demonstration projects

Low energy apartment blocks

The Flemish cities Antwerp and Ghent organize several demonstration projects for deep renovation towards low energy apartment blocks. Antwerp is focused on renovating 45 large apartment blocks (+/- 75 housing units) to low energy buildings (E90-E120, preferably E60-E90), while Ghent aims for the renovation of 50-100 small apartment blocks (+/- 12 housing units) to 70 kWh/m² (preferably 30kWh/m²). The goal is to compare the two approaches and their tools to learn from each other and improve the used methods and tools of the future.  

Antwerp

Large apartment blocks

More than 60% of the buildings in Antwerp are apartment blocks. Renovating large apartment blocks is a complex technical challenge due to the large number of co-owners. Several steps have to be followed to achieve the retrofits: information collection on state of the art, engagement of stakeholder groups, co-creation of renovation strategy, selection of pilot project, implementation of pilot, upscaling of implementation to achieve 45 renovations, and publication of guidelines.


Ghent

Small apartment blocks

In Ghent the apartments are smaller than in Antwerp and necessitate a different approach. In Ghent, there is high individual ownership of apartments. This fragmentation adds significant complexity to the challenge. At least 50 apartments (600 units) must be retrofitted, but the desired goal is 100 (1200 units). Every year for five years at least 10 renovations must be finished.  

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