brussels - from buildings to sust

7/30/2019 Brussels - From Buildings to Sust

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BRUSSELSfrom eco-building to sustainable city


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BernardDeprez


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For several years, Brussels has been involved in

a large number of acvies aiming to meet the

environmental challenges specic to a modern

city-region. The objecve : for Brussels to become

a model in the coming years with regard to

sustainable development. In signing the Covenant

of Mayors, Brussels has commied itself, with 1600

other signatory cies, to reducing its greenhouse

gas emissions by 30% by 2025, thus exceeding the

European objecve of a 20% reducon in 2020.

The Brussels-Capital Region wants to be among

the leading European and world metropolises with

regard to sustainable urban management.

Building a sustainable future for cies is a challenge.

To meet it, the Brussels-Capital Region has chosen

to develop several courses of acon involving all

areas of life in the community. First of all, choices

were made to greatly improve the energy eciency

of buildings through large-scale promoon

of sustainable reno-vaon and construcon

techniques. In this regard, a number of measures

are already allowing a very high level of energec

and ecological performance to be achieved. In the

long term, general implementaon of the very low

energy and passive standards are clear objecves

of the developed policy.

But a sustainable city is also constructed through

transversal policies at the neighbourhood level :

beyond renovaons of the building stock, the

development of sustainable neighbourhood

contracts aims to create a new local dynamic

with regard to housing, public spaces and public

facilies. Within this dynamic, environmental

aspects are now substanally taken into account.

As for green spaces and biodiversity, they are an

essenal resource for ensuring the quality of life in

the urban fabric. Their environmental management,

the development of playgrounds, and the layout of the

Green Trail that allows people to tour the Region via

its green spaces are all praccal manifestaons of this.

Finally, signicant resources are devoted to

combang environmental polluon : water puri-

caon, stricter standards for radiaon from trans-

ming antennas for mobile phone networks,

combang polluon peaks, waste reducon, etc.

Acon toward a sustainable city also involves

supporng hundreds of local iniaves of cizens

who are acve everyday : sustainable neigh-

bourhoods, collecve buying groups that promote

short food supply chains, the creaon of vegetablegardens and neighbourhood composng, etc.

But the ecological transion will not take place

without a real social project. It must ensure an

equitable distribuon of these changes and protect

the most vulnerable residents. For this reason,

following the example of the social green loan

system, specic measures target this fringe of the

populaon and are an integral part of the policies

conducted. Likewise, special aenon is paid to

creaon of new lines of employment related to the

new environmental trades.

Our ambion : a global culture of the sustainable

city, so that respect for the environment contributes

to the human and social development of Brussels

and the joie de vivre of its residents.

Every act counts when there are one million

residents in Brussels.

Evelyne Huytebroeck,

Minister for the Environment, Energy and Urban

Renewal of the Brussels-Capital Region

A sustainable cityfor all in Brussels

Editorial

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The proliferaon of good examples and their snowball eect are changing Brusselsin a more and more visible way.

Is it because it is also the capital of the European

administraon oen described as centralistand technocrac that Brussels opted for othermethods in dening a new energy and environ-mental policy in 2004?

Faced with the enormous challenges posed byclimate change (which is even more rapid thanforeseen) and humanitys entry, willy-nilly, into thepost-oil era, the queson was simple : how, starngfrom zero, to make the changes necessary to faceup to these challenges, with Belgium bringing upthe rear in Europe with regard to reducons inenergy consumpon?

The alternaves were, broadly speaking, as follows :

either to launch large pilot projects that the publicauthories risked having to bear single-handedlyand pay for in full; or to encourage projects from

the eld, borne by designers and clients commiedto eco-construcon.

Brussels chose the parcipatory method by smu-lang demand and supporng innovave pilotprojects to allow them to go as far as possible. It wasa maer of harnessing the enthusiasc iniaves ofbusinesses, individuals and publi c authories. Of

relying on people, starng from their specic needsand banking on their skills, in so doing, of progres-sively allowing a growing number of parcipantsto incorporate the dynamic by demonstrangtheir ecological sensivity. This method rst ofall emphasized the guiding theme of energy, the

greatest smulus for business and individuals dueto the savings achieved. The green themes ofeco-construcon and the other threads formingthe fabric of a sustainable city were progressivelyinterwoven.

Consuming less to live beer

In every city, there are residents and businesses

wanng to live and work dierently, using less in

The method

For a coming outof ecological pracces

resources, space, water or energy while enjoyingthe city and life to the full. These creave spirits arenot interested in the sterile acvity of spreadingblame, but in innovaon : it is with them that theguidelines for life in a sustainable city must be

redened.

It was a maer of interest for the architect InsCamacho in 2007 : I would very much have likedto try living in a passive house before designing my

project, but I couldnt nd one The most important

thing is to allow people to try out this type of space

[1]. It is a maer of common sense for ric Gobert,project manager of the passive oces of AropolisII : Its a maer of not building a building now thatsalready outdated[2] !

M

arie-FranoisePlissart-RgiondeBruxelles-Capitale

FactIn Brussels, the building sector is

responsible for over 70% of energyconsumpon and 63% of CO2emissions.

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Changing the hardware and the soware

The policy chosen by the Region was to mobilisethese women and men wanng to innovate byhelping them to act concretely : nancial aid,specialised technical support, training and infor-

maon but also the producon of references, thecreaon of professional networks and associaons,etc. It was necessary to work at the same meon the

hardware buildings, technical facilies,

materials, etc., and on the soware : informaon,the training of professionals, change in habits

and modes of consumpon, the maintenance ofpremises and facilies, etc. All these acvies aredescribed in the following pages..

From this perspecve of smulaon, the organi-saon of several calls for proposals has allowedthe emergence of exemplary iniaves distributedthroughout the territory of the Region, from the

scale of a building to that of neighbourhoods.

In this way the proliferaon of good examples andtheir snowball eect are changing Brussels in amore and more visible way.

This approach has shown that Brussels residentshave a great capacity for adaptaon. We hadextremely well-trained architects and engineers in

Belgium, but they didnt know it ! To go from zero

passive buildings in 2007 to more than 80,000 m

in 2009, not to menon the renovated buildings

() with nothing but our exisng knowledge and

local people and without large training campaigns,

that demonstrates the ability of the market to do

extraordinary things [3]!

Brussels has progressed from zeropassive buildings in 2007 to morethan 80,000 m built or planned in2009.

Consolidang and generalising

The signicant results booked in recent years haveallowed the basis for major change to be created :Brussels has built a vision of the future and given

itself the means to achieve it . A new Brussels, madein green, is ready to emerge.

The queson then arises of extending these trans -

formaons: while demand must connue to besmulated, it is also necessary to structure theoer of the professionals.The Region is now establishing the major featuresof its acvity for the years to come. How ? By making the management of its own public

buildings exemplary ; by developing regulaons, such as the passive

standard mandatory for any new construcon asof 2015;

by incorporang the sustainable neighbourhood

dynamic into any urban development in Brussels;

by developing green economic networks throughthe Employment-Environment Alliance that willrevitalise local employment ;

by planning for mobility that is respecul of theenvironment, based on acve modes (walking,cycling, public transport), that limits use of the

personal car.

In 2015, the passive standard will bemandatory for all new construcons.

Tomorrow, there may be beer projects than

others, buildings that are more beauful thanothers, neighbourhoods that are more sustainablethan others, but together they will give Brussels themomentum necessary for its transion toward asustainable city.

[1] B. Deprez et al, Vert Bruxelles! Architectures suivre,

Racine, Brussels, 2009, p.110.

[2] Ibidem, p.17.

[3] Extension du domaine du passif, in be.passive no. 02, Janu-

ary 2010.

ASBLBonnevie

BernardDeprez

BernardDeprez

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Relaunching innovaonObservers acknowledge that Brussels has beendecient in high-quality architecture for too long.Property development has favoured architectural

conservasm and short-term yield [1]. The archi-tectural, environmental and sanitary quality of the

buildings has suered greatly.

Rather than counng on the occasional produconof some building and making a media event of it,and in line with its method of starng from needsand iniaves in the eld, the Region has orga-nised three Calls for Proposals for Exemplary Build-ings to nancially encourage integrated eco-designapproaches [2]. It has dened four objecves for ap-plicant designers: energy performance, the choiceof eco-construcon measures, architectural qual-ity and technical and nancial reproducibility (seeopposite).

Trends and resultsOver three years, 117 winning projects represent-

ing more than 265,000 m have been selected by

the Calls for Proposals for Exemplary Buildings.

These include hundreds of collecve and individualhomes, oces, schools and child care centres, a fu-

neral home, etc., totalling over 18.5 million euros insubsidies.

Despite the nancial crisis of 2008, we note thathousing (in parcular public housing) is taking up agrowing poron of these projects, which seems vitalgiven the signicant housing shortage in Brussels.

