THE HAGUE • The roof of the former gas station on Willem Witsenplein in The Hague has been transformed into a green oasis. Today, the Van Lennep Clinic is located in the building. “It is the first sustainable clinic in The Hague and perhaps in the Netherlands,” says owner Ludy Holst proudly.
Holst hired Ingrid Vogels from Green2live to prepare her clinic for the future. “It won't be the first thought of many people: a botox and fillers clinic that wants to contribute to the climate. But I love beauty and aesthetics and also give my neighbors something fun to look at. In addition, I want to be 'future proof'.”
With her company, Ingrid Vogels specializes in sustainability. “And I'm good at finding the right jars.” Vogels has already greened a total of around 7,000 square meters of roof. “Including the Museon roof,” she says. “The municipality of The Hague is encouraging the construction of a green roof or
solar panels with the Sustainable Roof Hunt. The water from rainstorms often cannot escape. Green roofs ensure, among other things, that the sewer system is not overloaded.”
By default, there was about ten centimetres of water on the roof of the Van Lennep Clinic. This has been exchanged for 16 centimetres of insulation and, on top of that, sedum (mosses and succulents). “In the summer, it is about seven degrees cooler in the building due to the green roof and thus meets the latest standards (almost energy-neutral buildings, ed.) that all new buildings must meet in 2021.”
The next step in greening the clinic is to install double glazing. “I would also love a heat pump,” says Holst. “A nice advantage of a green roof is that your energy bill goes down and greening is also fiscally attractive,” Vogels concludes.
