Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam is a historic botanical garden in the heart of the city. Since 1638, plants have been collected, cared for and shared here with visitors and researchers from all over the world. Each year, around 200,000 visitors find their way to this oasis of calm, water and greenery to escape the bustle of the city for a moment.
Nearly 4,000 plant species grow in the outdoor gardens and greenhouses of the Hortus. Each species requires its own climate to thrive. To manage all these different plants and climate conditions properly, craftsmanship, experience and a reliable, user-friendly climate control system are essential. That is why the Hortus recently started using Hortimax Pro, implemented in collaboration with Lek/Habo and Ridder.
© Ridder From left to right: Marcel Zegwaard (Lek/Habo), Joris Mittelmeijer (Hortus), Alice van der Helm (Ridder), Iko Koevoets (Hortus) and Christian Heymeriks (Ridder).
One central climate computer for all greenhouses and departments
The Hortus consists of several types of greenhouses and departments. Each department has its own climate, its own set points, its own measurements and a dedicated specialist responsible for daily monitoring. Everything is operated from one central Hortimax Pro climate computer, in which each department is configured and controlled individually.
Within the Hortus, Joris Mittelmeijer, Coordinator of Technical Services and ICT management, and Iko Koevoets, Head of Garden and Collection, play a key role. Joris manages the technical side of the climate computer, while Iko and her team focus on the plant collection and the impact of climate settings on the plants.
From bike rides and TeamViewer to a user-friendly app
Until recently, daily operations looked very different. Joris recalls: "When an alarm went off, for example, when the temperature dropped too low, colleagues received a notification by text message. If this happened after working hours, you jumped on your bike and went to see what was going on." TeamViewer did offer additional possibilities, but it was not very convenient to work with. "You were immediately logged into the computer and had to be extremely careful with every adjustment you made."
The switch to Hortimax Pro and the accompanying app brought peace of mind and more control. When an alarm occurs, employees can quickly check what is happening, temporarily adjust a setting and immediately see the effect on the greenhouse climate. This can be done from the office, from home or even while standing among the plants.
Another advantage for the Hortus is that the app ensures everyone looks at the same information. Graphs and values are identical everywhere, making consultation and coordination much easier.
"There is one administrator for the computer, but colleagues can always view along via the app, respond to alerts and keep a close eye on the greenhouse. For example, when you are standing in the tropical greenhouse and want to test a control setting, you operate the app and immediately see whether it works in practice. You can also see the results directly in the app," says Iko. "You do not have to keep going back to the computer. That makes the work much more pleasant and safer."
© Ridder The Hortimax Pro app in use at the Hortus
Years of collaboration and short communication lines
The Hortus has been working with Lek/Habo on the technical and energy-related aspects of the greenhouses since at least 2012. Since then, the propagation greenhouses have been renewed, the climate greenhouse has been made future-proof and fully gas-free. There is also a smart connection with heat from the surrounding area, including from the H'ART Museum, and the ponds with water lilies are heated via a heat pump. As a result, energy use and emissions have been further reduced and the technology aligns even better with the sustainable ambitions of the Hortus.
Since 2018, the Hortus has been using a Ridder climate and irrigation computer. Recently, the new climate greenhouse was integrated and the upgrade to Hortimax Pro was completed with the support of Lek/Habo and Ridder. The project was completed to the full satisfaction of the Hortus. "Thanks to the short communication lines and the direct contact with Lek/Habo and Ridder, we were able to act quickly. When we had questions, we immediately reached the right people. That really helped," says Joris.
For more information:
Ridder
Email: [email protected]
https://ridder.com/
Lek/Habo
Email: [email protected] 
lekhabo.nl/
Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam
Email: [email protected] 
dehortus.nl/
