Vision case study: Rosendael Castle

Introduction

Between the high-lying Veluwe and the low-lying IJsseldal lie Rosendael Castle and the famous Rosendael Park with the Bedriegertjes, shell gallery, tea dome, ponds and fountains. Rosendael Castle gives a good idea of how people used to live in a castle. An extraordinary collection of furniture, silver and porcelain is on display. The imposing, historically decorated castle is surrounded by a park with many attractions. Geldersch Landschap & Kasteelen (GLK) has been protecting what makes Gelderland so special since 1929. Nature reserves with a wealth of plants and animals. Beautifully decorated castles and country houses surrounded by gardens and parks. Thanks to expert management, these vulnerable natural areas, monuments and collections are preserved for the future. Every year, we welcome many visitors. Young and old learn about nature and the rich history of this beautiful province.. www.glk.nl

Project

Apeldoorn based installer TTB has completed a comprehensive sustainability project at the historic Rosendael Castle. This historic property presented special challenges due to the strict requirements regarding changes to the building. The chosen solution included the installation of two large pellet stoves in the coach house, bringing heat to the castle via a 100-metre-long Microflex flexible pre-insulated pipe. The Watts Vision® system was provided for thermostatic control in the various rooms of the castle. This project was successfully supervised by Ben Jacobs of Installer TTB, a specialist in preserving and maintaining historic buildings.

As a historic building, the castle was not allowed to be modified significantly, meaning that conventional preservation methods such as solar panels and additional insulation were not an option. To supply the castle with heat without major modifications, two large pellet stoves were installed in the coach house. Heat is efficiently transported to the castle. via a 100-metre-long Microflex flexible pre-insulated pipe. Almost all rooms in the castle are equipped with digital thermostats and radiator controls. This ensures precise temperature control in different zones of the building. Three touchscreens and two RF signal amplifiers have been installed to control the wireless Vision system. This system allows remote control of all settings, setting clock programmes for offices and rental areas, and keeping the temperature constant in old rooms with very valuable paintings. The thermostats can also be blocked so that guests cannot change the settings, which is essential to maintain a constant temperature in the historic rooms.

The Vision system, combined with the pellet stoves, paid for itself within a year. This highlights the efficiency and costeffectiveness of the chosen solution. Despite the thick walls of this historic building, no problems with signal coverage were experienced, demonstrating the reliability of the system.

The sustainability project at Rosendael Castle is an excellent example of how historic buildings can be modernised without compromising their heritage value. Thanks to the expertise of Ben Jacobs and his team at installer TTB, the castle is now not only energy-efficient, but also fully equipped with state-of-the-art climate control technology. The collaboration between Watts, TTB and castle manager Maarten Cornax resulted in a successful and sustainable solution that respects both the functionality and historical character of the castle.