These calls for proposals have also heralded the ad-

vent of the passive standard, with hundreds of resi-dences (new and renovated), several schools and

oce buildings, totalling 81,000 m, to be built by2013. Over 400 homes have also undergone low orvery low energy renovaon.

The Exemplary Buildings account for more than 16 %

of construcon annually : this is as if all of Brusselsbuilt 100% ecologically for one enre day each

week. Taken together, these exemplary buildings al-low millions of litres of oil to be saved and emissionsof over 13,000 tonnes of CO2 to be avoided each year!

Over three years, 117 winning projects represenng more than 265,000 m havebeen selected by the Calls for Proposals for Exemplary Buildings. These include

hundreds of homes, oces, schools and child care centres, a funeral home, etc.,

totalling over 18.5 million euros in subsidies.

Four simple requirements

for Exemplary Buildings (BatEx)

(1) Projects must be very economical inenergy, with the passive standard as areference for new construcons and the

low and very low energy standard for re-novaon.

(2) Projects favour eco-design in the choiceof materials, respect for natural cycles (in

parcular for rainwater) and biodiversity,the sanitary quality of spaces, their adap-

taon to forms of eco-mobility, etc.

(3) Projects have high architectural qualityand are well integrated into the exisngbuilding stock. They also have good visi-

bility.(4) Projects must be simple and reproducible

from the technical and nancial pointof view : not high-tech soluons, butconcepts and materials with acceptablepay-back me.

1 LEspoir passive

houses, arch. Carnoy;2 Passive houses,

arch. Camacho;3 Camlon Shop,

arch. Wittock;4 Passive offices,

arch. LD2/Lahon & Partners;5 Arch. G. Bedoret;

6 Passive low-cost housing,

arch. B-Architecten;7 Mundo-b offices,

arch. AAA;8 Midi-Sude passive

apartments,

arch. Urban Platform;9 Savonnerie passive renovation,

arch. MDW architects.

1

2

3

4

A dierent kind of building is possible

Exemplary buildings :relaunching innovaon

BernardDeprez

BernardDeprez

BernardDeprez

YvanGlavie

householdappliances

venlaon

domesc hot water

heang

exisngbuilding

newbuilding low-energy

building PASSIVEHOUSE

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New construcons : all passive in 2015The Calls for Exemplary Buildings have alsoserved as a test bench; with more than 81,000 mof passive construcons built or under construc-

on, they have provided conrmaon that thepassive standard is fully accessible and does not

lead to major increased costs in residenal build-ings, schools or o ces, in new construcon andsomemes even in renovaons.

This standard reduces the heang energy

needed to 15 kWh/m/yr, versus 150 for a

standard structure, allowing the use of a

convenonal heang system to be avoided.

This standard of performance is made possible

by a high level of insulaon and airghtness,

along with venlaon for comfort equipped

with a heat exchanger.

Thus the Brussels Government has condentlycommied itself to making all new public con-strucon compliant with the passive standard asof 2010. This rule will also be applied to all newprivate construcon as of 2015.

[1] M. Cohen, A Bruxelles, prs de chez nous, Larchitecturedans les contrats de quartier, 2007, Brussels-Capital Region.

[2] B. Deprez et al, Vert Bruxelles! Architectures suivre, Racine

2009; Bruxelles passif en 2015, in be.passive 02, 20

[3] Interview with Mme Sophie Le Clercq (JCX-IMMO), in

be.passive 02, p.12, 2009.

My house is a bit like a laboratory;

of course, for me that means an

addional investment of me

in design, layout of the details,

and specicaons, but that will

undoubtedly go more quickly in thefollowing projects

Grard Bedoret, architect in Uccle

6

7

8

9

5

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Proporons of Subsidies granted per year by sector

IndividualHous.

Collectve

Hous.Offices

ShopsPublicFacilites

6.369.607,00 5.031.403,007.185.537,41

2007 2008 2009

5

Number of winners 2007 2008 2009 totalindividual housing 11 11 11 33collecve housing 10 10 18 38

o ces/shops 11 6 4 21facilies 10 7 8 2542 34 41 117

Planned surface area, m2 2007 2008 2009 totalindividual housing 2.523 2.888 2.332 7.743collecve housing 28.269 28.786 24.538 81.593o ces/shops 66.340 19.649 15.093 101.082facilies 32.750 23.963 18.933 75.466

129.702 75.286 60.896 265.884

Distribuon of subsidies 2007 2008 2009 total %individual housing 3 4 6 4collecve housing 26 35 52 36o ces/shops 37 30 18 29facilies 34 31 24 31

42 34 41 117

Number of residences 2007 2008 2009 totalnew passive 86 58 196 340passive renovated 3 9 1 13new low-energy 168 9 - 177low-energy renovated 17 204 35 256

274 280 232 786

Exemplary buildings allowemission of over13,000 tonnes of CO2 to beavoided!

FactIn a passive building, the need for

heang energy is only 15 kWh/mper year, versus 150 for a standardstructure, i.e. 10 mes less. A hea-ng system therefore non longernecessary.

Smulang professionals,

making skills growIndividuals, public works contractors, architects,but also engineers, consulng rms and busi-nesses have all been challenged to consider their

projects according to quality criteria that are slluncommon in Brussels and around the world.

Fiy-three percent of the individual projects

have had as contracng clients architects

wanng to implement these new concepts

in their own homes, and notably to test the

passive concept. It can be said that they have

taken on the role of pioneers.

A call for tender incorporated into the seleconprocess allowed a number of consulng rms responsible for the technical analysis of the pro-

jects selected to assimilate the new quality cri-teria in depth. Brussels Environment also called

upon these experts to monitor the winning pro-jects, allowing the principles of eco-design andeco-construcon to be propagated even further.

The jury, composed of representaves from uni-

versies and public administraons, was able toassess the projects qualies in terms not only ofarchitecture and town planning, but also with re-gard to their technical and nancial aspects. Ul-mately, being chosen as an Exemplary Buildingwinner constuted a kind of quality label explic-itly sought aer by those involved in the propertymarket [3].

G

rardBedoret

BernardDeprez

BernardDeprez

YvanGlavie

MDW-architectes

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Now I think that I could no longer do anything other than lowenergy or passive design, because I no longer have a motvaton

to use old techniques.

A dierent kind of building is possible!

Exemplary structuresand eco-renovaons

Two passive duplex housing units

Rue Wauters, 17 - SchaerbeekIns Camacho, arch., www.inescamacho.comIns Camacho, architect and contracng client :I understood that my project was close to the pas-

sive criteria, even if it had never been designed

as such. I submied my le, and then I spent six

months transforming my specicaons le. It was a

bit through naivet, through innocence, that I went

into this adventure. But now I think that I could no

longer do anything other than low energy or pas-

sive designs, because I no longer have a movaon

to use old techniques. Old smelly things no longer

interes me [1]!

This project has now been awarded several archi -tectural prizes.

Area : 313 mHeang energy : 12 and 14 kWh/m per yearSpecic features : eco-materials, heat exchanger and earthtube, airghtness n50= 0.57 vol/h, rainwater cistern,photovoltaic cells

[1] Vert Bruxelles! Architectures suivre, Racine, 2009, p.18.

Very low energy renovaon of oces and

extension of 5 passive housing units

42 Rue de la Loi, Eerbeek

Synergy Intl, www.synergy-international.comFor Eric De Keuleneer, contracng client (CredibeSA), the experience is extremely rewarding despitethe diculty in remaining in the building during the

works. All we have seen are builders who like a job

well done!

From my point of view, we have met a threefold

challenge : maintaining and improving a ne build-

ing on Rue de la Loi, renovang protably and com-

fortably without having to install air condioning,

and nally proving that the construcon of housing

on Rue de la Loi is jused. [2]The project implements an original system of mixedsteel/wood prefabricaon for the construcon ofpassive housing units on the exisng roof.

Area : 1850/571 m,Heang energy : 27/12 k Wh/m.yr;Specic features : heat exchanger, airghtness n50= 0.60 vol/hr,green roofs, prefabricaon, solar thermal and photovoltaic power

[2] Interview in be.passive 04, June 2010, p. 20.

Very low energy renovaon of 180

low-cost Florair housing units

Av. G. De Greef - Jee (1958)

Ph. Sgui, architectVincent Schrurs, contracng client (Foyer Jeois) :Were going to insulate the whole building, install

new insulang double-glazed windows, install real

venlaon, etc. () Taking account of more and

more parameters, such as the thermal bridges, spe-

cic structural features, etc., it remains dicult to

go below the bar of 30 kWh/m per year on aver-

age for heang. In venlaon, for example, we will

probably use C and D systems with sensor regula-

on; that seems to us to be the best compromise

at the moment between guaranteeing comfort andreducing heang needs and costs [2].While improving the comfort of the tenants, the en-

ergy refurbishment going from 200 to 30kWh/m.yrwill provide an annual saving of 840,000 kWh, or210 tonnes of CO2.

