A milestone towards a more sustainable future was accomplished yesterday evening in Rotterdam when
Club Watt opened its doors to the public.
From idea...It took three years to turn an innovative concept to reality. In 2005,
Enviu -Innovators in Sustainability and architect studio
Döll Lab partnered to answer the question; how would a sustainable dance club look like? Back then, this was merely an exercice to explore the potential to green the clubbing scene, in which I was invited to be part of.
By October 2006, the concept was mature enough to be publicly presented at Rotterdam club
Off_Corso under the title
The Critical Mass (
video).
Reaction from media, club owners, and the general public was extraordinary and brought it to next stage when it appeared very clear to everyone that a market for a dance club that turns environmental efficiency into part of the clubbig experience existed. The final concept is a comprehensive one combining technical solutions and managerial practices that when applied could largely improve the environmental performance of a club while adding value to the overall experience.
As result, the concept turned into a company named
Sustainable Dance Club (SDC) which offers solutions to club owners that lead to a reduction in relation to comparable clubs of:
- 30% energy consumption
- 50% water
- 50% refuse generated
- 30% CO2 emissions
...to realisation Yesterday,
Club Watt was the first one to take on board the collection of solutions and managerial approach and show to everyone that
sustainability in Rotterdam means planet, people, & party.
In a world premiere ;-) I broadcasted live the unveiling of this new venue. You can follow the tour given to the press, and have a first-hand experience of the well-known
Sustainable Dance Floor (video) by
Studio Roosegaarde at the following videos (love my N95 running
Qik!). Next week will upload a video covering the opening.
More about the Sustainable Dance ClubThanks to Jeanette & Lotte from Club Watt, and Vera from SDC for the support provided during the opening.
Disclaimer: since January 2008 I am a part-time business developer for Enviu - Innovators in Sustainability