What we have learned on Texel

Things we have learnt during the time we were on Texel (Monday until Wednesday) which have influenced our design proposal for the sub-system Leisure&Knowledge:

1. Monday afternoon presentation to the whole group and discussion with Carolin: we got some critical questions about our proposed design (4 points). The focus should be on either the sustainability route or the innovation centre, but making it more clear. The idea for schools and the improved sustainable leisure activities are not concrete or relevant enough for our system, so they were eventually eliminated. 

Therefore, we decided to go for the creation of routes with different themes and the development of a center that will exhibit the results from the local researches (from places that tourists cannot visit, like NIOZ).

2. Monday night there was an interaction with the locals and we realised that we need to give them options instead of absolute solutions. Show them their strong points and let them develop them instead of giving the smart technology TU Delft wonderful ideas. We were also amazed with how many things and innovations are happening which can be used for the proposed design for the route and centre.

3. Until going to Texel and really working as a whole big group, every sub-system was more or less working individually. However, we evaluated the evening with the locals and talked all together to share our ideas and we found out that we are all overlapping in some points and we are creating a unified system. So, the route that we decided to proceed with is converting to a route that will include all the other groups.

What is more we realised that Texelaars need a meta-design (instead of a clear design), which means that we will give them a design with options and decisions that THEY will make and not us. The route and the research center, which we call Texel Lab, will be the expression of our design in combination with their decisions.

4. On Tuesday the interview with Hanneke Keijser of the VVV tourist information centre gave more insight in what tourists are interested in why they come to Texel. It seems that tourists don't know where to start when they come here, there is so much to do and so many routes, so they like a 'theme' route to start with. For example the 'Jan Wolters route' (writer who lived on the island) is very popular, you visit spots where the writer was. The lamb-tour is also a popular route in spring. We can also integrate our route in this theme, such as a knowledge route (kennis route) or green energy route (groene energie route).

5. Tuesday we wanted to visit TexelEnergie, but this was not possible for them. On the website we found however some more interesting information regarding energy on Texel (reduce, reuse and produce), where we learnt a lot. For example: Texel slim, zelfvoorzienend. Balance between energy produced and energy consumption creates a value according to which the fees to paid decrease so one should use energy when it is available. You can save energy by washing the laundry at peak production moments, when there is a lot of sun or wind. In 300 households on Texel this is tested with the Kiek display that gives feedback on your consumption and the current energy price. Also there is a lot of communication towards each other online. Information about this can be presented in the TexelLab and integrated in the groene energie route.

6. Folder 'Echt Texelse producten' shows what is already locally produced and sold by the local leisure institutes. Also activities that show how this is locally (and most of the time also sustainably) produced. What stand out for our sub-system are: Labora (ice-cream farm, very popular with the tourists), Novalishoeve (biologic care farm), 

7. Future plans for Solar parking place at Paal 9. Maarten of Staatsbosbeheer told us that they have the plans to contribute to a sustainable Texel. If this is realised this can be part of the groene energie route and people can combine this with a visit to the beach. 

8. Future plans of 'Solar Village Texel'. Deheer Zoetlief from TOP has a plan for a Solar Village Texel: an energy neutral park for tourists to stay. We had a talk with the initiator of this plan. He already has funding from Waddenfonds (240.000 euro) to start the initiative. The park has 10 houses where energy is produced with solar panels, heat pumps, smart grids, smart homes, etc. Also an exhibition is added to learn about the technology of renewable energy. This can be part of the kennis- or groene energie route. 

Conclusions: 

At this moment we mainly focus on:
1. The sustainability route, on the question how to connect and showcase all the great stuff that is already here on the island and the ideas of the other sub-systems. Connecting all the beads with a wire to make a wonderful neckless. The route is closely related to the sub-system Texel as Host (connecting restaurants and farmers) and Water Cycle (the complicated and innovative water treatment).
2. Secondly the idea of TexelLab: making sustainability, a place for kids to interact with sustainability. The TexelLab can be part of the research centre (saline research of Marc, seaweed centre of NIOZ and TexelEnergy) and the place to showcase innovations of the island.