Area : 18,200 mHeang energy : 30 kWh/m.yrSpecic features : C/D venlaon, airghtness n50= 0.80 vol/h,exterior insulaon, eco-mobility amenies, rainwater cistern[2] Interview in be.passive 04, June 2010, p.85.

YvanGlavie

S

ynergyInterna

onal

BernardDeprez

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All the eco-exemplary winning projects are describedin detail in Vert Bruxelles! Architectures suivre(Racine, 2009) and mapped on the sitewww.bruxellesenvironnement.be

> Professionnels> Thmes> Ecoconstruction> Btiments exemplaires> Rechercher des projets

Passive oces

Av. Urbain Britsiers - SchaerbeekArchitectes Associs, www.architectesassocies.be

Sabine Leribaux and Marc Lacour, ArchitectesAssocis : when we won the compeon for theAropolis oces, we convinced the contracng

client to work with the passive system. But when you

talk about a sustainable building, its not just energy

consumpon that counts; there is also the choice of

materials. Here we considered the roof, the choice

of insulaon, and especially the faade () Aropo-

lis is only 2 to 4% more expensive than a standard

building, while the structure and the modulaon of

the oces are in line with what is being done in theEuropean Quarter today, with everything that cli-

ents demand[4].

Area : 7388 mHeang energy : 7.4 kWh/m.yrSpecic features : reinforced concrete structure and airghtshell in wood/metal structure around a pao, FSC wood, heatexchanger and earth tube, airghtness n50= 0.60 vol/h, nightcooling, rainwater cistern[4] Vert Bruxelles! Architectures suivre, Racine, 2009, p.56.

14 passive duplex housing units for

newly-arrived families

Associaon LEspoir - Rue Fin - Molenbeekhttp://espoirmolenbeek.blogspot.com

Damien Carnoy, arch.,

Josphine Mucabucyana and Lahoussine Fadel,members of the associaon LEspoir : Weve or-ganised lile pares for the children to get to know

each other because aerwards, were going to form

a co-ownership and we will have to live together

and manage the building [3]. Lorella Pazienza, of

the non-prot organisaon Bonnevie : the needs of

the families that emerged during the project de-nion workshops are the bases for the sustainable

development. Some members followed training

as energy coordinators to be able to inform the

neighbourhood residents. They took part in the

energy challenge that the Region organises each

year. They explain how to save energy through small

acons and without much expense [3].

Area : 1833 mHeang energy : 14 kWh/m.yr

Specic features : rst 4-storey wooden structure in Brussels,eco-materials, heat exchanger, airghtness n50= 0.60 vol/h,rainwater cistern, heat collectors and green roof[3] Vert Bruxelles! Architectures suivre, Racine, 2009, p.137.See also p.16.

Passive renovaon of a house

Rue des Archives, 28 - Watermael-BoisfortRaphal Tilman, arch., www.low-a.be

Hlne and Raphal, architects and contracngclients : we started the project with an objecvealready realised by others : low-energy renovaon. In

the course of our research, we realised that the nal

objecve could be much more ambious and went for

achieving the rst passive renovaon in Brussels [5].The heang savings are equivalent to 4.9 tonneequivalents of CO2 per year. Living in houses compa-

rable in all respects to that of Hlne and Raphal,the neighbours are also very interested

Area : 150 mHeang energy : 15 kWh/m.yrSpecic features : eco-materials, heat exchanger, airghtnessn50= 0.52 vol/hr, heat collectors

[5] www.passeursdenergie.be

BernardDeprez

A

rchitectesAssocis

RaphalTilman

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In a Region that is going to face a real demographic boom and has adeciency in low-cost housing, sustainable housing for all is a major

challenge. And its being met.

Exemplary buildings for all, maybe not!

The housing needs in the Brussels-Capital Region

are signicant. Only 11% of housing is public,including 8% low-cost housing, while 32,000

households are currently enrolled on the waing

lists of the low-cost housing associaons. But

demographic trends are leading to a predictable

growth of 150,000 new residents by 2020. Theland reserves in Brussels are dwindling. According

to esmates, almost 60,000 housing units must be

provided in the next ten years. A real challenge !

explains Denis Grimberghs, President of theBrussels Regional Development Agency [Socit deDveloppement de la Rgion de Bruxelles-Capitale,SDRB].

It is heartening, then, to note that the parci -paon of public housing associaons in theBatEx (Exemplary Buildings) acvies has greatlysurpassed expectaons. In the 2007 to 2009 callsfor proposals, 313 housing units were designedin the private sector versus 473 in the publicsector, or 60 %. Even more encouraging : themost disadvantaged municipalies in the Regionturned out to be the most acve in the designand construcon of eco-social housing. These

public acvies are supported by various bodies :the Public Service Housing Associaons [SocitsImmobilires de Service Public, SISP], the BrusselsRegional Development Agency (SDRB) and

the municipalies through Sustainable Neigh-bourhood contracts.

Sustainable building

for the most disadvantaged rst

Energy performance is a way to combat the

increasing vulnerability of recipients of socialbenets, for whom a growing poron of incomeis devoted to heang and electricity expenses. Inpublic housing, it frequently happens that the

charges exceed the rent. If nothing is done w ithinthe next ten to een years, the public housing

associaons fear that the most vulnerablehouseholds will be unable to pay their energybills [1].

This is why the tenants union was pleased by

the interest of public developers and wrote thatpassive housing is also good for the proles ! ()

Building these passive low-cost housing units, with

the enthusiasm it generates, signies the return of a

me not so long ago when low-cost housing served

as an example for architectural innovaon [2].

Energy performance is a way to combat theincreasing vulnerability of recipients of social

benets, for whom a growing poron ofincome is devoted to heang and electricity

expenses.

Thinking in terms of overall cost of

occupaon

Like any innovave architecture, the rst passiveprojects are in some cases slightly more expensivethan a convenonal structure. But this addionalcost is compensated by the energy savings, all the

more rapidly as oil prices rise. For tenants, it is the

overall cost of occupaon, the rent and expenses,that count.

All housing construcon or renovaons carried outby public or comparable bodies (SDRB and SISP), for

which implementaon depends nancially on theRegion, should be planned along the lines of energy

quality, following the raonale of the lowest cost ofoccupaon for the inhabitant.


Exemplary buildingsfor all

Exemplary buildings :

an opportunity for the municipalies

to go further

For Vincent Degrune, Project manager in theMolenbeek municipality in charge of following upa worksite of 12 passive low-cost housing units,

the inial project was driven by the desire of themunicipality to carry out a low energy project; it

was only aerwards that it became apparent that

the passive standard was possible. The impetus

of BatEx allowed more global environmentalperformance, through simple measures to be put

into pracce.It contributes to a broader vision of building

economics that takes account of me and theplascity of projects : one must try to makestructures that can be kept as long as possible,

so that they can be disassembled and made into

something else if needed. It is important to design

new buildings that will be easy to renovate; for that,

simplicity of the structure is important : open plans,

and as few load-bearing structures as possible. And

special techniques that are le apparent so that they

can be easily modied, as they evolve very quickly.

1

[1] Alter-Echos no. 246, February 2008, Le logement social se met auvert, www.alterechos.be .

[2] Le Soir, 25/03/2008, Leprince, P., Le passif, cest bon aussi pourles prolos.

1 Anderlecht, arch. Dlices Architectes;2 Molenbeek, arch. B-Architecten;

3 Jette, arch. A2M;4 Nede-Over-Hembeek, arch. P. Blondel;

5 Forest, arch. B612 Architectes & Partners;6 Ixelles, arch. R2D2 Architectes.

FactDemographic trends predict

an increase by 150,000 newresidents by 2020.

D

licesArchitectes

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BRUXELLES

LAEKEN

3 projects - 6 039 m2

1 housing unit - 124 m2

JETTE


185 housing unit - 18 477 m2

BERCHEM

SAINTE-AGATHE

2projects - 2 250 m2


MOLENBEEK



BRUXELLES CENTRE

14 projects - 62 320 m2

65housing unit - 8 671m2

SAINT-GILLES


35 housingunit - 5 148 m2

ANDERLECHT

11 projects - 15 697 m2


FOREST

9 projects - 30 401m2

65 housing unit - 9 247 m2 IXELLES


44housing unit - 5 370m2

UCCLE



WATERMAEL-BOITSFORT

2projects - 343 m2


AUDERGHEM

2 projects- 453 m2


ETTERBEEK

4 projects - 5519 m2

9 housing unit - 1 670 m

2

WOLUWE-

SAINT-LAMBERT

5 projects - 14 551m2


EVERE



SCHAERBEEK

15 projects - 33 332 m2


BRUXELLES

NEDER-OVER-HEEMBEEK



BRUXELLES

HAREN

2 projects - 13683 m2


SAINT-JOSSE-TEN-NOODE

6projects - 8 332 m2


52 63 4

Housing by sector 2007 2008 2009 total

individual housing 11 11 11 33

private housing 170 47 63 280

public housing 93 222 158 473

274 280 232 786

B-Architecten

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2D2Architectes.

