FAQ
What is the history of Sustainable Dance Club?
SDC began as an idea in 2005. Innovators of sustainability Enviu worked with Döll architects, to create the concept of a sustainable dance club. Döll and Enviu started to develop the idea as a real project and organized a launch event on October 14th 2006 in club Off_Corso in Rotterdam. The party, which showcased many innovative and sustainable ideas and products, was a huge success and attracted 1200 clubbers. At the beginning of 2007 Michel Smit (Cultural Development and former director of Off_Corso) became the managing director of SDC BV.
How can I become a Sustainable Dance Club?
To qualify as a Sustainable Dance Club your club must reach a certain level of sustainability as defined by the 5 SDC guidelines:
- 30% less environmental impact than average clubs
- Sustainability integrated into both the building and the organization
- Installation of 3 SDC products that showcase sustainability to the public in an engaging way (Sustainable Dance Floor, Zero Waste Bar, Waterwall)
- The development of a communication plan with strategies on informing the public about sustainability
- A sustainable business plan with yearly targets and evaluation methods
What savings did the first Sustainable Dance Club; Club WATT make in comparison with ‘normal’clubs?
WATT made substantial savings on energy and water consumption, materials used and refuse generated. In order to achieve these savings, we used the ‘trias ecologicas’ principle. The principle states:
- Reduce need for general consumption
- Produce as many of the resources needed in a sustainable way
- Re-use leftover resources as efficiently as possible
Concrete savings:
30% electricity, 50% CO2, 50% waste, 50% water
SDC has compiled a ‘green handout’ that explains all the sustainable aspects of WATT. Read it here.
What more can SDC do for clients?
SDC offers sustainable club solutions, providing creative and cost effective alternatives to integral components of your club or festival, and the business itself.
Our range of services can be tailored to your specific needs, whether that be a fully integrated solution or the hire of a single SDC product. Whatever the scale of the solution, our expertise and pioneering products will help you create a fresh and inspirational event experience.
What is an example of an SDC product?
The products we make embody our beliefs. They make a contribution to sustainability whilst communicating a positive message in an exciting and engaging way.
This philosophy has resulted in the creation of the Sustainable Dance Floor, Mini Sustainable Dance Club, DrinkWater Bar and the Cup8. The Sustainable Energy Floor will be ready in the second half of 2011. You can find more information about all our products on the product page.
Is it possible to rent or buy the products?
Yes, SDC is delighted that all of our products are available for purchase or hire. These innovative products function perfectly as engaging promotional tools to showcase sustainability in a fun and eye-catching way to a wide audience. The Sustainable Energy Floor and Mini Sustainable Dance Club are currently only available for purchase.
Can SDC products be customized?
Branding one of our products makes them even more exclusive and unique. We have developed all our products in a way that makes the options of personalization as flexible as possible. Options for customization are included in the product sheets.
How does the Sustainable Dance Floor work?
To create electricity, the floor will compress up to 10mm when being stepped on. This small compression is enough to activate the internal generator of that module producing up to 35 Watts of sustained output per module. The dance floor is a scalable product made up of modules measuring 75x75x20 cm. This system allows for the floor to be set up in a huge range of possible sizes, shapes and designs. The dance floor experience can be custom designed for clients.
Making clubbers aware of their own energy, interaction and impact on their 'environment' is all part of the Sustainable Clubbing Experience. Please look at the product page and the product sheet for more information
How much electricity can you generate by dancing on the Sustainable Dance Floor?
Every person is able to produce 5-30 Watts, depending on their weight and activity level.
What kind of systems can be powered by the SDF and SEF?
The power output depends on the size of the (dance) floor and the type of movement and weight of people. In general, human power is limited and can charge low power devices such as LED lights, headphones, small screens, mobile phones or digital cameras.
Is it possible to use the dance floor for other applications?
We are currently developing a new version of the floor. This version will be designed for use at other locations like gyms, stations, airports, shopping malls, city squares etc. This version is called the Sustainable Energy Floor and you can read more about it on the product page.
What are the main differences between the Sustainable Dance Floor and the Sustainable Energy Floor?
The SDF is primarily for use at events, museums, science and education centres.
– Focuses on experience, interaction and education
– High artistic value, using specialized glass and mirror with internal LEDs
– Small series manufactured
The SEF is optimized for pedestrian areas with installation on a permanent basis only.
