Content of the book

Sustainable building, sustainable profits

The development of sustainable property is steadily gaining popularity, as sustainable building has proven a swift an effective means of making profits. And this is applicable from not only the ecological and social perspectives, but certainly also from a financial viewpoint. The building sector, however, has proven rather hesitant to respond. The leading group currently prepared to stick their necks out primarily consists of innovative project developers, investors, managers of housing corporations and private clients. They are convinced of the benefits of sustainable building, and therefore consciously opt for the sustainable development of property projects.  

Anne-Marie Rakhorst feels an affinity with this expanding group of sustainable innovators. Her intention in publishing Sustainable building, sustainable profits is to establish that the building sector can provide the basis for a clean, habitable and sustainable future. This can be achieved by not only utilising sustainable building techniques and materials, but also by applying innovative, yet affordable technologies in the field of energy generation, climate control and water purification which are CO2 neutral.  

The aim of this book is to provide good reasons, break down barriers and generally inspire people. In the process of writing it, the author inquired as to the visions of board members of ministries and housing corporations, architects, property developers and investors, professors and innovators basically responsible for sustainable product development, building and electrical & mechanical engineering techniques.   

She clearly indicates that the era of energy wasting buildings has come to an end, using convincing examples of sustainable property developments both in the Netherlands and abroad. The time has come for property to provide its own power, purify its air and water, and utilise its waste for energy generation. A utopia? By no means. Ms Rakhorst has proven it herself by creating two sustainable office buildings which can do exactly that.