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612Architectes&Pa

rtners

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As of 2010, any new public project must comply with the passive standard :

this is the commitment of the Brussels Government.

The public authories

must set an example

The public authories have a vital role to play in theeort to reduce CO2 emissions. On the one hand,they must set an example of proper measures andpracces to be adopted.

On the other hand, because of their economic

weight, they have a direct impact on the resultsof the policy conducted. In Belgium, in fact, public

purchasing amounts to 15% of the Gross DomescProduct (GDP). The Brussels-Capital Region alone

generates 20% of the naonal GDP, and a largenumber of local, regional, community, federal,

European, and internaonal public instuons are

concentrated there. The weight of public purchasingthere is therefore enormous [1].

In the building sector, this is manifested by the

establishment of environmental management

when the buildings are not undergoing renovaonand by observance of energy performance and

eco-construcon criteria during renovaon or newconstrucon.

Surpassing the current regulaons

An exemplary role means that the public

authories have to impose requirements on

themselves exceeding the current regulaons. In

recent years, municipalies such as Schaerbeek,Jee and Anderlecht have commied themselvesto carrying out their new construcon programmesunder the passive system. As for the government, it

has agreed that any new public project will complywith the passive standard as of 2010.

Moreover, there is presently a general conversionto the passive standard by the major public players

in social property development in Brussels; aerhaving contributed together 60 % of the housingprojects in the Calls for Exemplary Buildings, theBrussels Regional Development Agency (SDRB) and


The exemplary roleof public buildings

The future passive oces of Brussels Environment

the Brussels Regional Housing Authority (Socitdu Logement de la Rgion de Bruxelles-Capitale,SLRB), which is the umbrella organisaon for the33 Public Service Housing Associaons in Brussels,have decided that starng in 2010, all their new

construcons will be carried out according to thepassive standard, with low energy being required

in renovaon.

The public corporaons that produce housingin Brussels have decided that starng in 2010all their new construcons will be carried outaccording to the passive standard, with lowenergy being in renovaon.

These standards have also become the norm for

construcon acvies related to Sustainable Neigh-bourhood contracts.

As a symbol of these public commitments, the

Region decided as of 2008 to install its Brussels

Environment administraon on the Tour & Taxissite in a few years, in what will be, at 16,250 m, thelargest passive oce building in Europe.

Reducing consumpon in exisng buildings

For most public buildings, that will not be renovatedsoon, the Region has developed Local Acon Plansfor Energy Management (Plans Locaux dAconspour la Geson nergque, P.L.A.G.E.). Thisinvolves a number of measures allowing energyconsumpon to be reduced and the awareness ofthe occupants to be raised. These measures allowadministraon personnel in parcular to be trained.

[1] Vers une Rgion bruxelloise sobre en carbone lhorizon2025, Brussels-Capital Region, March 2010

FactIn Belgium, public purchasing

represents 15 % of the GrossDomesc Product (GDP).

ArchitectesCepezed

10


13/42

Five hospitals have implemented their P.L.A.G.E.

since 2007

These are the Erasme hospital, the Saint-Luc University Clinics,

the Brugmann University Hospital Centre (Victor Horta and Paul

Brien sites) and the Iris Sud Hospitals (Joseph Bracops site).Aer three years, the results obtained by these hospitals areextremely encouraging : stabilisaon of electrical consumponand reducon in heang needs, in contrast to the connuousgrowth of the preceding years.The esmate of the overall expenses avoided is over 2 million

euros per year.

Gas (GCV norm.)

kWh/m2

P.L.A.G.E.

-13,5%

0,6%

Electricity

300

250

200

150

100

50

02003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

P.L.A.G.E. Hospitals: energy gains

P.L.A.G.E projects

In the public sector, Local Acon Plans for EnergyManagement develop a coherent and coordinated

set of measures. They allow the potenal for energysavings and priories for acon to be idened,and the occupants awareness to be raised withregard to proper behaviour.

In this framework, the Region supports the majorproprietors of public buildings in developing their

experience for 3 years, to the extent of 50 to 100 %

of the expenses incurred. To date, these calls forproposals have involved 15 municipalies, 5 major

hospitals, 2 collecve housing organisaons and

the schools of the mandatory educaon system.

More info onwww.bruxellesenvironnement.be/professionnels/

Variaon in consumpon (electricity and gas, kWh/m) of the ve P.L.A.G.E. hospitals; kWh GCV for gasnormalised on the basis of 16.5/16.5 degree-days

The administraon of Molenbeek-Saint-Jean gave priority to 9buildings represenng 51% of the total gas consumpon and62% of the total consumponof municipal buildings.

These 9 buildings showed anoverall reducon of 16 % in

normalised fuel consumpon

between 2005 and 2008.

Exemplary child-care centre projects are mulplying,as shown here on Rue du Gulden Bodem in Molenbeek.

The rst seven municipalies have adhered

to P.L.A.G.E. projects since 2005

These are Anderlecht, Berchem-Ste-Agathe, Ixelles, Molenbeek-St-Jean, Schaerbeek, St-Gilles and Watermael-Boisfort.

Seventy public buildings have allowed over 11 MWh of energyto be saved, or more than 2500 tonnes of CO2. Or, an expenseof 1,326,000 in the annual budget of the rst 7 municipaliesto parcipate in a PLAGE has been avoided.

In Watermael-Boitsfort, the consumpon of public buildingsdecreased by 20 % in 2008 compared to 2004, the equivalent ofa savings of 140,000 on the annual expenses for consumpon,which means that the emission of 588 tonnes of CO2 avoided.

PaulBrien

A

rchitectesA2M

11


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Over 6 years, more than 110,000 energy subsidies have been

granted for a total amount of more than 65 million euros.

Building at the forefront

Residenal and ter ary buildings use over 70 %of the energy consumed in Brussels. They are

responsible for 63 % of greenhouse gas emissions,almost 40 % of NOx emissions and almost 25 %

of parculate emissions in the Region. And a fewyears ago, Brussels building stock, like the Belgianbuilding stock in general, was one of the mostenergy-consuming in Europe.

For this reason, the Region has instuted an acvepolicy to change this situaon. Two complementaryapproaches have been iniated.

A new system of subsidies has encouraged individualsand businesses to renovate their buildings to beerinsulate and equip them. These subsidies have

made innovave materials, technologies and workin renovaon as well as new construcon moreaccessible. And Brussels residents have responded

posively to the incenve : the number of subsidiesgranted went from 1840 in 2004 to 23,239 in 2009.

But having the desire to renovate or build

sustainably is not enough; it is necessary to have

the knowledge and advice needed to master

the new techniques and materials, which areconstantly changing. This is why specialised facili-tators guide the applicants through their projects

(see box opposite).

The construcon sector revitalised

This acve policy has a posive economic eect.In addion to smulang demand, the market forconstrucon professionals has been revitalisedthrough the use of new materials, new training andnew trades. The Region also encourages the devel-opment of trials and experimentaon, contribungto the facilitaon of innovaons in the buildingsector..


Aid and incenves :changing Brussels one house at a me

SUBSIDIES : a complete range of nancial

incenves

The Brussels-Capital Region oers a set of Energysubsidies intended for individuals, the collecve

housing sector and the industrial and terarysectors. They cover procedures such as an energy

audit, insulaon, the installaon of super-insulangglazing, high-performance boilers, venlaon, etc.

Specic aid supports new construcon to thepassive (heang demand 15 kWh/myr) standardand renovaon to the low energy (heang demand60 kWh/myr) or very low energy (heangdemand 30 kWh/myr) level.

Combined with other municipal or federalsubsidies, they are very popular : over 6 years,more than 110,000 subsidies have been allocated,for a total amount of over 65 million, 80 % of thisgoing to individuals.

The raonale of the subsidies aims to oer all orpart of the over-investment necessary to carry out

work aaining a high level of energy performance,while incorporang eco-construcon criteria.Social criteria are also progressively being

introduced to favour low-income households.

For more informaon :www.bruxellesenvironnement.be/primesenergie

FACILITATORS : supporng and ensuring

innovaon in construcon

Facilitators are experts who guide professionals,instuons and businesses free of charge. These

specialists are selected through calls for tenders.Their mission consists of providing free advice and

guidance to project sponsors in technical maersrelang to the areas of energy and eco-design, onthe level of both buildings and their facilies andneighbourhoods. They also organise seminars,

visits or trips, etc. Facilitators are accessible by

calling the freephone number 0800.85.775.

For more informaon :www.bruxellesenvironnement.be > Les facilitateurs

A boost for the market

Starng from the near absence of a photovoltaicssector in Brussels in 2004, the Governmentdecided to strongly support the installaon of solarcollectors by special subsidies and a favourable

buyback rate for the electricity produced. Theboost in the market was quickly felt, to the pointthat it contributed to standardising and reducing

prices. The Region has now reduced the subsidies,as this type of system has become sucientlyaracve without the aid of investment.The boom connues, reads the headline on the

rst page of the newspaper Le Soir. Demand hasexploded () the number of installaons has more

than doubled between August 2009 and June

2010, going from 7332 to 16,856 units. And since

November 2008 (2274 units) this quanty has even

gone up by a factor of eight. A real success. (Le

Soir, 23 July 2010)The subsidy system has thus demonstrated itsulity by allowing the emergence and stabi-

lisaon of a sustainable line of business in

renewable energy producon.

