! 4446 EUREKABUILD FLOATEC
Floating houses
Climate change is redefining the rules by which we live and at a pace we never expected.
Because of rising sea level, several areas of the globe are in danger of vanishing from the
map, disappearing under water. Society must adapt and maybe, one day, live in floating
houses.
Depending on their geographical
houses’. The project also benefited
Netherlands, it has a strong record of
situation,
are
of a unique legal obligation existing
daring architectural projects.
in
in Netherlands: 7% to 12% of every
their adjustment to the effects of
construction site is to be dedicated to
Best of both worlds
global
water storage, which makes floating
So, how do you build a floating house?
houses also very convenient.
Edwin Blom describes it as a relatively
more
some
advanced
countries
than
warming,
and
others
particularly
the rising level of the seas. In
1953, the Netherlands and large
easy construction process: The secret
parts of Belgium and England were
The leading partner in the EUREKA
lies in the foundations of the building,
struck by what is known as the
FLOATEC project, Dura Vermeer, is
made of multiple layers of light
Watersnoodramp,
“flood
a Dutch company specialising in
plastic foam supporting the concrete,
disaster”, destroying 10.000 buildings
building homes in a country where
allowing it to float the same way a
and
killing
literally
over
2.500
people.
Since then, the “low countries”
have developed a culture of flood
engineering that has sealed the
reputation of its builders and might
help
to
fight
the
consequences
of rising sea levels due to climate
change.
The project had the full backing of the Dutch
government, which designated some areas of the
country as preferred grounds for experimentation on
amphibian houses.
Edwin Blom - Dura Vermeer
A Dutch speciality
many
a
boat would do. But the technology
The results of FLOATEC, a European
houseboat. It is currently employing
used until now has its limitations.
R&D project underwritten by EUREKA,
some 3000 people in The Netherlands.
There is a maximum size and weight
can be found all over Europe, but the
Over the last 12 years, this company
beyond which a structure loses its
Netherlands is the primary market
has become an outright leader in a
buoyancy
for the solution developed within the
market that barely existed before -
engineers from Dura Vermeer had to
project. ‘It had the full backing of the
that of floating buildings. With some
look for a technological partner able
Dutch government’ says Edwin Blom,
revolutionary achievements under its
to solve this problem, the key being in
project leader at Dura Vermeer. ‘The
belt, such as the Rotterdam floating
the use and development of the right
authorities designated some areas
exhibition pavilion, a greenhouse
type of material.
of the country as preferred grounds
built on water, or the amphibious
for experimentation on amphibian
village in Maasbommel, all located in
would
consider
Doing business through technology
buying
and
simply
sinks.
The
! 4446 EUREKABUILD FLOATEC
However, it proved to be impossible to
kind as is used for packaging and
now exists thanks to the FLOATEC
find in the Netherlands a collaborator
which people are familiar with: little
project, and the cards to be played are
with the level of skill and innovation
white balls glued together’, says
now in the hands of the governments
required. They finally found the
Blom. The modified polystyrene is
and local authorities in charge of
perfect match thanks to the network
inserted in multiple layers in between
urban planning. For some countries,
of European R&D experts offered by
stratums of composite and concrete
small island-states in the Indian and
EUREKA: Acciona Infrastructures, a
and divided into beam-like modules
Pacific Oceans, the stakes are even
Spanish company and a forerunner in
that can easily be assembled into a
higher, as it is estimated that they
the sector of nanotechnology-based
bigger supporting structure ‘a bit
could disappear within the next 100
composite materials. Whereas most
like building blocks’. The modules are
years. According to Jenny Grote
of the research done in the sector
arranged in a floating grid into which
Stoutenburg, a researcher in law from
has been oriented towards lucrative
the concrete is cast.
the German Max Planck Institute, ‘if a
high-tech sectors such as aerospace
threatened island managed to keep an
or military, Acciona Infrastructures
Even so, the technology is much more
artificial, floating structure, occupied
has been from the very start looking
advanced than the one traditionally
by caretakers, it could probably
to adapt their knowledge to the
used, Edwin Blom points at the fact
maintain its claim to statehood’.
needs of the construction business.
that it is still much cheaper than other
‘We would not have even thought
method used until now: ‘We simply do
of this market opportunity if we did
not need to use as much material as
not take part in this EUREKA project’
we used to, he says. Smaller blocks
says Bladimir Osorio, project leader at
can now support bigger structures
Acciona Infrastructures.
and, in the end, the cost of the whole
The project was a real technological breakthrough
that would never have been possible without
EUREKA.
Bladimir Osorio - Project leader, Acciona Infrastructures
Easy as building blocks
building is reduced’. For his Spanish
counterpart Osorio, the project was
Together with a Spanish engineering
‘a real technological breakthrough
consultancy, Solintel, the partners
that would never have been possible
worked on a new way to build
without EUREKA’.
floating structures: simpler, more
solid and using lighter materials.
If climate change means more floods
This new building method uses EPS,
in
or expanded polystyrene, ‘the same
technology to answer this problem
densely
populated
Project participants:
Netherlands, Spain
Budget: 3 MEuro
Duration: 40 months
areas,
the
Contact
Edwin Blom
Dura Vermeer Business Development BV
Taurusavenue 100
Postbus 3098
2130 KB Hoofddorp
Tel (023) 752 84 00
[email protected]
www.eurekanetwork.org
EUREKA is one of the leading platforms for R&D-performing entrepreneurs in Europe. Founded in 1985, EUREKA now unites 39 member
countries. Together, they promote international, market-oriented research and innovation through the support they offer to enterprises,
universities and research institutes. Results stemming from EUREKA projects are everywhere: gsm mobile phone technology; navigation
systems; smartcards to support mobile and electronic commerce; film special effects software for cinema; state-of-the-art medical
devices and technologies to monitor and limit environmental pollution.