Amsterdam Smart City

Start-up Additive Industries from Eindhoven, NL has delivered its first metal printer.

The start-up has been working on the development of the printer for three years. Airbus uses the printer to print light weight mounting materials.

Airbus pays Additive Industries €1,8 million for the first copy of the MetalFab-3Dprinter. Airbus expects to be 3D printing half of all the components of a plane, according to Daan Kersten, co-founder of Additive Industries.

‘’One of the advantages of 3D-metalprinting is that you need less material’’, says Kersten to NOS. ‘’And you don’t have to make molds or wait for the boat from China to arrive’’.

With the metal printer Airbus decreases the amount of waste per produced product, but also the amounts of metal that is processed in the final product. The components are lighter but as strong as the milled components due to the printer’s precision.

Source: Duurzaambedrijfsleven
Photo: Duurzaambedrijfsleven

<http://www.duurzaambedrijfsleven.nl/industrie/13702/airbus-print-in-de-toekomst-de-helft-van-zijn-vliegtuigen>

The number of smart projects in Amsterdam is growing bigger and bigger! That is an improvement and that is why we will pay a little more attention to a smart project every two weeks. This time our spotlight shines on PlantageLab...

The number of smart projects in Amsterdam is growing bigger and bigger! That is an improvement and that is why we will pay a little more attention to a smart project every two weeks. This time our spotlight shines on PlantageLab.

PlantageLab is an initiative of WOW-Amsterdam, Amsterdam Graphical Atelier and Knowmads business school, united in the foundation PlantageLab. All three are housed inthe former Technical High School in the Kolenkit neighbourhood. This makes theold school a hotspot for artists, social entrepreneurs and other young creativetalents. PlantageLab is an experimental garden with different aspects of a citycourtyards, frontages, roofs and spaces like the zone in between the complex andthe highway.

One of the most important goals of PlantageLab is stimulating knowledge expansion, innovation and entrepreneurship concerning sustainable urban challenges. This is carried out by creating a place for urban farming, roof solutions, urban greening, climate adaptation and environmentally friendly production.

The activities vary from exploiting and managing a cooperative urban farming garden, they provide workshops on for example local water management. In these activities, they always search for connections. Connections between art, science, technique and food production. There are also connections made between the neighbourhood and community and with comparable initiatives, both in Amsterdam, the country and worldwide. In all their activities they act local by using what is available close-by.

The garden has recently been expanded and festively sown. The next month rainwater will be used for the irrigation of the crops. A greenhouse will be build to grow more crops and give workshops, and there is de PlantageDakLab: an experimental garden on the rood to test sustainable roof solutions that at the same time make the building more energy efficient.

PlantageLab cooperates with the municipal government and Amsterdam Smart City to contribute to the goals on innovation and sustainability. They strive for cooperation with the corporate world, science, government and civilians. Because a quadruple-helix cooperation is essential to strengthen the innovation in the region of Amsterdam.

Are you curious about PlantageLab? Visit Facebook or email to <info@plantagelab.nl>.

By: Mara de Pater, with help of Frank Westdorp and Luca van der Putten from PlantageLab

Picture: Cassander Eeftinck Schattenkerk

The first self-driving buses are launched in Wageningen (Netherlands). The buses don’t have a wheel anymore and don’t have to drive in special lanes. If you want to order a ride on the WEpod you should organize this through an app. In Rotterdam and London there are also self-driving buses but those buses run on special single trajectory lanes. The WEpods in Wageningen drive on the public road with a maximum speed of 25 kilometers per hour. The US also has self-driving buses but none of the buses removed the wheel completely. The fully automatic controlling system of the WEpod relies on technology: GPS, 360° cameras, laser and radar. All the movements of the vehicle will be controlled. From June 2016 onwards two WEpods will drive on a set path. The buses has six places. A ride needs to be arranged through the corresponding app. The pilot project is the result of an intensive collaboration between companies, the government and knowledge institutions. Later on the WEpod will be introduced in other parts of the Netherlands.

Source: Zeronaut
Picture: Zeronaut

The European Commission provides funding through City-zen for energy efficient home renovations. Amsterdam Smart City is looking for inspiring and innovative projects in Amsterdam.

​City-zen funding for home renovation

The European Commission provides funding through City-zen for energy efficient home renovations. Amsterdam Smart City is looking for inspiring and innovative projects in Amsterdam. Some residents have already taken this step, like Wigger Verschoor from Amsterdam North, who has almost completed his home energy efficient home renovation.

Wigger Verschoor alongside his energy-efficient heating system. Photo W. Verschoor.
Clockwise: above the control of the heat pump (which is on the roof) and the expansion tank, right the buffer vessel, and completely left the monitoring.

