The Broederenklooster Boutique Hotel

Renovating a listed medieval building is a delicate task. When it’s one of the oldest religious monuments in The Netherlands, you could say there’s an added spiritual dimension to the job. And a massive job it was. Here’s how great teamwork with reliable partners and flexible solutions got it done!

Challenge accepted!
When transforming Broederenklooster, a former monastery in Zutphen, into a stylish hotel and restaurant, Jan Willem of Boks Elektra had the honour of taking care of all the electrical engineering. Supporting him in this challenge were Jan ten Brinke of Hager and Sander Wiltens from Solar Nederland. They were in charge of coming up with clever solutions for this unique building transformation project. This former home of The Count of Zutphen dates to 1170, then it became a Dominican monastery in 1293. Recently a local museum, it laid idle for a few years until the customer, entrepreneur Anton de Lange and his team, undertook the 3-year mammoth restoration project.

New Installation technology
To meet modern-day requirements, the existing electro-technical installations had to be completely removed and restarted from scratch. Jan Willem describes it: "You're working on modernising a beautiful building, but you also must respect its intrinsic value. First and foremost, you're transforming it into a hotel that meets all the modern requirements, but there are no technical drawings for the building! In a project like this you want to work with suppliers who are willing to contribute ideas, react quickly and be flexible. It's fantastic to work with a company like Hager, who can deliver the whole picture." Thanks Jan Willem!

Solutions, solutions, solutions…
Hager supplied the distributor technology, the baseboard wireways and channels, and the switchgears for the entire building. Jan ten Brinke says, "Jan Willem visited the factory where we make our switchgears. He explored the various opportunities for the Broederenklooster. Then he asked us to create a special solution for the site.”  Sander Wiltens adds, "We delivered the final products. Solutions-focused was a key word from the start. It's not a straightforward building. Jan Willem came across many challenges and Mr. De Lange knew exactly what he wanted. When Jan Willem came to us with a question, Hager and Solar presented him with a solution."

SL baseboard wireway is the way to go!
The project-specific challenges required are reflected in the SL baseboard wireway system that was chosen. Jan Willem Boks explains, "It’s a national monument, so you aren't allowed to drill into many of the walls (!) You want to keep the wiring neatly hidden away, so that’s the challenge. We also wanted to be flexible in the rooms and allow for plenty of sockets."

Jan ten Brinke adds, "Jan Willem asked if we could help design a solution and we settled on an SL baseboard wireway. The product is often used in renovation projects and meets the challenge perfectly. You don't need to make any changes to the walls, it's flexible and you can easily add a socket at any point. Mr. De Lange, also wanted LED lighting in the channels and with SL’s that's also possible. Anton de Lange says, "It turned out fantastically – a gorgeous solution for the rooms."

Switchgears, shades and cellars
There were early discussions about the switchgears. The technology had to complement the character  of the different halls and be timeless. The hotel rooms and also the impressive wine cellar, among other places, were supplied with Hager switchgears from the Berker S.1 range. Anton de Lange says, “I wanted something that fit within the building and respected the colours and shades of the monastery. I want the technology in my hotels to be easy to use. Staff and guests need to understand it intuitively. The guys came to me with this perfect solution which was available in anthracite. It's the perfect fit."

A smarter energy distribution system
At the heart of the energy distribution system is a Hager Univers distributor. Jan Willem explains, "We ensured that each hotel room has its own group. If there is an unforeseen problem somewhere, then it doesn't affect any of the other rooms. But there was still a big question about the maximum power that NUON energy could provide. The building, with its large kitchen with induction hobs requires a lot of power. To avoid the high extra cost of a transformer substation, we now work with peak shaving. In this case, this means that the air-conditioning runs at half power if the building is nearing its maximum capacity. Hager's panel building partner El-Point was closely involved in coming up with this smart solution. With Hager, you're supported by a partner that will contribute ideas on all levels." Thanks again Jan Willem!

Adaptability, reliability and customer-centricity – the perfect formula!
Jan Willem, Sander Wiltens, Jan ten Brinke and Anton de Lange now look back on a great collaboration. Anton de Lange reflects, "If, three years ago, I had walked through the building with my eyes closed, then this would have been exactly what I hoped for." Jan Willem adds "The plans changed completely and I needed partners who could find solutions quickly, something I really value." Sander Wiltens agreed, “If we suddenly needed more metres of baseboard, then I had to quickly arrange with Hager so that it could be with us just as fast." Jan ten Brinke says "There was lots of trust. We knew that, together, we'd find the perfect solutions. Even if it was complicated at times. You succeed in a big project like this by working together."

Hats-off to all involved in this truly For you, with you experience!

Project: The Broederenklooster Boutique Hotel
Location: Zutphen, Netherlands
Products & Solutions: Hager Univers distributor, Hager switchgears from the Berker S.1 range
www.hager.nl