The subsidies will allowus to insulate the house in

three stages unl the passivestandard is achieved, i.e. that,

the house will do withoutradiators!

Olivier Alexandre, Schaerbeekhttp://vimeo.com/4043490

The number of subsidies

granted went from 1840 in2004 to 23,239 in 2009.

12


15/42

The Passive House Plaorm

The Region supports independent associaons

such as the Passive House Plaorm non-protorganisaon (Plateforme Maison Passive asbl,

PMP) [1], to which it entrusts the guidance ofproject sponsors as well as technical vericaonof the les for subsidies of passive construconor low or very low energy renovaon.Since 2007, 263 les have been handled inBrussels : 77 housing units renovated aslow-energy, 4 housing units renovated to the

passive standard and 182 new passive housing

units.

The PMP also organises numerous training sessions

for professionals, visits

to passive projects,

etc.

In 2009, it launched

be.passive, a magazine

dedicated to passive

architecture [2].

[1] www.maisonpassive.beand www.passiefhuisplatform.be

[2] www.bepassive.be

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toimprovetheirenergyperformanceinbothcommon

andprivateareas.

Eco-ConstruconFacilitator:advisesanyprofessionalinvolved

inthedesignandconstruconofabuildingwhowantstobe

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13


16/42

While the demand for construcon of sustainable buildings soars in Brussels, it is the

supply segment that must be supported at present.

The Employment-Environment Alliance

(Alliance Emploi-Environnement)

The construcon sector has a total turnover of 900million euros per year. In 2009, it employed 25,500workers in Brussels, including 5600 employees,6000 self-employed persons and 13,900 workers.It is therefore a major sector of acvity, in whichprofessional skills are rapidly developing. Newtrades are appearing, capable of providing a

response suited to the signicant demand for

low-skilled jobs in Brussels.

While the demand for construcon of sustainablebuildings is soaring in Brussels, the supply segment

must at present be supported, while allowinglow-skilled persons to nd fullling work. This isthe aim of the Employment-Environment Alliance,

which, in a parcipatory approach, brings togetherprofessional associaons, unions, and thoseinvolved with the environment, economic smu-laon and educaon. Using an open approach, the

parcipants dra proposals for acon together : areal alliance that supports and smulates businesswhile allowing workers, businesses and students toacquire knowledge and techniques that full theenergy and environmental requirements of very

high performance buildings.


Economy, employmentand environment : a new alliance

The Ecobuild

Cluster

The Region

has entrusted

the Brussels

Enterprise Agency (BEA) with thecreaon of an eco-construconcluster in Brussels. Its aim is to

develop the sector as a soluonfor sustainable construcon andrenovaon. The Cluster networksbusinesses acve in the area andplays the role of an interface for

them.

The Cluster now includes over

50 acve members, whom itrepresents at trade exhibions. Itorganises worksite visits, workinggroups and study trips in collabo-

raon with the Eco-Construconand Cap 2020 clusters.

In its work on low-energy

urban renovaon, it cooperates

with the Greenov network ofEuropean clusters.

FactWhile generang a 319 million

euro turnover over three years,the Exemplary Buildings operaonhas created approximately 1250

jobs.

The construcon sector employs more than25,000 people in Brussels.

promotelec

14


17/42

The professional Reference

Centre for construcon

In the framework of the employment plan forBrussels residents and the Contract for Economy

and Employment (C2E), it operates thanks to apartnership between the construcon sectorand the public authories. It aims to developeco-construcon and renewable energy trades toimprove the employment potenal of low-qualiedworkers.The Reference Centre idenes educaonal needsand centralises the exisng oer. Its work alsoencompasses networking and the consolidaonof the iniaves underway. In partnership withpeople working in the eld, it coordinates trainingon insulaon, airghtness, eco-materials, photo-voltaics, etc.

The Reference Centre has launched a study oftrades in transion in the construcon sector; thatinvolves determining which are the needed trades,as well as the new trades and new skills to beacquired by construcon professionals to be ableto work in the sustainable sector. Carried out incollaboraon with construcon professionals, thisstudy will serve, among other things, to orient andpriorise training needs in the construcon sector.

The Brussels Regional Housing

Authority (SLRB)

The SLRB [1] is in charge of low-cost housing. Thelocal companies, called Public Service Housing

Companies (SISP), are under its supervision.

As a long-term investor, the SLRB has made

sustainable development a priority of its 2010 2014 strategic plan. It has assigned itself the aimof supporng the SISPs in adopng an approach todevelopment that respects the environment and

contributes to reducing CO2 emissions. Since 2010,

all SLRB projects are striving to be exemplary

with regard to energy: all new construcon must

at a minimum comply with the passive standard,

and any major renovaon must comply with the

very low energy standard. This exemplary policyreduces the expenses of the tenants and has very

benecial social and economic impacts.The SLRB aims to reduce the cost of occupyinghousing, i.e. the sum of the rent and the energy

charges. All housing construcon or renovaoncarried out by regional public bodies must followthe raonale of the lowest cost of occupaon forthe future occupant. This principle applies to speci-

caon of the energy quality of the works to beperformed as well as the criteria for allocaonin public contracts and in exisng regulaons forobtaining regional nancial assistance. The SLRB is

also working on an energy cadastre of its assets toimprove their management and maintenance over

the years.

The instuons

In the area of construcon and renovaon of housing and eco-construcon, two major parcipants work

with Brussels Environment to improve the eco-excellence of the Brussels building stock: the Brussels

Regional Housing Authority (SLRB) and the Brussels Regional Development Agency (SDRB).

Businesses are ge ng involved!

The Ecodynamic Company label is granted tobusinesses that develop measures supporng

sustainable management.

The label takes into accountvarious aspects : the manage-ment of energy, waste, travel,interior air quality, noise

reducon, etc. This labelexpresses the determinaonof these businesses and organisaons to take aninnovave approach over the long term.

The Brussels Regional Development

Agency (SDRB)

The SDRB [1] is acve in the area of economicexpansion and urban renovaon. To keep residentsin or bring them back to the Region, it produceshousing for residents with moderate incomesin neighbourhoods characterised by a shortage

of residenal construcons, in a public-privatepartnership.

The SDRB has become a public pioneer with regardto sustainable construcon.

Besides the energy performance of the projects,

which fulls the passive standards in new

construcon or very low energy in renovaon,demanding ecological criteria are implemented

in water management, the choice of materials,

so mobility and the respect for biodiversity.

On Rue de Sude, the SDRB was responsiblefor building and markeng of the rst passiveapartment building in the Brussels-Capital Region.

This experience demonstrated the need to informbuyers on this type of housing, the specicfeatures of the facilies and the necessity ofadapng certain habits. To this eect, the SDRB has

published a brochure entled Living in sustainablehousing (Habiter un logement durable) [2].

[1] www.slrb.be[2] to obtain the brochure : [email protected]

B

ruxellesEnvironnement 15


18/42

Brussels has chosen to establish a strategy to create sustainable

neighbourhoods, whether it is a maer of old neighbourhoods or wasteland to

be transformed, renovang buildings or iniang new ways of living together.

Sustainable neighbourhood acvies

Nowadays, the idea of sustainable neighbou-rhoods is rather overworked and encompassesvery diverse realies. All cies want to have theireco-neighbourhood, and many of them think of

it as a green promoonal operaon, under thebanners of ecology and high-tech. The Brussels-

Capital Region has chosen another approach : inview of the amount of wasteland doed around onits territory, but also to improve life in its exisngneighbourhoods, it has established a strategy to

create sustainable neighbourhoods, whether newor old.

Acng in exisng neighbourhoods

Starng from the principle that the exisng neigh -bourhoods are and always will be the essence ofthe urban fabric, the Region has launched a call for

proposals to the residents, to create a dynamic for

transformaon in the area. The raonale for this callfor proposals is that creaon of a sustainable neigh-

bourhood relies on a public iniave from people

who live in and use the neighbourhood. Together,they take acon on various issues : energy savings,waste reducon, raonal consumpon, air quality,more carefully considered use of space, highli-

ghng the natural heritage, reinforcement of socialcohesion, etc. On this basis, parcipants implementprojects and take part in specic acvies to raisethe awareness of as many residents as possible withregard to these issues.

A range of services

Thanks to a range of services oered by BrusselsEnvironment (meengs, training visits, acvies,etc.), the knowledge of the residents is extendedthanks to the introducon to new techniques

(roof insulaon, maintenance of a cistern, projectmanagement, etc.).

