Thanks to the annual fundraisers over the last few years, we have been able to improve the insulation of the whole Zen River property and move towards greener energy resources.
Solar panels have already been installed on the roof of the main building, and many of the old windows have been replaced by new ones that feature double glazing—including the large windows in the kitchen. Alarming climatological issues and soaring energy prices have made all of this more urgent than ever. And, obviously, the work is not finished yet…
In summer, all the cavity walls of the property were filled with mineral wool insulation material. Fortunately, these costs could be included in our annual budget. But for the next move, we would like to ask for your help again.
This year, we would like to focus on the flat roofs of the kitchen and the glass hallway that connects the old and new wing. Interestingly enough, those roofs were renovated just over twenty years ago because they were leaking, and that was covered by our very first fundraiser appeal. We were assured that they would be good for another ten years. That means we should praise ourselves lucky they held out for twenty! Yet, now is the time to get into action.
The plan is to not only make sure that the roofs stay waterproof but to also insulate them efficiently. Right now, there is a lot of heat loss; and in spite of all the new windows, it literally goes through the roof!
As an added beneficial feature, we plan to cover the new roofs with sedum-–small fleshy-leaved succulents that spread like a mat and require hardly any maintenance. Sedum has many advantages. One is that it collects rainwater and temporarily stores it; much of the water is absorbed by the plants and later returned to the air through evaporation. Sedum also functions as a habitat for birds, bees, butterflies etc. In other words, while protecting the roof, it benefits the environment.
The total costs for this project are estimated between 10,000 to 15.000 Euro, and we would like to ask you kindly to help us get it going as soon as possible. All donations, great and small, are highly appreciated!

Bank account number (IBAN): NL72 TRIO 0212 4970 30, BIC/swift: TRIONL2U
Account name: Zen River; Triodos Bank N.V., Nieuweroordweg 1, 3704 EC Zeist, The Netherlands
or via PayPal to office@zenrivertemple.org (tick the box ‘to a friend’) and the online fundraiser @Zen River Temple on Facebook