quarter in close cooperation with the water board as the municipality wanted to use the expertise of the water manager to make a water proof spatial plan. This was already before the obligate ‘Water test’ existed.
 
Over 30% of the project area consists of water. That is why only in very dry summers little water supply is needed. And only in very wet winters some water is drained, which is exceptional for a polder at 3 metres below sea level. From design to blueprint there was some tension between functionality, safety, experience, construction costs and maintenance costs of the water system. In the end an acceptable was found.