PwC Amsterdam reaches Paris Proof milestone, enabled by 3,200 solar panels
Hamburg, 23 March 2026. PwC Netherlands has installed 3,200 solar panels at its office in the innovation district Nieuwe Meer, directly adjacent to the A4 motorway in Amsterdam’s city district Schinkelkwartier. As a result, the building is the first PwC office in the Netherlands to meet the Paris Proof standard. The completion of the large-scale sustainability project was officially celebrated on March 20th with the partners involved, including Sandra Doevendans, stadsdeelbestuurder Amsterdam Nieuw-West and Asset Manager of the building owner Quest Funds GmbH.
“The sustainability upgrade of the office building, known as ‘Westgate II’, has been realised step by step over the past few years,” says Jeroen Heunen, responsible for PwC’s housing strategy. “Throughout the process, we worked closely with the building owner’s Asset Manager Quest Funds and the Municipality of Amsterdam. We explored various scenarios for financial, technical, aesthetic and circular feasibility, and the end result speaks for itself. I am proud of what we have achieved together — this marks an important step in our Net Zero ambition.”
Alderman Sofyan Mbarki, Municipality of Amsterdam: “By transforming their office to meet the Paris Proof standard, PwC demonstrates that businesses can make a difference for the future of our city. With Westgate II, they are setting a new norm for large companies. This project shows that the economy and sustainability can go hand in hand, and that collaboration between government and businesses leads to tangible results. It’s not just about a sustainable building, but about investing in the city of tomorrow. I hope this inspires other companies to take similar steps in the Schinkelkwartier. This area is developing into a vibrant and inclusive Amsterdam neighbourhood, with space for innovation and sustainability.”
Paris Proof as guiding principle
Paris Proof is the standard developed by the Dutch Green Building Council (DGBC) for the built environment, aligned with the Paris Agreement. To meet the standard, a building’s total energy consumption may be no more than 70 kWh per square metre per year. For existing buildings, this typically requires a reduction of 50 to 70 per cent in energy consumption.
“That is why, in recent years, we have optimised the building’s installations, replaced all lighting with LED fixtures and, most recently, installed 3,200 solar panels on the building and on the adjacent parking deck. The building is also natural-gas-free, thanks to the use of a thermal energy storage system. Because of these and other measures, the total energy consumption of Westgate II has been reduced by approximately 60 per cent — equivalent to the annual energy consumption of around 700 households,” Heunen explains.
“The sustainability project we realised together with PwC at Westgate II in Amsterdam reflects both our strategic direction and our shared ambition. Achieving Paris Proof contributes to creating a pleasant, future-proof working environment and supports PwC’s continued commitment as a tenant,” says Florian Wagner, Managing Director at Quest Funds.
Optimal use of locally generated energy
The more than three thousand solar panels are installed on the building’s roof, the new canopy at the entrance of the car park, and on the new roof of the parking deck. The energy generated is used, among other things, to power the building’s climate systems and lighting, and to charge PwC’s electric vehicle fleet. Additional charging stations have been installed for this purpose.
Heunen: “A battery will also be installed to maximise the use of locally generated energy and to reduce peak loads on the power grid.” The 3,200 solar panels provide an energy yield of up to 1,000,000 kWh per year — equivalent to the annual energy consumption of more than 300 households.
About the building and involved parties: Westgate II is owned by a real estate fund managed by Quest Funds. PwC leases the office building — as well as the adjacent building and parking deck. The owner of the parking deck is Mabo Trading. The Municipality of Amsterdam has been involved in the planning and spatial integration, which aligns with the area development of the Schinkelkwartier.
About PwC
- For media enquiries, please contact Femke Alsemgeest, spokesperson PwC via femke.alsemgeest@pwc.com and/or +31(0)6 39 87 52 26.
- PwC refers to the Dutch firm and may sometimes refer to the PwC network. Each affiliated firm is a separate legal entity. For more information, visit www.pwc.com/structure.
- At PwC, the purpose is to build trust in society and solve important problems. PwC is committed to delivering quality in assurance, tax and advisory services. PwC in the Netherlands has more than 5,700 people working together. Tell what matters to you. You can find more information at www.pwc.nl.
About Quest Funds
Quest Funds GmbH, founded in 2019, has a 10-strong team responsible for the fund and asset management of the private client funds formerly launched under Nordcapital and Hesse Newman in the real estate sector. The company currently manages a portfolio of 11 funds with 11 properties in Germany and the Netherlands with around 180,000 m2 and a volume (assets under management) of around 650 million euros. For media enquiries, please contact Alice Gustson at alice.gustson@er-capital.com
From left to right: Sandra Doevendans, stadsdeelbestuurder Amsterdam Nieuw-West, Maarten van de Pol, CEO PwC Netherlands, Albert van der Veldt, Mabo Trading and Florian Wagner, Managing Director Quest Funds.
(Copyright: Quest Funds)