– Focuses on efficiency, low cost and low maintenance
– Choice of top layers, ranging from e.g. recycled ceramics, plastic lumber or bamboo
– Mass production possible
Clubbing and events are far from sustainable, why aren’t you trying to convince the youth to go out less and enjoy nature more?
At SDC we believe that going out and having fun is a valuable part of life. In the short term we aim to reduce the impact of clubbing within the current system and continue to innovate. In the long term, we believe it is possible to reduce the negative effects to zero, by taking inspiration from ‘cradle to cradle’ and other sustainable design methods. Waste is separated into components that are completely recyclable and 100% biologically degradable. We don’t want people to stop doing the things they enjoy, but instead to do them in the most sustainable way possible.
Can we use the pictures from your website for an article we want to write about SDC?
If you would like to write an article about SDC, please send an email to press@sustainabledanceclub.com and we will be happy to send you a selection of images.
How much does it cost to rent the SDF?
The costs for renting the SDF depend on a number of aspects, such as the number of modules required, the location (distance and accessibility), the length of the hire and customization requirements. Our prices normally include a fee for product hire and an additional charge for transportation and build-up time. Prices are excluding VAT but preparation, transport, crew, Energy Meter and general costs are all included. For specific events please send a request, giving as much detail as possible, for an accurate quotation.
How much does it cost to buy a SDF?
The costs for buying a SDF depend on a number of aspects, mainly the number of modules required, the location, type of flooring and customization requirements.
For a specific location please send a request, giving as much detail as possible, for an accurate quotation.
How long does it take to recoup the costs of an investment with energy savings?
The development of electricity generating flooring systems must be compared with other innovations for renewable energy. Like the development of solar and wind power it will take time and effort to optimize the technology and reach certain targets. In the meantime our products save energy compared to the traditional variants. It is also worth taking into account the educational value of communicating the message of sustainability whilst engaging and inspiring people.
Do you use piezo technology?
Extensive research has been conducted by teams at the Technical University of Eindhoven and Delft University of Technology. They have investigated available technologies for converting human energy from footsteps into electricity. Based on the results we decided to develop an electro-mechanical system, since the potential power output was calculated to be much higher when compared to other systems such as piezo and hydraulic systems.
SDC began as an idea in 2005. Innovators of sustainability Enviu worked with Döll architects, to create the concept of a sustainable dance club. Döll and Enviu started to develop the idea as a real project and organized a launch event on October 14th 2006 in club Off_Corso in Rotterdam. The party, which showcased many innovative and sustainable ideas and products, was a huge success and attracted 1200 clubbers. At the beginning of 2007 Michel Smit (Cultural Development and former director of Off_Corso) became the managing director of SDC BV.
How can I become a Sustainable Dance Club?
To qualify as a Sustainable Dance Club your club must reach a certain level of sustainability as defined by the 5 SDC guidelines:
- 30% less environmental impact than average clubs
- Sustainability integrated into both the building and the organization
- Installation of 3 SDC products that showcase sustainability to the public in an engaging way (Sustainable Dance Floor, Zero Waste Bar, Waterwall)
- The development of a communication plan with strategies on informing the public about sustainability
- A sustainable business plan with yearly targets and evaluation methods
What savings did the first Sustainable Dance Club; Club WATT make in comparison with ‘normal’clubs?
WATT made substantial savings on energy and water consumption, materials used and refuse generated. In order to achieve these savings, we used the ‘trias ecologicas’ principle. The principle states:
- Reduce need for general consumption
- Produce as many of the resources needed in a sustainable way
- Re-use leftover resources as efficiently as possible
Concrete savings:
30% electricity, 50% CO2, 50% waste, 50% water
SDC has compiled a ‘green handout’ that explains all the sustainable aspects of WATT. Read it here.
What more can SDC do for clients?
SDC offers sustainable club solutions, providing creative and cost effective alternatives to integral components of your club or festival, and the business itself.
Our range of services can be tailored to your specific needs, whether that be a fully integrated solution or the hire of a single SDC product. Whatever the scale of the solution, our expertise and pioneering products will help you create a fresh and inspirational event experience.
What is an example of an SDC product?
The products we make embody our beliefs. They make a contribution to sustainability whilst communicating a positive message in an exciting and engaging way.
