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The Belgian Green Building Council (BGBC) has been officially launched as a platform to improve and accelerate sustainability in the Belgian real estate sector. From now on, the biggest players in the Belgian real estate landscape will unite when it comes to sustainability. This will allow them to speak with one decisive voice and truly address the enormous challenges facing the sector. Ingenium is proud to step into this initiative as a founding partner!
Broad industry support
For now, the Belgian Green Building Council (BGBC) consists of about 30 companies and aims to improve and accelerate the sustainability transition.
This new platform aims to bring together all actors in the real estate sector to promote sustainability. With members from the broad sector - from architects and developers to banks and construction companies - the brand new organization aims to be a catalyst for knowledge sharing and harmonization of sustainability standards and for policy makers.
Ingenium is proud to step into this initiative as a founding partner, alongside several other leading players.
The other partners are Heylen Warehouses, Alides, BPI Real Estate, Bopro, CBRE, Atenor, Cordeel Group, AG Real Estate and Montea,B2Ai, Banimmo, Beerens, Besix, Ceusters, Deloitte Legal, Embuild, Febelfin, Helexia, Heylen warehouses, Immobel, ING, Interalu, Kolmont, Stadim, Tarkett, Triple Living, UPSI BVS, U2P Group, Willy Naessens.
One voice for sustainability
BGBC wants the sector to speak with one voice and establish clear guidelines to enable sustainable transformation. According to president Isabelle De Bruyne, there is an urgent need for a common framework and simplified regulations.
Isabelle De Bruyne: "The real estate sector needs clear definitions and less administrative burden to make real progress."
Sustainable standards and less regulation
Within 1.5 years, BGBC wants to make concrete agreements on common sustainability standards. Vice President Wim Heylen emphasizes the importance of an unambiguous definition of circular construction, such as the reuse of buildings. At the same time, the organization denounces the complex Belgian legislation and red tape that hinders sustainable innovation.
Aging housing heritage and urgent action
With a housing heritage whose average age is over 50 years, Belgium lags behind Europe. According to BGBC, renovation rates need to increase and methodologies for sustainability acts need to be harmonized.
Emilie Delacroix: "Today, real estate companies and governments use different methodologies to calculate energy intensity, for example, or to define 'net zero' targets. This leads to confusion and hinders progress. We want everyone within the real estate sector to calculate and report in the same way. We all need to speak the same language."
To support its mission, BGBC will have a prominent presence at MIPIM, the international real estate fair in Cannes, to put Belgium on the map as a leader in sustainable real estate.
BGBC is a brand new organization, founded by more than 30 visionary partners, with a clear mission: To empower the Belgian real estate sector in their sustainable transformation. As an innovative organization, they build bridges between industry experts, real estate communities, academic and financial sectors and policy makers. Together, they aim to develop solutions and guidelines that realize both an ecological and social impact.
The GRO, the sustainability meter for buildings developed by the Flemish government, recently received an update, with an additional section on smart buildings and technologies.