Why did you decide to renovate your home?

'Practice what you preach'. I work at Urgenda (The Urgenda Foundation aims for a fast transition towards a sustainable society with a circular economy). As Projectleader for ThuisBaas we work towards zero energy of existing homes in Zaandam, a city close to Amsterdam.

Did you consider the idea of retrofitting your home, for a long time?

Yes, but I waited until we decided to buy and move to another house. Once you start remodelling, the decision to retrofit and include energy-saving measures is a logical choice. My reason to energy efficient renovate is however more substantive than financial. Experimenting in an Amsterdam situation, replacing gas with electricity, that made it really interesting. Thanks to the City-zen funding I was able to take that extra step.

What energy measures are you most proud of and which measures have the greatest impact?

We have chosen for new window frames with HR ++ glass in our home. And to become truly energy efficient, we opted for smart solutions such as an air-water heat pump (with a large buffer vessel of up to 400 liters) and smart radiators. I am most proud of the advanced cascaded heating system of the heat pump, which probably provides the best returns.

How much money have you invested in total in the renovation and in the energy saving measures?

The renovation cost about € 35,000. As it was a “shell” house so we had to install a kitchen, bathroom, ceilings and floors. The energy-saving measures cost around € 25,000 euro, including the new window frames. The City-zen grant was € 6,300.

How much you save on your energy costs?

I can start calculating in August 2016 once I live in my house for one year exactly. And next year, once the new window frames and double glazing is in, then I will calculate again. With the emphasis that there are always variables you need to take into account. I recently became a father, which means you spend more time at home, these things obviously have an effect on energy bills.

What are the learning opportunities and tips for others?

It is very important to find a contractor and installer who is knowledgeable and trustworthy, with a good track record and who works with specified prices. You’ll ask other people for advice and read up about renovations. It takes a lot of time and energy, but you also get a lot in return!

Interview by Esther Somers, Communications Manager Amsterdam Smart City - City-zen

Homeowners' associations, housing associations and individuals to apply for grants. For more info: www.amsterdamsmartcity.nl/subsidie

March 23, OBA

During this night of HEYU! the Estonian architect and planner Marten Kaevats is invited to talk about how digital technology influences urban life in Tallinn. Currently he works as an advisor Digital Business for the Estonian government. Kaevets' coreferent Ger Baron is Chief Technology Officer of the Municipality of Amsterdam. According to him digitization becomes more visible in our daily lives, so it should be an important focus of municipal policy.

HEYU! Urbans Tallinn will take place on 23 March, 8-10 pm in the OBA Theater (Oosterdoksdade 143, 7th floor). Tickets are 10 or 5 euro (with an OBA-card, citycard or student card), you can buy them here. Members of We Are Public have free entrance. The lecture will be in English.

Source: OBA
Picture: HeyU

Startupbootcamp is the number 1 accelerator in Europe. Startupbootcamp will innovate the Smart City & Living ecosystem by providing the most promising startups in the "Smart City & Living space". This means that they'll realize together with the selected startups in 3 months what normally will take you 18 months. The selected startup teams will receive extensive mentorship from world-class entrepreneurs, industry operators & corporate experts, funding of €15K, 3 months of free office space as well as access to the broad network of Startupbootcamp, the Best European Startup Accelerator 2014.

To be up-to-date with everything that happened at the event, read the blog post and take a look at the photo album.

Without further ado, here are the 11 determined startup teams from 8 different countries have been selected for the upcoming accelerator program:

Cabture (The Netherlands) provides contextualized taxi advertising and user engagement experience via in-cab tablets.Virgla (Czech Republic) allows brands to interact, engage and reward their customers via a simple platform.Twingz (Austria) is a home data management solution to measure energy consumption and provide suggestions on how to improve it.Dipper (China) is 3D Simulation software and data processing for cities, natural resources, airport safety and more.Canard (Spain) is drone and 3D software to inspect airport runway lighting systems to help airports save money, also extendable for oil/gas pipes inspection or windmills.MyStay (Czech Republic) is a hotel communication system that guests use as a virtual assistant that guides them through their whole stay.ParkEagle (The Netherlands) is a subscription-based, full-service parking solution for cities and business venues.Nuklius (United Kingdom) is a web and mobile app to allow corporate team managers recruit skilled people for their projects. Helps unlock talent within an organization.Quicargo (Israel) ia a real-time bidding platform allowing shippers to book empty cargo space in an affordable and convenient way.The Construct (Poland). A Virtual Reality app for phones that lets you experience the property that still has to be built. For architect studios and real estate.De Vinderij (The Netherlands) is a network platform of students who give care to people from all generations; as a babysitter, housecleaner and assistant to elderly people.