E-book Smart & Sustainable Living: Towards a future-proof living environment

INSIGHTS, INSPIRATION AND TIPS FOR YOUR CONFERENCE ON SMART & SUSTAINABLE LIVING.

TOWARDS

A FUTURE-PROOF LIVING ENVIRONMENT

WHY FLANDERS IS LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR CONFERENCE ON SMART & SUSTAINABLE LIVING.

Humanity is facing important challenges to future-proof our living environment. Population is getting older and becoming more heterogeneous and multicultural. Available space is becoming scarce, and the boundaries between individual, communal and public spaces are blurring.

How can we guarantee qualitative housing and living? Make smart and sustainable living affordable for everyone? Develop the limited space as sustainable as possible?

BY EVELYNE BARDYN Head of Convention Bureau VISITFLANDERS Convention Bureau

You can read all about it in this e-book, gladly offered to you by VISITFLANDERS Convention Bureau. Experts from Flanders will tell you how they are tackling these challenges. They share with you their inspiring insights, groundbreaking solutions and eye opening views on the future.

These experts do more than share their vision. They also support your conference in Flanders.

This brochure introduces you to the northern region of Belgium, a hotspot for smart & sustainable living – and therefore an ideal location for your conference in this field. Choosing Flanders guarantees a successful event. What’s more, you’re making life easy for yourself. Because the VISITFLANDERS Convention Bureau offers you free support, as you can read on page 30.

On behalf of all our experts, I wish you happy reading and welcome you, your conference and your delegates to Flanders.

Evelyne Bardyn Head of Convention Bureau

“BY BUILDING THE RIGHT LIVING 4 ENVIRONMENT, WE CAN SOLVE A LOT OF PROBLEMS”

“IN REGENERATIVE DESIGN,

NATURE IS THE STARTING POINT”

CITIZENS ARE ALSO PLAYING 8 A LEADING ROLE

WHICH APPROACH TO SOCIAL 9 HOUSING IS MORE SUCCESFUL?

“AS A DEVELOPER, YOU CAN 12 REALISE A BIG POSITIVE IMPACT”

“RENOVATION MUST BE DONE 3X 13 FASTER THAN IT IS DONE TODAY”

SCIENTIFIC SUPPORT 14 FOR THE BUILDING INDUSTRY SUSTAINABLE LIVING AND PUBLIC 15 HEALTH: A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP

“WHAT CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES 18 ARE DOING IS VERY RELEVANT TO SOCIETY”

HOW PUBLIC POLICY IS BASED 23 ON SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH THE VITAL CONTRIBUTION

OF THE LANDSCAPE

5 CRUCIAL TRANSITIONS

FOR THE CITY OF TOMORROW THE NECESSITY OF

CITIZEN PARTICIPATION

MANY PROBLEMS FIRST EMERGE 32 IN THE CITY. SO DO THE SOLUTIONS

“TECHNOLOGY SHOULD 34 NOT DOMINATE, BUT INSPIRE”

ERIK WIEËRS Vlaams Bouwmeester

In Flanders, architecture policy is designed by the Vlaamse Bouwmeester (“Flemish Government Architect”). His mission is to promote the architectural quality of the built environment. He also contributes to vision formation and reflection on architectural quality, quality design and building in today’s society.

The Flemish Government Architect is as such well placed to give his opinion on making our living environment future-proof. Which challenges are awaiting us, and what opportunities should we grasp? According to Erik Wieërs, Flemish Government Architect since 17 June 2020, it is not an impossible task. But governments must seize the opportunities that arise. Take, for example, the electrification of the vehicle fleet, which is on the rise worldwide. Erik Wieërs:

“In fact, the electrification of the vehicle fleet is not really being considered in spatial terms. But this could be exactly the necessary boost to get carsharing started. The government wants to install 100,000 charging stations. Instead of giving everyone their own charging station, we can group them outside the residential area and create a meeting spot. We still do not realise how big the pressure of the car is on our living environment. If we eliminate parking spaces, we will have an enormous amount of space to live and play. In streets that are made car-free, encounters between residents double. The government should reduce rather than stimulate car use, including electric cars. Electrifying the car fleet will not solve the environmental problem. Electric cars also get stuck in traffic jams. And not all electricity is produced green.”

“BY BUILDING THE RIGHT LIVING ENVIRONMENT, WE CAN SOLVE A LOT OF PROBLEMS”

INTERVIEW WITH ERIK WIEËRS, VLAAMS BOUWMEESTER

PROBLEMS COME TOGETHER SPATIALLY

Wieërs is a strong advocate of more collective living and the creation of collective spaces, where people have the opportunity to meet. Numerous contemporary challenges can be solved this way, according to the Vlaamse Bouwmeester.

“Water management and drought, softening and greening, mobility and affordable housing, loneliness and aging – all these problems come together spatially. By building the right living environment, you can solve many of these problems. There is little reflex to deal with the theme spatially. Every municipality should have a spatial strategy to deal with these challenges, but it is not often enough on the agenda.

