Welcome to a new quarterly update from The Green Box Cleantech Campus. Step by step, we are expanding our campus to become the home for clean tech enthusiasts with a green drive.
We achieve this, among other things, by providing space for the cleantech talents working with our tenants: a great mix of startups, scale-ups, and established companies. We gladly encourage knowledge sharing, including with students, schoolchildren, and external experts. Last but not least, we are dedicated to further sustainable development of The Green Box Campus itself, with a large number of solar panels, smartly managed charging stations, and beautiful flora and fauna for a pleasant, green working environment.
In this third-quarter update, you will find the latest developments in the following three areas:
- Team expansion and new tenants.
- Further sustainability efforts on our campus.
- Connecting and sharing knowledge.
Team expansion and new tenants
With pride, we welcome our newest team member, Christina Kaiser. We also had the pleasure of welcoming three new companies as tenants to our cleantech campus.
Welcome Christina
Christina Kaiser completes our team. Christina is not a stranger on our campus. In the past year, many visitors have already met Christina as the friendly face behind our service desk. As of October 1, she has been appointed as a permanent Front Office employee.
With her warm smile and hands-on approach, Christina ensures that everyone feels immediately welcome at our cleantech campus and can work comfortably.
The Green Box team is now at full strength with seven members.
Welcome Social Saga, Koolen Industries I en PM Energie!
In recent months, three companies have strengthened our campus with technicians and clean energy enthusiasts. This brings the total number of tenants dedicated to the transition to clean energy and/or clean mobility to 19.
Social Saga
SocialSaga is an independent online marketing and communication agency focused on sustainable businesses operating in the energy transition. SocialSaga can assist companies both inside and outside our campus with engaging content, such as the recently launched promotional video for Vigor, NieuweWeme.
PM Energie
PM Energie assists industrial areas and individual companies in minimizing energy costs and achieving their sustainability goals. PM's extensive knowledge of energy savings, monitoring, and sustainable energy solutions accelerates the transition to clean energy, aligning seamlessly with The Green Box's vision.
Koolen Industries IT
Koolen Industries IT (KIIT) ensures a secure and reliable ICT infrastructure at The Green Box. In addition to the valuable support for The Green Box itself, KIIT also provides extensive ICT expertise to other tenants on the campus. The KIIT office has recently been equipped with a new entrance, including a welcome desk. This gateway to seamless ICT support and convenience further enhances the service.
Further sustainability efforts on our campus
In addition to the existing AC charging points and 7 MWp solar panels, we have added 10 additional DC charging points and a unique bi-directional electric pool car in the past quarter.
The Green Box pool car
Recently, in collaboration with We Drive Solar, we added an electric pool car to our cleantech campus. What makes this car truly unique is that it's one of only 25 Hyundai Ioniq 5s in the world that can actually charge in both directions. Whether you need to pick someone up from the station, make a last-minute package delivery, visit a customer and return, or simply want to experience a weekend of electric driving, when you rent at The Green Box, this pool car is at your disposal.
The car partially pays for itself by intelligently charging and discharging the battery. Therefore, we can offer this vehicle to tenants at a fantastic low all-inclusive rate, starting from just €10. Booking is easy and can be done via email (receptie@thegreenbox.com) or by phone (+31 (0)85 080 5119) through Christina, our front office star.
DC charging stations
For visitors and employees seeking a fast charging experience, we have installed five powerful DC chargers with dual sockets, each capable of delivering 48 kW of power per charging point. This equates to approximately 250 kilometers of range per hour, depending on your car. In comparison to AC chargers, which typically add around 50-100 kilometers of range per hour, this is significantly faster.
Furthermore, these chargers are conveniently located near our main entrance. This means not only will you charge faster but you'll also reach your destination more quickly.
And that's the way it should be. As an electric vehicle driver, you deserve to be rewarded with speed, convenience, and an attractive charging rate.
Connecting and sharing knowledge
At The Green Box, we provide opportunities for meetings and sharing knowledge about the transition to sustainable energy. In the recent period, we have organized some great events and paid visits to places such as the Sustainable Energy Market for businesses.
"Sustainable Energy Market for Businesses"
At the "Sustainable Energy Market for Businesses," organized by the Municipality of Hengelo, local entrepreneurs had the opportunity to engage in dialogues with companies like The Green Box and Ikea to discuss solutions related to sustainable energy and mobility.
Our colleagues Gerard Nijsse and Rien Veldsink discussed various energy-related issues with entrepreneurs in the region. In the follow-up session, Tom Middendorp, also known as the 'Climate General,' and our CEO, Ynte de Vries, shared a positive story about the energy transition from the perspective of cleantech entrepreneurship and The Green Box's vision.
It was inspiring to see so many regional entrepreneurs engaged in this topic and committed to the energy transition. Together, we will continue to work hard for a more sustainable future.
Sustainable Energy Perspective event
On September 25, we had the pleasure of welcoming 25 energy consultants from "Duurzaam Energie Perspectief" to The Green Box Cleantech Campus. In collaboration with tenant Koolen Industries, Jos Blom discussed the steps Koolen Industries is taking to accelerate the cleantech industry. Martijn Leseman, on behalf of DEP, shared their vision and activities within the ongoing energy transition.
Rien Veldsink guided the group through the story of The Green Box, what we do, and most importantly, why we do it. That is, to make the energy transition tangible and provide physical space for cleantech entrepreneurs and innovators who are working tirelessly on this transition.
Of course, a tour of The Green Box campus was also part of the program, allowing everyone to witness these cleantech developments with their own eyes.
Sedum event
On October 10, we had the privilege of hosting a market consultation event on green roofs on transformer stations with NatureGreen and www.groentrafohuisje.nl. Since then, we have proudly displayed green transformer stations on the campus, a literal greening within the energy transition.
A live demonstration showed how quickly and expertly a transformer station can be covered with sedum. Green tech expert Raymond Blankenstijn from NatureGreen further explained the benefits during the presentation. It helps maintain a stable indoor climate, provides food and shelter for birds and insects, and allows for green surfaces to be preserved during the installation of electrical equipment and cables. This is an important requirement in many municipalities in the Netherlands.
"A sedum roof, with nature's touch, boosts technology; here's the proof." said initiator Rien Veldsink of The Green Box.
The potential of sedum roofs on transformer stations is enormous. There are over 100,000 transformer stations across the Netherlands, and this number is expected to double to 200,000 in the coming years. The average roof area of these transformer stations is 5 square meters. This means that there is approximately 1 million square meters of roof space available for greening.
Entities such as the Municipality of Hengelo, Kenter, Fudura, Alliander, Krinkels, and NL Greenlabel were present to share their opinions and visions. This has led to further collaboration and research into the possibilities of these green roofs. More information on this will be available soon.
Stay Tuned
The Green Box Cleantech Campus is the ultimate home for clean tech enthusiasts and other energy transition enthusiasts. Our extensive 18.4-hectare campus with 50,000 square meters offers office, testing, storage, and production spaces, where the cleantech industry comes to life in a tangible way.
We actively promote knowledge exchange and connections, not only among our tenants but also with educational and governmental institutions, leading to numerous inspiring initiatives and events. Additionally, we strive to set an example for those facing energy transition challenges. Think of our vast solar roof, smart charging stations, and electric bi-directional pool car.
Last but not least, we are committed to creating a beautiful green working environment, promoting biodiversity up to the roofs of the transformer stations on our grounds.
Stay informed about all the latest developments at The Green Box by following us on LinkedIn. If you're inspired, want to contribute, or learn more about our sustainability efforts, don't hesitate to get in touch. We're always happy to provide more information.
