Architect and urban planner Ashok Bhalotra, spiritual father of the City of the Sun, has passed away. This first zero-emission residential area in the world, in Heerhugowaard, was one of his high-profile designs. Bhalotra turned 79 years old.
His name may not immediately ring a bell, but tens of thousands of Dutch people live in neighborhoods designed by him. NH News.
Examples abound. The Kattenbroek district in Amersfoort, for example, where rich and poor, young and old, entire families and single-person households can live together. Also think of the green new residential area Skoatterwâld in Heerenveen and the brightly colored Groningen residential area Helpermaat.
But Bhalotra’s most notable project is probably the City of the Sun, opened by King Willem-Alexander in 2009. At first glance, the City of the Sun is just another suburb of Heerhugowaard, with a lot of solar panels on the roofs and a number of windmills. Only in the second instance does it become clear that (almost) all energy consumed in the district with 3000 homes is also generated in the district itself.
A lot of attention to insulation
And that is noticeable. Resident of the first hour Bob de Boer is always happy with his energy bill. “We ourselves have five panels on our roof. A lot of attention has also been paid to the insulation in the house. You can also see that in the gas bill.” said he at the tenth anniversary of the City of the Sun in 2019.
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