Stroomop – a company with clear principles
Stroomop is a long-standing partner and importer of RIKA in Belgium. The company is characterised in particular by its corporate philosophy, which is based on sustainability – from the products to organisational development and the company building.
The environment is close to their hearts, and sustainability is virtually the common thread in their everyday work. Stroomop stands not only for sustainable heating, but also for sustainable business. And they have been doing so for 15 years. An office building in passive construction, green electricity, environmentally friendly packaging, local employment, work-life balance and fair trade, among other things, are expressions of their corporate philosophy.
Upstream
The company was founded in 2004 by Ludwig van Wonterghem. Already in his youth, he was committed to nature and the environment, and during his studies he dealt with alternative energies and new technologies. During his professional travels abroad, he finally got to know wood pellets, which he often describes as “love at first sight”. Their potential as a fuel of the future ultimately prompted him to found Stroomop, which literally means “upstream”.
Just two years after its foundation, Stroomop became a partner of RIKA and has since been importing RIKA stoves into the Benelux countries of Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. Stroomop now employs 15 people exclusively for the RIKA brand.
“The conscious use of wood as a renewable, climate-neutral and local energy source is our future.” Ludwig van Wonterghem, Owner of Stroomop
Appreciative togetherness
Family-friendly working hours, shared meals in a relaxed atmosphere on the terrace or events such as the “Family Day” or “New Year's Lunch” illustrate the family character of the company. The personal relationships with and among the employees are particularly important, and value is also placed on health aspects – for example, fresh fruit is provided daily. Local employment also contributes to the fact that almost all commuting to work is done by bicycle. Of course, all products are sourced, traded fairly and are of high quality.
“We live a family-like working environment, teamwork and amicable relationships. That’s what makes us special and makes our working day extremely pleasant.” Wim Vanlede, Managing Director at Stroomop
Green building – down to the last detail
Das Gebäude umfasst Büroräumlichkeiten, Ausstellungsfläche sowie ein angrenzendes Lager. Schon bei den ersten Entwurfsskizzen wurde das Passivkonzept berücksichtigt. Dies spiegelt sich u.a. in der Gruppierung der Räume, dem statischen Konzept, der Platzierung und Ausrichtung der Fenster wider.
Structurally, the office has a lightweight core in CLT (Cross Laminated Timber) solid wood construction and a peripheral zone in sand-lime brick construction. Materials such as wood wool, foam glass, wood and clay plaster are omnipresent in the insulation and finishing.
In terms of technology, the decision was made in favour of renewable energy sources. A micro-CHP (combined heat and power) system based on wood pellets is used to generate heat, while cooling is provided by a combination of passive night cooling, passive geothermal wall cooling and adiabatic cooling of the ventilation air.
In the centre of the building is an atrium with a skylight that allows maximum daylight to enter.
Almost the entire roof of the offices is covered in greenery. Only native plants were chosen for the planting of the green zones on the site.
Impermeable surfacing was only provided where necessary for lorry access. The car parking spaces were made of permeable paving.
Photographer: Marc Sourbron & FORT 07
Bilder: © Stroomop
