Ambitious plans are becoming reality: in the Brabant town of Heeze, 8 energy-positive terraced houses made of bio-based materials are being constructed. These sustainable homes are called 'Natuurhuizen' and consist mostly of prefabricated straw panels, allowing for fast and efficient construction. Ballast Nedam Development is developing the Natuurhuis as a knowledge project. The company is determined to make the world greener, healthier, and happier.

One with nature

Because the homes are made of natural materials such as straw, a byproduct from the agricultural sector, the materials store a whopping 90 tons of CO2. Additionally, the Natuurhuizen are Zero-energy and even generate an extra 10% of energy. So, you can actually see them as small power plants. The facade and roof are largely covered with greenery. The greenery and natural building materials act as a buffer for water management and help mitigate heat stress.

Sustainable materials

The homes are insulated with: this regrows after harvest, emits little CO2, and can be easily recycled. With wooden floors, a green roof, a solar roof, and of course the essential straw panels, future residents will live in harmony with nature.

Living in and around greenery

The Natuurhuizen are the winning concept resulting from a search for scalable climate-positive terraced houses initiated by Ballast Nedam Development at the end of 2021. From 70 submissions, the combination of Strotec, Bouwbedrijf Van Herpen, and architecten|en|en ultimately emerged with the winning plan. These 8 houses constitute the first pilot project and thus make history with straw.