On the neighbourhood scale, the operaon createsa grassroots dynamic and combines iniavesto produce eecve acon and real changes inbehaviours : the creaon of collecve gardens andvegetable gardens, exchange networks, collecvebuying groups, local exchange systems, etc.

Thanks to ve pilot groups supported each yearand a Sustainable Neighbourhoods Newsleerthat makes their acvies known, the fabric ofsustainable neighbourhoods is rapidly expandingfrom municipality to municipality.

A dierent kind of neighbourhood is possible

Catalysts for exisng neighbourhoods

On the neighbourhood scale, the SustainableNeighbourhoods call for proposals creates agrassroots dynamic and combines iniavesto produce eecve acon and real changesin behaviours.

Winning neighbourhoods 2008-2009

Auderghem : Ensemble, vivons mieux Pinoy,http://siteduquartierpinoy.be

Forest : Cit Forest Vert,

www.citeforestvert.be

Ixelles : DurablXL,www.eauwaterzone.be/Durabl_XL

Saint-Gilles : Ba-O-Bab 81,www.baobab81.org

Schaerbeek : Helmet, Quarer durable,www.helmetquartierdurable.be/

Winning neighbourhoods 2009-2010Molenbeek : MolenBabbel,http://molenbabbel.wordpress.com

Woluw-Saint-Pierre : Chant doiseau,

Eerbeek : BroebelAir,www.broebelair.be

Schaerbeek : Terdelt sur son 21,www.terdelt.be

Uccle : Oxy-durable,www.oxy-durable.be

a

sblZinneke

L

iseFrendo-CitForestVert

16


19/42

The oer of Brussels Environment

Each me Calls for Proposals are issued, BrusselsEnvironment makes available to the winning

projects for one year :

An organiser for each of the ve neighbourhoods Follow-up of the coordinaon of the neighbour-

hoods and organisers

A range of services including nine awareness-raising and training acvies

A budget of 12,500 for projects of collecveinterest

Various communicaons tools

The objecves of the Sustainable

Neighbourhoods calls for proposals

To generate and support grassroots iniavesthrough projects for and by the residents

To give rise to projects throughout the Brusselsarea

To reduce the ecological footprint of a neigh-

bourhood while improving its liveability

The Charter of the exisng Sustainable

Neighbourhoods

Raonalise consumpon Move around dierently Live in a densely populated, acve neighbourhood Highlight natural heritage and biodiversity

Preserve natural resources Promote sustainable construcon Save energy Reduce waste Live beer

Molenbabbel

L

iseFrendo-CitForestVert

E

RUasblTerdelt

ERUasbl-DurablXL

17

A di ki d f i hb h d i ibl


20/42

Occupaon of wasteland by collecve acvies and collecve housing projects:

iniaves are developing and aim to develop real sustainable niches

in the urban fabric.

The precursors of the

eco-neighbourhood : eco-parcipatory

housing projects

For a dierent kind of neighbourhood to bepossible, dierent kinds of projects must emerge,implemenng the principles of neighbourhoodrelaonship ecology. This is what has inspiredexemplary projects such as the 14 housing unitsof the Associaon LEspoir [1] in Molenbeek, theBiplan shared housing project of 6 housing units [2]in Haren-Brussels or the Brutopia [3] project of 27housing units and 4 shops in Forest.

Recovery of wasteland by residents

In another type of parcipatory project, on the edge

of industrial wastelands or in abandoned vacantland within neighbourhoods, residents, commieesand associaons work to redevelop various formsof urban agriculture and vegetable gardens [4].Special types of leases allow this land to be tempo -rarily occupied and acvies related to sustainablefood, gardening, composng, beekeeping, etc., tobe developed.

On the banks of Tour & Taxis, thanks to a temporarylease, the non-prot organisaon Le Dbut des

Haricots [5] is operang a collecve garden torecreate a relaonship between local producersand their urban environment. It is also a maer ofreclaiming the city, or its margins, while producing

a part of its food in a healthy way. With the supportof Brussels Environment, the associaon is collabo-rang along these lines with RABAD [6], a networkof parcipants and projects to promote sustainablefood in the Brussels-Capital Region.

At Neder-Over-Heembeek, the Urban Farm is arural organic agricultural operaon. Directly andthrough a short food chain, it provides Brussels

households with fresh produce in the form ofbaskets of vegetables. This is a Collecve BuyingGroup (Groupe dAchat Solidaire, GASAP). The

project also allows unqualied young people to beintroduced to and trained in agricultural jobs and

garden maintenance.

Since 1998, in partnership with the municipalies,Brussels Environment has established free training

in composng. This contributes greatly to reducingthe amount of organic and garden waste in wastebins. Thirty-seven percent of Brussels households

have a garden ; these generate no less than 30,000tonnes of green waste per year.

[1] http://espoirmolenbeek.blogspot.com

[2] http://claude-rener.blogspot.com [3] http://utopiabrussels.wordpress.com/[4] http://jardinsdebruxelles.blogspot.com/[5] www.haricots.org[6] http://fr.observ.be/rabad.php


The sustainable puzzleis progressively put together

ASBLBon

nevie

ASBLLaRue

BernardDeprez

18


21/42

Associaon LEspoir - Molenbeek

Thanks to the Housing Fund (Fond du Logement),Coordinaon and Iniaves for Refugees andForeigners (Coordinaon et Iniaves pour

Rfugis et trangers, CIRE), the Bonnevienonprot organisaon and the municipality ofMolenbeek, 14 newly-arrived low-income familieshave parcipated in the design of their own passiveeco-built apartment building.

The social objecve was to allow recipients to put

their welfare benets to good use in their housing

rather than enriching slumlords.

This extraordinary project shows that economic

fragility is not a hindrance. It is innovave ina number of aspects : aer idenfying energyperformance as a requirement for wellbeing, theassociaon organised an architecture compeonand training sessions in energy or co-ownership,etc. Inspired by organisaons originang in theUnited States, it also signed a charter for the

creaon of a Community Land Trust that managesand develops property intended to be sold or

rented to low-income households.

http://espoirmolenbeek.blogspot.com

and http://bonnevie.vgc.be

Biplan parcipatory housing Haren

A 2008 winner of the Exemplary Buildings call forproposals, this worksite oers six passive eco-builtapartments organised as clustered parcipatoryhousing.

The economies of scale made on the

land, construcon, technical faciliesand heang charges allow the projectto be enriched with spaces that no

household would really be able toaord separately : the issue hereis thus a quality of life possible

together, but impossible alone.

http://claude-rener.blogspot.com

http://architecturedurable.be

Brutopia parcipatory housing Forest

The Brutopia project was born of a commondesire of Forest residents : to live in Brussels in acollecve, ecological and responsible way. Brutopiaaims to promote sustainable selement, combinedwith so mobility. A non-prot organisaon wascreated to buy a site and construct a building of 27

apartments.

Brutopia currently brings together about ypeople, including young adults as well as older

people, and single people as well as couples.

Some have young children and are looking for alarger dwelling, while others want to move justbecause their ospring have le home. There areas many Dutch- as French-speakers.

http://utopiabrussels.wordpress.com/

Aer eco-construcon and energy eciency, we

became interested in the way to live dierentlyso as to emit as lile CO2 as possible into the

atmosphere (), in the impact of the building in a

much more parcipatory vision, where one starts

from the principle that together, economies of

scale and operaon can be made.[1]Project manager : Claude Rener

[1] Vert Bruxelles!, ibidem, p.135.

The network of Brussels masters composters ispresently made up of over 350 volunteers.

ASBLLaRue

ClaudeRe

ner

B

rutopiaSarahBouvier

19



22/42

Sustainable Neighbourhood contracts aiming to revitalise old

and precarious neighbourhoods have included a transversal

environmental aspect since 2010.

Why Sustainable Neighbourhood

contracts?

Like many other cies, Brussels has greatlychanged during the past century. Aer a periodof urban growth, it has been recongured mainlyby the decline of industry and the phenomenon of

peri-urbanisaon that started in the 60s [1]. Themassive transformaon of old neighbourhoodsinto monofunconal zones fuelled several publicopposion fronts of cizens opposed to thecommodicaon of the city and property specu-laon.

Resulng from the workings of the free market,these socioeconomic and urban mutaons causedsocial and territorial divisions and resulted in the

appearance of weakened neighbourhoods [2].The Region has dened a priority zone in which

neighbourhood revitalisaon programmes are

concentrated (EDRLR : Espace de Dveloppement

Renforc du Logement et de la Rnovaon -

Area for Enhanced Development in Housing and

Renovaon).

A public acvity incorporang the

parcipaon of residents

While many cies demolish to rebuild, the Regionchose in 1993 to renovate and enhance its neigh-bourhoods through operaons [3] focused in me(4 years) and space (a neighbourhood) : Neigh-bourhood contracts.

It established methods for iniang dialogue withthe residents, as overall improvement of the quality

of life necessarily presupposes coordinated acon

on housing, transport, culture and local services.

