Galivel & Associés

Brussels (8000 hectares of green space) is the world capital of sustainable construction, with over a million m² of passive building projects, including 400,000 m² of buildings bearing the high energy and environmental performance label, or almost 130 BREEAM and LEED certifications, and 620,000 m² of “Exemplary buildings” (243 projects from 6 tenders ¹).

Not only does the Brussels region work for itself; it also exports its sustainable construction expertise. The practical experience that exists in Brussels is particularly sought after, as is the exemplary cooperation between the public authorities and the private sector.

These proven results are the fruit of an ecosystem created 15 years ago by the regional authorities, with the introduction of the first strict building energy performance norms in the early 2000s, followed by the creation of the ecobuild.brussels cluster, bringing together numerous professionals from these industries, and finally a new regulations in 2015, which are among the most ambitious in the world.

The European Commission, which has its headquarters in Brussels, imposed strict demands in terms of building performance, providing additional motivation to spearhead progress and even exceed European recommendations.

Collaboration between the public and private sectors has been essential to this process. Financial support is provided to enable businesses in the sector comply with the new rules. In 2018, the Belgian state raised 4.5 billion euros to fund the transition to a sustainable economy. This is the second largest sum raised for green commitments on a global scale.

Invest in green offices or housing

The great diversity of Brussels is an opportunity for investors. The constantly evolving nature of the city makes it necessary to design “functionally neutral” buildings, capable of changing purpose at any point in their lifecycle, thus contributing to building sustainability. Brussels has a large number of “retrofitted”² buildings, likely to require redevelopment. This represents an added value for investors, because the purchaser becomes owner of a building that is not only sustainable, but also capable of easily adapting to shifting market needs, suitable for either professional or residential tenants.

¹ More information: http://beexemplary.brussels/