Replenishable Resources

At "The Edge" massive concrete tubs gather rainwater and it is used to flush toilets throughout the building. This collection of rainwater is an important strategy for this use. This building is an example of a successful building that utilizes the collection and re-use of natural resources.

Case study

Located in in Amsterdam, the edge was completed in 2015. With 40,000 square meters of structure, this building was awarded a record sustainable score of 98.4%. Architectural firm PLP Architects are responsible for the design of this unique structure. The cost for this office building was $86 million dollars. 

The Frameworks Analysis section examines the Edge's features 

Utilizing portions of a building structure to incorporate resources is beneficial and helps a building reach sustainability certification in many cases. Rainwater collection must be carefully treated and used properly depending on the use. For instance, rainwater harvesting can be used to water vegetation that’s part of a bioclimatic design, to flush toilets in a building or even drinking water. Rainwater is assumed to be clean water, requiring only limited treatment, and it is thought that there is sufficient rainwater available to provide people with drinking water (Hofman 2018). Specifically, a building like “The Edge” that uses rainwater for uses such as flushing toilets saves a great amount of money on water bills. It's important to utilize environmental resources versus a nonrenewable resource because a nonrenewable resource is finite. As long as we have natural resources, we should utilize them as much as possible. The Edge building in Amsterdam can be used as an example of a successful building that utilizes the collection and re-use of natural resources.