He is called Willie Wortel by his relatives. Theo van Lieshout from Wognum sees it as a sport to make his house as sustainable as possible. And certainly not just from a financial perspective. “An athlete wants to be better than the other. I have that too.”
He proudly shows the certificate. At the top of the A4 there is an A, followed by four pluses. “This is the energy label of the house. I just happened to have it in and we can’t score any higher. I’m as proud as a monkey.”
Because for Theo, everything in the field of sustainability has more or less become a way of life. Or, as he describes it himself: top sport. “Just like one athlete, I want to be better than another. I see myself as a top athlete at the sustainability level.”
Never so busy
He investigates everything and measures everything in the field of sustainability. What started after his retirement with a high-tech greenhouse in the backyard spread to the entire house. A heat pump followed, the house was insulated, a heat recovery installation was installed and finally a home battery. “I’ve never been so busy.”
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It’s not just for financial gain. “Although that is a nice bonus. I like how you can go all the way in terms of technology. You have to think about it a lot and I also measure everything, all day long. The amount of the energy bill? We get money back.”
He has now written several books on sustainability and helps people with advice. “That book has been a lot of research, but it has become a great success. It’s just a lot of fun to do.”