The  Municipality of Goeree-Overflakkee is working together with the  residents of Ooltgensplaat on a climate sketch for the settlement. In  the coming years, the sketch will develop into a joint Climate Plan,  developed with residents [building owners and tenants], the Oost West  Wonen housing association, the Stedin network operator, the Hollandse  Delta water board, the Goeree-Overflakke Energieloket and future  stakeholders.

After the initial test session this article was published, with the co-thinkers on 28 September 2021 and processing  their feedback, the game method has reached its final form, modified  and improved for the use of residents in Ooltgensplaat. On Wednesday 27  October 2021, two work sessions were organized at the Multifunctional  Center Ooltgensplaat with around 50 participants.

Energy

Among the energy transition actions, the most repeated  proposals were solar panels on roofs [not on meadows], thermal  insulation and aqua-thermal heating. With the request/proposal of the  housing corporation to fill all possible roofs with solar panels and to  send the generated energy to the electricity grid, a new idea was born.

Participants wondered whether it would be worth  joining a large-scale cooperative and collecting all the energy  generated by roof panels in the settlement. The municipality responded  that they had the in-house expertise to investigate this proposal.  City’s experts will calculate and communicate this scenario for  Ooltgensplaat, both in terms of potential energy capacity and costs.

In both sessions it became clear that heat insulation  is mandatory for households in order to be able to use low and medium  heat sources. Here participants asked whether the municipality could  help with coordinating collective insulation of homes via the ‘energy  counter’ infrastructure.

Due to the availability of running water around the  built-up area in Ooltgensplaat, several participants wondered whether  aquathermal heating could be a valid solution. The municipality  responded to this search that according to their initial diagnosis this  could be a relevant scenario, thus worth further financial and technical  investigation.

A farmer company present in both sessions shared that  they were seriously considering building a biogas plant to provide  energy for about 500 households in Ooltgensplaat. This solution can  especially help old houses where thermal insulation becomes technically  difficult. There were also proposals such as hydrogen as an energy  source or basalt in the ground as heat storage. The experts present did  not immediately react enthusiastically about these technically complex  solutions. City reactions here was that the storage of generated heat  and electricity need to be further developed.

Finally, a combined energy solution for Ooltgensplaat  consisting of solar panels, aqua-thermal energy and biogas will be  further researched  in terms of energy capacity and costs.

Water

Among the water actions, the most frequently mentioned  action was the permeable tiles and parking surfacing to collect  rainwater during sudden and intense rainfall as an effective measure of  climate adaptation. An unexpected contribution from citizens were the  "cisterns" of historic buildings. These 'water wells', which were used a  hundred years ago as a high-tech solution for in-house running water  systems, could become relevant again. Some participants wondered whether  these basins could also be used to facilitate a water heat pump, in  addition to collecting rainwater. The municipality wants to investigate  this option further technically.

Green

Among green actions, the most frequently mentioned  idea was sedum roofs combined with solar panels. Planting trees for  shade against the heat island effect, for example, the multi-functional  center is also a repeated proposal. An outstanding outcome for both  sessions was planting trees and/or food forests around the Fort and old  swimming pool. This may be a shared idea among residents of  Ooltgensplaat as other present participants responded very positively.   City’s landscape department promised to look further into these  proposals and come back with concrete responses.

Finance

During the play sessions, participants raised the  question of 'who is going to pay for given climate action?'. Further  research into joint investments can clarify and facilitate collective  actions of residents and their collaboration with the city or private  companies.

In the coming period, the municipality will make a  cost-benefit analysis for the most common proposals that can be  implemented collectively. In addition to actions that the municipality  can carry out, participants mentioned that private smaller enterprises  they can undertake, such as replacing concrete tiles in private gardens.