De Groene Loper Maastricht
The Groene Loper (The Green Carpet) project was a dream come true for the city of Maastricht. The project transformed a polluted area around the A2 motorway into a green and healthy residential, working and living environment. Part of the Groene Loper included creating a bio diversified urban area with over 1,175 houses realised by urban area developers Ballast Nedam Development and Laudy Bouw en Ontwikkeling.
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1,175 houses
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30,000 m2 commercial property
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5 kilometre long park
An innovative solution: a double-deck tunnel
The old A2 motorway, known for its noise and air pollution, was a physical and social barrier. To improve on this, 2.6 kilometres of the motorway has been moved into a double-deck tunnel. The tunnel allowed two separate living areas to become one again and created the space for a ‘green avenue’. The result is a 5-kilometre-long park that connects the natural areas with the city. At the same time, the vacated space has made room for sustainable energy-neutral houses and 30,000 m2 of commercial property.
Lots of green elements
A healthy living environment with lots of green and natural elements inspired the Groene Loper. More than 1,800 mature trees were raised in a special nursery during the tunnelling of the motorway. Together with various flower meadows and bee ribbons, these measures have provided an impulse for biodiversity in the city.
An area full of ambition
The Groene Loper in Maastricht promises to be one of the healthiest urban areas in the Netherlands. The goal has been set to ultimately increase the life expectancy of residents by five years. We will achieve this by stimulating all forms of sustainable mobility by using, for example, shared cars. And it doesn't stop there, because we are investigating how the new buildings can provide energy for the surrounding area. The impact of this sustainable area development was awarded the European Sustainable Residential Development Award in 2020.
A sustainable construction process
The sustainable ambitions are extended to the construction site, with special attention to the environment. We reduce logistical movements by using prefabricated building systems wherever possible. In this way, construction can be carried out faster and more efficiently. We kept taking it one step further during this project, from solar panels on the construction site cabins to creating workplaces for people with a distance to the labour market and offering many traineeships.
More information?
Onno Dwars
CEO Ballast Nedam Development
As CEO of Ballast Nedam Development, Onno pushes boundaries to make the world a better place for both human and nature.
Discover more
Read more about the techniques we use, our focus themes and similar projects.
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News
27/10/2020Ballast Nedam Development wins Sustainable Residential Development Award
27/10/2020
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