Even though the parcipaon of the residents may

encompass very dierent realies, everyone agrees

that it should allow the residents to parcipate

eecvely in the enterprise of urban renovaon by

giving them appropriate tools and pernent infor-

maon.[4]

The various types of parcipaon, which areconstantly evolving [5], are a major feature of anysustainable policy, and in parcular of SustainableNeighbourhood contracts, incorporang environ-mental criteria and economic measures supporng

the social economy.

Acng where market forces are

inadequate

Contracts allow the Region and the Municipaliesto carry out programmes coproduced with expertsand residents assemblies, to alleviate the lackof infrastructures and to increase the stock oflow-cost rental housing. They also aim to improvethe living environment of the residents through

concrete achievements, such as the development

of public areas and parks.

The contracts bring together a broad range of

acvies against social vulnerability and inadequatehousing, led by a number of associaons : RseauHabitat, including Renovas in Schaerbeek, Habitatet Rnovaon in Ixelles, Convivence/Samenleven inthe City of Brussels, etc.

The contracts rebuild local cohesion and allow the

residents to reclaim their neighbourhood. Theyallow intervenon in areas and situaons deemedtoo complex or unprotable by the private market.

Between 1994 and 2008, 52 Neighbourhoodcontracts were launched, allowing onethousand municipal housing units to be

developed.

Environmental pilot projects

Since 2010, a regional ordinance has reformed the

system, henceforward called Sustainable Neigh-

bourhoods Contracts. This involves not only the

incorporaon of requirements with regard to theenergy and environmental excellence of buildings

(passive and very low energy), but also devel-opment of pilot projects integrang all aspectsof sustainability within moderate-income neigh-bourhoods in an innovave way.In the socioeconomic area, this consists in addionof developing new environmental trades inconstrucon, work integraon enterprises, etc.


Signing a contractwith sustainability

In 2010 and 2011, 8 new Sustainable

Neighbourhood contracts have been

selected, totalling more than 120,000,000

of sustainable investment :

Canal-Midi in Anderlecht, Masui in the City of Brussels, Liedekerke in Saint-Josse, Jardin aux Fleurs in the City of Brussels, Coteaux Josaphat in Schaerbeek, Koekelberg Historique,

Scheut in Anderlecht.

Map with EDRLR zones:

Espace de Dveloppement

Renforc du Logement et

de la Rnovaon (Area for Enhanced

Development in Housing and Renovaon)

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Sustainable Neighbourhood contracts

Since the 90s, the revitalisaon of old neigh-bourhoods has combined measures for urban

renovaon and social measures to combat social

vulnerability and enhance social cohesion. Itinvolves reducing the disparies in developmentnoted between the old fragile neighbourhoods(especially around the canal) and the rest of the

regional territory, progressively seen as a threat

to the aracveness of the city. As a reacon toproperty speculaon Brusselizaon urbanrenovaon is designed as the protecon andenhancement of what exists with the aim ofsupporng the populaon living there. It involvesdeveloping acons that are local and parci-

patory. This parcipaon results from the devel-opment of democrac convicons that areasserng themselves in daily life and is a responseto the demand of residents to be able to parcipatedirectly in decision-making. This parcipaon isa means of re-establishing trust between cizensand local authories, as a complement to tradi -onal structures of representaon.

The duraon and locaon of Sustainable

Neighbourhood contracts

The Neighbourhood contract is a plan of aconlimited in me (4 years + 2 years of nalisaon)and dened within a clearly delimited boundary.It is concluded between the Region and theMunicipality concerned by the area dened in thecontract. It determines a programme of acviesto be carried out within a limited budget.General meengs of the neighbourhood residents

are held during the implementaon of the process.

Between 1994 and 2008, 52 Neighbourhoodcontracts were launched, covering the enreEDRLR and allowing a thousand municipal housingunits to be built.

The Sustainable NeighbourhoodsFacilitator

He/she collaborates in studies related to Neigh -bourhood contracts to determine their environ-

mental aspects. He/she thus complements thesocioeconomic measures and cizen parcipaonprocesses. He/she also guides the consulng ocesresponsible for scheduling acvies in new Neigh-bourhood contracts, to specify the sustainable

aspects of their projects with them.

A ferle ground for social and

architectural innovaonNeighbourhood contracts have allowed a numberof interesng and innovave architectural projectsto be carried out, as the book [1] and exhibiondevoted to them in 2006 show. Several exemplarybuildings low-cost housing, neighbourhood

facilies, etc. have seen the light of day under

Neighbourhood contracts. For young architects,

this is oen a rst opportunity to prove themselves.

[1] M. Cohen,A Bruxelles, prs de chez vous Larchitecture dans lescontrats de quarer, Photos by Marie-Franoise Plissart MRBCPublishing DRU, 2006.

[2] Corijn, E. Vloeberghs, Bruxelles!, VUB Press 20009, p.118.[3] Dix ans dacon sociale urbaine Contrats de ville Contrats

logement, SPPIC, Brussels, 2009.[4] F. Thiry, Rgnraon urbaine. Belgique, Europe, in A+, no. 182,

Brussels 2003.[5] M. Berger, Bruxelles lpreuve de la parcipaon Les contrats

de quarer en exercices, DRU, Br ussels 2008; photographs, P.Beugnies.

Sustainable Neighbourhood contracts rebuildlocal cohesion and allow residents to reclaimtheir neighbourhood.

P

aulineBeugnies-RgiondeBruxelles-C

apitale

BernardDeprez

Marie-Franoise Plissart - Rgion de Bruxelles-Capitale

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In an area as urbanised and limited by its instuonal

borders as Brussels, every project is from this point on

related to others in terms of mobility, density, collecve

facilies, etc.

A sustainable future for Brussels

wastelands

Brussels has too oen lacked an overall, sharedurban vision. In order for high-quality projects to be

developed there, public authories and investorsmust have a clearer and beer dened idea of the

future that the Region wants for its territory. In anarea as urbanised and limited by its instuonalborders as Brussels, every project is from this point

on related to others in terms of mobility, density,

collecve facilies, etc.

The Regional Development Plan (RDP) has idened14 key zones [1] that form property reservesthat the Region intends to manage carefully. The

Regional Land Use Plan (Plan rgional dAecondes Sols - PRAS) has also idened 14 Zones ofRegional Interest (Zones dIntrt Rgional [2] - ZIR)with a signicant potenal for reconversion. Theseare mainly neighbourhoods located around the

major train staons. Planning tools such as masterplans (schmas directeurs - SD) allow the broadoutlines to be used for the development of the keyzones and ZIRs to be dened. These master plansare prepared by consulng rms in consultaonwith the residents concerned.

Incorporang sustainable neighbourhoodprinciples into all urban developments

Unl recently, most tradional developmentplans incorporated the environment and the

principles of sustainability rather poorly. The new

Regional Development Plan has been revised to

take them into account of these and become theRegional Sustainable Development Plan (Plan

Rgional de Dveloppement Durable - PRDD).Since its government approval in 2009, the

Region is requiring that any urban development

be carried out in line with sustainable neigh-bourhood principles. To specify these, the Region

has marked out the path with a series of studies. Ithas also charged the Sustainable NeighbourhoodsFacilitator with developing a Sustainable Neigh-bourhoods Guide [3], which sets out the principlesof their design in nine points. This document serves

as a basis for work with professionals, architects,town planners and developers.

The idea is to design a city with a balanced terri -

torial network, aenve to the preservaon ofthe biodiversity of its hinterland, fossil energy

resources and ulmately the climate, and capableof integrang its residents into processes of parci -paon and decision-making. To these ends, theSustainable Neighbourhoods Facilitator meetswith project sponsors to assist them in specifyingtheir sustainable features. He organises specialised

seminars and develops tools to contribute to the

emergence of a new vision of property and newpracces.

The Agency for Urban Development (Agence deDveloppement Territorial - ADT) collaborates withthe Facilitator so that the development of Brussels

wastelands can be as compliant as possible withsustainable neighbourhood principles.

[1] See map opposite[2] See map opposite[3] www.bruxellesenvironnement.be [4] Alain Cluzet, Ville librale, ville durable?ed. De lAube, 2007.


Reculvang the post-industrial city

1 2 3

Neighbourhoods to live in, not showcases to see

The methods of the past are inadequate to respond to

the present demographic and economic pressures or

the environmental challenges and the demand for urban

quality.

For the French town planner Alain Cluzet, The sustainablecity is not only new in its capacity to regenerate, to recycleitself connuously without leaving behind wastelandsand various types of polluon. It is not a showcase tovisit. It is a city that extends () by rhizomes along devel -opment corridors generously equipped with major publictransport [4].

diversityenergy

environment,

water

materials,

waste

ecology

sharedspaces,

density

adaptability

over me

accessibility,

eco-mobility

economy

partnerships,

coproducon

quality

of life

social

It is a maer of designing a city with a balanced territorial

network.

