3 Foreword What does art in public spaces and a locally brewed beer have to do with sustainability? Somebody asked this question at the presentation of last year’s edition of this report. A valid question. The relationship between sustainability and the ‘nicer’ things, quality of life, can be problematic. To live more sustainably, we need to make concessions. Give up the fast company car, choose meals more carefully, consume less and adhere to stricter (building) rules: sustainability requires work, and sometimes, it even hurts a little. Photo: Anne Imfeld Nevertheless, we believe that sustainability and quality of life can go hand in hand, and can even reinforce each other. Even more so, one cannot be without the other, as sustainability also means future-proof, and in the domain of urban development, this can only be achieved if space is given to human development, a pleasant, attractive living and work environment with social cohesion. For this reason this Zuidas sustainably report includes initiatives and activities that strengthen liveability and liveliness. Therefore, aside from the latest developments on energy savings and mobility, you will also find, for example, an electric delivery van that Zuidas companies have donated to the food bank (Voedselbank), as well as the ‘Get Lost’ art route and other cultural subjects. In the domain of more ‘serious’ sustainability, Zuidas made strong progress in the last year. Zuidas Amsterdam Development Office has issued ‘building envelopes’ for developers, with guidelines for nature, water and sustainability. For example, new developments must include high-quality green on roofs, the electricity network has been worked on extensively, as we want to move Zuidas away from the reliance on natural gas, and we also worked intensively on intelligent city logistics to reduce the constant inflow of deliveries in the area. These measures, combined with the ‘soft measures’ mentioned earlier, have made Zuidas a more pleasant and more liveable place in 2018. Sustainability can hurt sometimes, but it makes life better in the end. Eline Kik Programme director Green Business Club Zuidas David van Traa Director Zuidas Municipality of Amsterdam Olivier Otten Director Hello Zuidas Sustainability report Zuidas 2018
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