The Edge

The Edge, which includes over 28,000 IoT sensors along with numerous other smart features, has also been recognized as one of the greenest buildings in the world, with a BREEAM (the world's longest established method of assessing, rating, and certifying the sustainability of buildings) score of 98.0%. If you worked at the Edge, you'd start your day by connecting with the building online via Mapiq: a smartphone app that can do anything from leading you to open parking, adjusting the heating, managing your gym routine, and reserving a workspace.

That's because no one has a fixed workstation at the Edge. Instead, employees may move around the building, using the app to reserve different workstations that are customized to their schedules and comfort requirements. Utilizing this approach, the Edge can accommodate 2,850 employees over 1,080 desks. The Edge has too many smart features to list here, from smart panels and data dashboards to security robots and automated coffee makers, but one of the most notable is its masterful use of BIM to visualize energy efficiency and track maintenance issues, demonstrating how 6D BIM can be used to make buildings more sustainable.

The Edge is also a "net-zero" building, which means that all of its energy is generated from renewable sources. All of its power comes from around 4,200 square meters of solar panels, the majority of which are put on the rooftops of nearby buildings. The basement also offers 500 bicycle parking spaces and a bank of electric car charging stations. Interestingly, the Edge's sustainability profile is largely due to its clever use of low-tech, passive design features. The load-bearing concrete walls on the building's southern facade, in particular, act as a thermal mass, absorbing and radiating heat from the sun throughout the structure. The remaining heating needs are fulfilled by a geothermal heat pump system.

Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands