OVG’s TNT Centre is an Energy Positive, Zero Emission Office in The Netherlands

<a href="http://www.tnt.com/portal/location/en.html" target="_blank">TNT Express</a> set out to build the greenest and most sustainable office possible for their new headquarters in Hoofddorp, The Netherlands. Designed by Rotterdam-based <a href="http://www.ovg.eu/" target="_blank">OVG</a>, the TNT Centre has all the right credentials with <a href="http://new.usgbc.org/" target="_blank">LEED Platinum certification</a>, more than 1000 <a href="http://www.greencalc.com/" target="_blank">Greencalc+</a> points, an <a href="http://www.newenergylabel.com/index.php/start/" target="_blank">EU Energy label</a> score of A+++, and it's carbon neutral to boot. Surplus heat is even distributed to surrounding offices in the winter, giving it an energy positive classification as well.

TNT Express' goal is to become the world's first carbon neutral express and mail company in the world - so they set out to make their home office as sustainable as possible.

Completed in 2011, the <a href="http://www.ovg.eu/en/#projecten/TNT" target="_blank">TNT Centre</a> is one mighty efficient building and it has a number of green certifications to back up its sustainable cred.

The project was designed by <a href="http://www.ovg.eu/en/#projecten/TNT" target="_blank">OVG</a>, who worked hard to achieve the company's goals like LEED Platinum certification and <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/carbon-neutral">carbon neutrality</a>.

In fact, they even made the building energy positive as it provides excess heat to surrounding buildings.

Located next to a canal, the rectangular volume's exterior is optimized for solar passive design and it uses a louvered glass curtain wall to filter in daylight without overheating the interior.

A large central atrium serves as the building's main meeting space, connecting all the floors together and flooding the interior with even more light.

The roof is planted with living sedum and on-site energy is produced with the 'Green Machine’, a combined heat and power plant that runs on second generation biological waste products.

Rapidly renewable, recycled and low-emission materials were selected and 40% of those came from within 500 miles of the project's location.

The building has already garnered a lot of awards and it was recently shortlisted along with 6 other projects as the <a href="http://www.worldarchitecturenews.com/index.php?fuseaction=wanappln.projectview&amp;upload_id=21847" target="_blank">WAN Sustainable Building of the Year Award</a>.

Cozy lounge and meeting areas.

In 2012, the project was nominated for the Corenet Global Innovation Award.

The central atrium floods the building with light and is a great place to meet up with fellow workers.

More flexible meeting spaces inside the TNT Centre.