This philosophy has resulted in the creation of the Sustainable Dance Floor, Mini Sustainable Dance Club, DrinkWater Bar and the Cup8. The Sustainable Energy Floor will be ready in the second half of 2011. You can find more information about all our products on the product page.
Is it possible to rent or buy the products?
Yes, SDC is delighted that all of our products are available for purchase or hire. These innovative products function perfectly as engaging promotional tools to showcase sustainability in a fun and eye-catching way to a wide audience. The Sustainable Energy Floor and Mini Sustainable Dance Club are currently only available for purchase.
Can SDC products be customized?
Branding one of our products makes them even more exclusive and unique. We have developed all our products in a way that makes the options of personalization as flexible as possible. Options for customization are included in the product sheets.
How does the Sustainable Dance Floor work?
To create electricity, the floor will compress up to 10mm when being stepped on. This small compression is enough to activate the internal generator of that module producing up to 35 Watts of sustained output per module. The dance floor is a scalable product made up of modules measuring 75x75x20 cm. This system allows for the floor to be set up in a huge range of possible sizes, shapes and designs. The dance floor experience can be custom designed for clients.
Making clubbers aware of their own energy, interaction and impact on their 'environment' is all part of the Sustainable Clubbing Experience. Please look at the product page and the product sheet for more information
How much electricity can you generate by dancing on the Sustainable Dance Floor?
Every person is able to produce 5-30 Watts, depending on their weight and activity level.
What kind of systems can be powered by the SDF and SEF?
The power output depends on the size of the (dance) floor and the type of movement and weight of people. In general, human power is limited and can charge low power devices such as LED lights, headphones, small screens, mobile phones or digital cameras.
Is it possible to use the dance floor for other applications?
We are currently developing a new version of the floor. This version will be designed for use at other locations like gyms, stations, airports, shopping malls, city squares etc. This version is called the Sustainable Energy Floor and you can read more about it on the product page.
What are the main differences between the Sustainable Dance Floor and the Sustainable Energy Floor?
The SDF is primarily for use at events, museums, science and education centres.
– Focuses on experience, interaction and education
– High artistic value, using specialized glass and mirror with internal LEDs
– Small series manufactured
The SEF is optimized for pedestrian areas with installation on a permanent basis only.
– Focuses on efficiency, low cost and low maintenance
– Choice of top layers, ranging from e.g. recycled ceramics, plastic lumber or bamboo
– Mass production possible
Clubbing and events are far from sustainable, why aren’t you trying to convince the youth to go out less and enjoy nature more?
At SDC we believe that going out and having fun is a valuable part of life. In the short term we aim to reduce the impact of clubbing within the current system and continue to innovate. In the long term, we believe it is possible to reduce the negative effects to zero, by taking inspiration from ‘cradle to cradle’ and other sustainable design methods. Waste is separated into components that are completely recyclable and 100% biologically degradable. We don’t want people to stop doing the things they enjoy, but instead to do them in the most sustainable way possible.
Can we use the pictures from your website for an article we want to write about SDC?
If you would like to write an article about SDC, please send an email to press@sustainabledanceclub.com and we will be happy to send you a selection of images.
How much does it cost to rent the SDF?
The costs for renting the SDF depend on a number of aspects, such as the number of modules required, the location (distance and accessibility), the length of the hire and customization requirements. Our prices normally include a fee for product hire and an additional charge for transportation and build-up time. Prices are excluding VAT but preparation, transport, crew, Energy Meter and general costs are all included. For specific events please send a request, giving as much detail as possible, for an accurate quotation.
How much does it cost to buy a SDF?
The costs for buying a SDF depend on a number of aspects, mainly the number of modules required, the location, type of flooring and customization requirements.
For a specific location please send a request, giving as much detail as possible, for an accurate quotation.
How long does it take to recoup the costs of an investment with energy savings?
The development of electricity generating flooring systems must be compared with other innovations for renewable energy. Like the development of solar and wind power it will take time and effort to optimize the technology and reach certain targets. In the meantime our products save energy compared to the traditional variants. It is also worth taking into account the educational value of communicating the message of sustainability whilst engaging and inspiring people.
Do you use piezo technology?
Extensive research has been conducted by teams at the Technical University of Eindhoven and Delft University of Technology. They have investigated available technologies for converting human energy from footsteps into electricity. Based on the results we decided to develop an electro-mechanical system, since the potential power output was calculated to be much higher when compared to other systems such as piezo and hydraulic systems.
