THE EDGE
01
TOP 10 – SMART BUILDINGS
THE EDGE
LOCATION: AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS
COMPLETED: 2014 DEVELOPER: EDGE TECHNOLOGIES
NOTABLE FEATURE: 28,000 SENSORS FEED A SMARTPHONE-LINKED ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
Regularly described as the smartest building on the planet, The Edge earns the top spot for turning data into genuine energy savings rather than novelty.
Designed for Deloitte’ s Amsterdam workforce, its 28,000 sensors track everything from occupancy to daylight levels, automatically dimming lights and adjusting climate control in unused spaces.
An aquifer thermal energy storage system beneath the building, paired with a heat pump, supplies all the heating and cooling it needs, while solar panels on the roof and southern facade generate additional power.
Between the smart systems and the building’ s fabric, The Edge uses around 70 % less electricity than a comparable office block. That efficiency helped it earn a BREEAM sustainability score of 98.36 % when it opened, the highest ever recorded at the time. Employees can interact with the building through an app that assigns desks and parking spaces based on real-time demand, meaning the technology serves people as much as it serves the balance sheet.
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52 September 2026