Demonstration projects

Discover all the demonstration projects in the cities of Ghent, Antwerp, Mechelen and La Louvière
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Gathering best practices through actual practice

Which types of demonstration projects?

Collective renovations
Insulation
Vulnerable families
Energy production & investments
Apartment  blocks

Collective renovation projects
in Antwerp & Mechelen

  • collective renovation

Apartments renovation: small & large blocks
In Antwerp & Gent

  • Collective renovation
  • Apartment blocks

Collective renovation through solar panels
in Mechelen & Ghent

  • collective renovation
  • Energy production & investment
  • Vulnerable families
  • Insulation

Shallow geothermal energy project in a city context
in Ghent

  • energy production & investments

Sustainable neighborhoods
In Ghent

  • Collective renovation

Collective renovation projects
in  Ghent

  • collective renovation
  • Insulation
  • Vulnerable families

Budget-neutral retrofitting for vulnerable families
in Antwerp & Mechelen

  • Vulnerable families
  • Insulation

Third party investments for energy renovation
In La Louvière

  • Energy production & investments

Investements for vulnerable groups
in Antwerp

  • Energy production & investments
  • Insulation
  • Vulnerable families

Quality of life through insulation & energy saving
in Mouscron

  • Energy production & investments
  • Insulation

Complementary projects

There are also several projects and initiatives that are not covered by BE REEL! but are complementary to these demonstration projects. 

Project FALCO

The project Financing Ambitious Local Climate Objectives or FALCO addressed the lack of a comprehensive funding solution to realize the ambitious local climate action plans, by developing a financing solution for these plans for over 180 Flemish signatories to the Covenant of Mayors. The project ended in 2021. Both Antwerp and Ghent were partners. The financing solutions FALCO development can be used in the BE REEL! demonstration projects as best practices.

Project See2Do

The project See2Do’s objective was to encourage individuals and local governments to do energy efficient renovations by emphasizing the energy loss of their building(s) and giving solutions to save energy. The BE REEL! partner Mechelen was a partner of See2Do. In See2Do they started organizing home visits for the first time and conducted thermographic, aerial photos of the town. This is important to the BE REEL! demonstration actions in Mechelen.

ERDF Sustainable Urban Development in Ghent

The European Regional Development Fund funds sustainable urban development projects. In 2016 a call for proposals opened and two projects in Ghent were approved. The two projects are churches and by 2020 both projects had finished.


Buy and renovate homes in deprived neighbourhoods

This project by AG Vespa in Antwerp aims to boost deprived neighbourhoods by renovating homes to a high standard and reselling them. This has a direct impact on the renovation rate in Antwerp and contributes to the BE REEL! objectives by being a frontrunner. Unfortunately, this project has been faced with a lack of funding lately which has slowed it down considerably.  

Triple A project

The Triple A project unites 7 local authorities pioneering in renovation policies to achieve a real market acceleration in the adoption of low carbon technologies by homeowners in single family housing. It wants to increase awareness of low carbon technologies and simultaneously secure easy access to technologies that fit individuals needs and resources, resulting in increased adoption. The project finished in 2021 and the final output is available on the website: www.triple-a-interreg.eu. Two BE REEL! partners (Antwerp and Mechelen) were involved in the project which allowed them to indirectly contribute more and better to the BE REEL! objectives via the Triple A findings. For example, thanks to Triple A in Mechelen citizens can now find their way to advisors more easily and in Antwerp the Triple A findings were integrated within the BE REEL! demonstration actions as benchmarks.   


H2020 project Planheat Antwerp

The main objective was to develop and demonstrate an integrated and easy-to-use tool which will support local authorities in selecting, simulating and comparing alternative low carbon and economically sustainable scenarios for heating and cooling that will include the integration of alternative supply solutions that could balance the forecasted demand. The project has ended. The tool was used to define Antwerp’s heat strategy for 2030 which had an impact on their BE REEL! demonstration actions. It can also be used on an individual level in renovation advice to citizens.


Project Saneringscontract

With this project Antwerp aims to improve the quality of housing in vulnerable neighbourhoods that are willing to invest in their property. They receive free technical and administrative advice and coaching. Antwerp finances 50% of the renovation cost when the owner is willing to rent the home to a social renting company at specified conditions for at least nine years. This project has ended. It significantly aided some of BE REEL!’s objectives in Antwerp as it was a large financial incentive. However, when it ended, it became a lot harder for Antwerp to achieve its objectives to reduce energy poverty and increase the renovation rate for vulnerable groups. For that reason, Antwerp decided to create a new grant specifically for multi-owned apartment blocks with a focus on energy efficient renovations and quality of the building.