{"id":76494,"date":"2024-09-20T15:54:43","date_gmt":"2024-09-20T13:54:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kwrwater.nl\/about-kwr\/waterkwartier\/"},"modified":"2025-02-27T11:12:17","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T10:12:17","slug":"waterkwartier","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.kwrwater.nl\/en\/about-kwr\/waterkwartier\/","title":{"rendered":"Waterkwartier"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Waterkwartier\u00a0is the\u202fmeeting place for innovative\u202fwater professionals from around the world. Located\u202fin the heart\u202fof the\u202fNetherlands, at the Groningenhaven in Nieuwegein, this sustainable\u202fcomplex is the\u202fhome base of KWR and its\u202fpartners. In this green oasis, we conduct groundbreaking, applied\u202fresearch and work together to create\u202fa water-wise future..<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

KWR shares the building with other water partners: Allied Waters, Watershare, Hysolar, TKI Water Technology, Wateropleidingen, Aqua Minerals, RIWA-Rijn, and Kaumera.<\/p>\n

The grounds<\/h2>\n

Waterkwartier is a green oasis featuring a striking, transparent, sustainable building. There is a strong focus on biodiversity, with abundant greenery, diverse vegetation, a pond, a trench, and a paludi-culture area. Additionally, it houses an electrolyser for green hydrogen production, various experimental setups, and even a water-related artwork.<\/p>\n

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Green hydrogen<\/h2>\n

Waterkwartier houses a 2.5 MWe<\/sub> electrolyser part of Hysolar, which is used for the production of green hydrogen. The electrolyser is powered by green electricity and uses ultrapure water. The hydrogen is transported via an underground pipeline to the nearby Hysolar refuelling station.<\/p>\n

Trench<\/h2>\n

A trench has been installed to improve water management. Its primary purpose is to drain excess water from the garden and roof into the pond. The biodiversity is further encouraged by applying special seed mixtures which are dedicated to the different moisture levels in the trench.<\/p>\n

Garden<\/h2>\n

The Waterkwartier garden blooms from March to October, with a rich variety of herbs and natural banks for amphibians. Nesting boxes for tits help provide natural pest control, while hedgerows offer shelter for birds. Leaves are left on the ground to create healthy soil and hiding places for insects and hedgehogs.\u00a0<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Paludiculture<\/h2>\n

Since 2023, Waterkwartier has been hosting a 4-year mesocosm experiment<\/a> with 30 pond containers, where a new form of sustainable agriculture, known as \u2018paludiculture\u2019, is being tested as part of the Netherlands Peatland Innovation Programme (VIPNL). KWR is researching the water quality and quantity in wet cultivation.<\/p>\n

TUBES<\/h2>\n

TUBES<\/a> is KWR’s outdoor facility for testing new technologies and operation methodologies before rolling them out in real, functioning drinking water distribution systems. International collaborations used fibre-optic technologies here to detect leaks, temperature changes, and vibrations in pipes. TUBES allows for safe, hygienic testing without risking disruption in operational networks.<\/p>\n

<\/div>
\"Main-elektrolyser\"
Het groene waterstof station van Hysolar<\/div><\/div>
\"IMG_2882\"
De paludicultuur<\/div><\/div>
\"2023-04-21
De leidingnetproeftuin TUBES<\/div><\/div><\/div>
\"Main-elektrolyser\"<\/div>
\"IMG_2882\"<\/div>
\"2023-04-21<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n

<\/h2>\n

The building<\/h2>\n

The headquarters is a meeting place for collaboration, knowledge sharing and innovation. Free-standing in its green setting, with its glass fa\u00e7ade and partitions, the prevailing atmosphere is one of transparency. The quality facilities lend themselves exceptionally well to all kinds of gatherings in our collaborative work with partners.<\/p>\n

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Sustainable building<\/h2>\n

The headquarters <\/a>is designed with sustainability as a core principle. Smart technologies like solar panels and thermal energy storage have been implemented. In addition, the building is flexible, demountable, and made of easily reusable materials.<\/p>\n

Restaurant<\/h2>\n

The choice of an entirely vegetarian restaurant helps save water and reduce environmental impact. Dishes are prepared with vegetables and herbs from the indoor garden, ensuring a sustainable, locally-focused food supply.<\/p>\n

Biodiversity<\/h2>\n

Sustainability is a central feature of Waterkwartier, with a particular focus on biodiversity. The garden is designed to support a diverse ecosystem where insects, birds and small mammals thrive. Inside the building, the meeting rooms are named after Dutch landscapes, plants, and birds that stimulate biodiversity, such as:<\/p>\n