BernardDeprez

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14

3

6

4

13

21

5

11

8

12

7

10

9

2 000 m

1] the Key Zones

(1) Erasme(2) Forest

(3) Midi(4) Canal

(5) Tour & Taxis(6) Botanique

(7) Europe(8) Toison dOr

(9) Heysel(10) Hpital militaire

[Military Hospital](11) Schaerbeek-training

(12) RTBF-VRT(13) Delta

(14) Gare de lOuest[West Staon]

[2] The Zones of

Regional Interest (ZIR)

(1) Heliport

(2) Gaucheret(3) Gare de lOuest

[West Staon]

(4) Pont Van Praet(5) Prince Albert(6) Tour & Taxis(7) Van Volxem

(8) Champ de Mars(9) Charle-Albert

(10) Ecole vtrinaire[Veterinary School]

(11) Cit administrave[Administrave Complex]

(12) Avenue Louise(13) Gare Josaphat

(14) Porte de la ville

[City Gate]

4 5

14

3

6

4

132

1

5

11

8

127

10

9

2 000 m

1 and 2 Tour & Taxis Site

3 View of Ixelles4 Cit administrave de lEtat

[Government Administraon Complex]5 Josaphat Site

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The Rue du Tivoli Sustainable

Neighbourhood in Laeken

The Brussels Regional Development Agency (SDRB),

the owner since 2010 of the enre Tivoli wasteland inLaeken, is developing a Sustainable Neighbourhood

there. The development of the site is designed asa mixed project including housing and economicacvies, local facilies and local businesses.On 5 blocks (4.7 ha), over 500 new housing unitsare planned. On the edge of the Tour & Taxis site,commercial spaces are intended for businesses related

to the green economy, through the Greenbizz project

nanced in the framework of the ERDF. The re-urban -isaon of this extensive area should contribute torevitalising the adjacent neighbourhoods.

A transversal design

Starng from the development plan developedby the ms-a consulng rm, the SustainableNeighbourhoods Facilitator guided the SDRBin the study of plans and development of the

prescripve documents. At the SDRB, workinggroups were formed to plan the various aspectsof the future sustainable neighbourhood : energy,the coexistence of the various funcons, socialdiversity, environmental management, mobility,

local facilies, management of waste and waterand parcipaon.

All the projects of the SDRB are henceforth

compliant with the passive standard for new

building, or very low energy for renovaon. Cogen-eraon has also become a standard, and the SDRBis studying the possibility of creang an urban

heang plant in collaboraon with the Tour & Taxisproject (see opposite).With regard to mobility, the project will smulateall forms of so mobility : public transport,bicycles, car sharing, etc. Biodiversity and watermanagement are also to be taken into account inconstrucon and in the public spaces.

Promong parcipaon

It is vital to establish informave and parcipatoryprocesses that enrich the projects and build es

with the surrounding neighbourhoods.The project provides for a large public space, a

neighbourhood garden organised around plane

trees classied as protected trees, a composngarea and vegetable gardens. Community spaces are

planned to smulate social contacts.

It is important to implement informave andparcipatory processes that enhance theprojects and build es with the surroundingneighbourhoods.

Energising and revitalising exisng neighbourhoods, certainly. But the Region also

wants to see new sustainable neighbourhoods appear in urban wastelands, allowing

innovave overall projects to emerge.


New sustainable neighbourhoods

A new sustainable neighbourhood in Forest

The new Bervoets sustainable neighbourhoodthat is being designed will include 239 housingunits laid out in an allotment designed according

to the criteria of sustainable development. The

108 duplexes, 19 houses and 112 ats distributedover 9 buildings, as well as 12 small studios forcraspeople, guarantee the diversity of the neigh -bourhood. They will be laid out around three

tree-lined public spaces. All this will contribute tothe conviviality of this new housing estate. Heatproducon (heat and hot water) will be providedby a cogeneraon plant that will also generateelectricity, thus guaranteeing opmal energyeciency.Water management is also very important in this

project, located at the boom of a valley. Thebuildings are thus equipped with storm water tankslocated on the roofs (because of the proximity ofthe water table) and green roofs.

By promong social diversity and the complementary

nature of funcons, the SDRB wants to maintain the

economic acvity of the urban fabric while fullling the

needs of the residents in terms of housing.

Denis Grimberghs, President of the SDRB

MSA

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The Tour & Taxis development project

The Canal neighbourhood is presently undergoing

a major urban transformaon. In 2009, the Regionadopted a development plan (ms-a consulng rm)for this large 45 ha site, aer the owner, ProjectT&T SA, submied a permit applicaon for thedevelopment of a sustainable city neighbourhoodmixed project. This project provides for theconstrucon of 1000 to 2000 housing units, shops,oces, services, and public facilies, all developedaround three main themes : a revitalised heritage,sustainable communies and water. The projectsenvisaged involve 600 to 700 million euros.

Major urban sustainability issues

Tour & Taxis is a strategic site for Brussels andsustainability issues are numerous there, as it is

surrounded by densely built moderate-income

neighbourhoods. The Region wants to provide thesurrounding neighbourhoods with a large urbanpublic park of over 10 ha accessible to the residents.There is at present an extreme lack of parks, and it

could be connected to the adjacent park runningalongside the Line 28 railway line.In its Guide to sustainable neighbourhoods, the

Region envisages the development of these newneighbourhoods on the basis of service exchanges

with the exisng adjacent neighbourhoods, notably

with the nearby operaon at Tivoli.

The master plan provides for funconal diversity,with 40% of the funcons being allocated tohousing, 40 % to economic acvies and 20 % tourban facilies.

To reduce the risk of gheoisaon, housingplanning must ensure socioeconomic diversity, witha distribuon of public, regulated and unregulatedhousing. The master plan provides for a minimum

of 20 % low-cost housing and a minimum of 30 %moderate-income housing. It thus contributes to

the objecve set by the Region to reach 15 % publichousing by 2020.

Finally, at present, the public transport mobility

oering is inadequate and there is a high risk of toomuch reliance on the car, which would put excessivepressure on the neighbourhoods. The new neigh-bourhood should be linked to the northern quarterof Brussels by one or two new tram and bus lines

that will use a new bridge over the canal reservedfor acve modes of transport (public transport,bicycle, pedestrians).

Brussels Environment establishes its

headquarters at Tour & Taxis

With 16,250 m in oce space and an atrium,this will be the largest passive oce projectin Europe, and even in the world. The futureadministrave headquarters is developing aconcept inspired by the box in a box principle.While keeping a simple and compact volume,the architects of CEPEZED have split the oors

of oces down the middle, creang a longaring ri into which the natural light comingfrom a large south-oriented glazed roof pours

abundantly.

The Region wants to provide the surroundingneighbourhoods with a large public park ofover 10 ha, accessible to the residents.

Tour & Taxis : a major sitein the centre of the city

Linking the North Sea to the south of the country,the Canal in Brussels makes you feel a bit as if youare on the coast. It i s also a major economic centre,

as 350 SMEs use it for the transit of over 53% of themerchandise transported to Brussels. The Tour &Taxis Site is spread over 45 ha. Aer the departureof the customs operaons, it was the subject of anumber of reallocaon projects. Its area and itslocaon in the city centre and on the edge of the

Canal make it an aracve urban centre.The renovaon of the Entrept Royal and the Shedshas been widely adopted by Brussels residents.Numerous cultural events there welcome morethan 700,000 visitors per year.

Green space projects are an essenal aspect oin developingthe image of the neighbourhood. A 10 ha public park, areal backbone running from the north to the south of thesite, will constute the space around which all acvies will

be centred. This will be the largest urban park created inBrussels since the 19th century!

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To be exemplary on both the regional and European scale,

Brussels aims to enhance its experse and its internaonalreputaon for sustainable urban pracces.

g p

Europe and the Urbain Loi project

The passive standard ancipates

European regulaons

The Members of the European Parliament

have already declared themselves in favour of

minimum prescripons for performance for new

and renovated buildings. They have requested

the Commission to propose a binding provision

according to which all new buildings requiring

a heang and/or cooling system should observe

the passive housing standards or the equivalent

standards for non-residenal buildings starng

from 2011 [2].

In the framework of the revision of the Direcveon the energy performance of buildings, the

Parliament also declared itself in favour of buildings

in which the net energy consumpon is zero. Inparcular, the Member States must ensure that by31 December 2018 at the latest, all new buildings

are buildings in which the net energy consumpon

is at least zero [3].

The Zero Carbon Project at Urbain Loi is thus also

a laboratory for the future development of the

Brussels regulatory framework.

A project to develop

the European Quarter

The European Commission and Parliament

advocate demanding environmental measures. The

Parliament has requested that public authories

be exemplary, notably in terms of the energyperformance of buildings and urban developments.

For new buildings, the European Union is in factproposing stricter energy requirements starngfrom 2020, when almost zero energy will be thestandard [1].

The master plan

and the Urbain Loi project

The master plan adopted in April 2008 aims

to make the European Quarter an exemplary

eco-neighbourhood. The ambion is signicant for

brussels - from buildings to sust

Documents