There is a need for more spatial direction. Local governments lack the know-how and the tools to tackle the challenges of smart & sustainable living. I call for a shift from “rules” to “guidelines”. Despite all the existing regulations, we are not succeeding in reducing

the economic pressure on our living environment. Rather, the municipalities should be supported by specialists, who help think about a future plan for the environment.”

a windmill or install a heat network. For example, you can set up a cooperative in which everyone exchanges land for a share. This way, you create numerous levers to make the transition possible, such as building a pond to collect rainwater.

CREATE COLLECTIVE SPACE

The Flemish Government Architect therefore pleads for a spatial approach to contemporary issues, such as global warming. A major obstacle on the road to a definitive solution is the private ownership of a home. Erik Wieërs:

“Private ownership of a home is the worst possible situation for tackling the transition. We cannot solve today’s climate challenges individually. It is much more sensible for an entire neighbourhood to install

The collective space that is created also provides gains on a social level. We meet each other more often and neighbourhoods are created in which we live. For example, residents of an apartment building could build a roof terrace with greenery and a barbecue. This way, they get to know their fellow residents and a new dynamic arises.

These initiatives often come from within society itself, and the younger generations are more open to them. Take my sister’s children, for example. They don’t want to buy their own apartment with their partner, but want to live together with friends in one house. Finding affordable housing becomes no longer an individual problem, but a collective opportunity.”

We cannot solve today’s climate challenges individually.

“IN REGENERATIVE DESIGN, NATURE IS THE STARTING POINT”

That is why VIBE, the Flemish Institute for Bio-ecological Building and Housing, is trying to put regenerative design and construction on the map. Laurens Marysse, communications manager at VIBE, explains:

LAURENS MARYSSE VIBE

The construction industry has a huge impact on our natural environment. The sector is responsible for a large proportion of the CO2 emissions. The industry therefore faces many challenges in the years to come.

“In regenerative design, nature is the starting point. This way, we challenge the construction sector to push its boundaries. We develop innovative projects in collaboration with partners, for example around water purification with plants, insulation with grass and hemplime and a regenerative business center.”

One example of these innovative projects is SAM. This “Smart Adaptable

Module” was developed by Bao Living, a partner of VIBE. This flexible, modular furniture solution includes heating, electricity, water, ventilation, kitchen and bathroom. SAM is recyclable, generates lower CO2 emissions and provides 10% additional living space.

Scan the QR code to watch the video about SAM.

CITIZENS ARE ALSO PLAYING A LEADING ROLE

JURGEN NAETS

Bond Beter Leefmilieu

Citizens can also contribute to the transition to Smart & Sustainable Living. By organizing themselves into interest groups such as Bond Beter Leefmilieu (“Union for Better Environment”), they weigh more heavily on policy. According to Jurgen Naets, staffer for project operations and project manager for energy, the BBL strives for a region where everybody lives well and healthy, without negative impact on nature, the environment and the climate.

“How we live and build has a major impact on our living environment. That is why Bond Beter Leefmilieu develops initiatives such as the platform ecobouwers.be, aimed at everyone who wants to build a qualitative house for the future. People can find inspiration and information to realize their sustainable project. We also organise the Ecobouwers Open Door Days. People with building plans can take a look at people who have already built sustainably.

But we do not only help citizens. We also put local entrepreneurs and governments on the road to a sustainable future. With the platform “Municipality for the Future” 23 Flemish environmental organizations join forces to help local governments that want to work on a sustainable environment. We offer them more than 120 projects that can be directly realised: from neighbourhood renovations to more green space, and from the rollout of car sharing to food strategies. This way, municipalities and local governments can realize their climate ambitions.”

WHICH APPROACH TO SOCIAL HOUSING IS MORE SUCCESFUL?

In the pursuit of a livable environment, combined forces are needed. Government and researchers work together within Steunpunt Wonen, a partnership of research groups from three universities: KU Leuven, Universiteit Antwerpen and Vrije Universiteit Brussel.

The researchers of Steunpunt Wonen collect and analyze data and evaluate policy instruments, making the link with poverty policy, spatial policy, energy transition, welfare and health. They regularly present their findings to the public, in the Flemish Parliament, in the media and at international conferences.

Sien Winters is one of these researchers. She spoke at the European Network for Housing Researchers Conference in Athens on the approach to social housing in Flanders.

This social housing is offered by two types of organizations. Social Housing Associations (SHAs) build and buy houses. Social Rental Agencies (SRAs) rent houses on the private market.

Which of these is most successful in providing affordable and quality housing to households in need? Read the answer in this article by scanning the QR-code:

SIEN WINTERS

Steunpunt Wonen

A CONFERENCE IN SMART & SUSTAINABLE LIVING REQUIRES A VENUE WITH SMART & SUSTAINABLE GASTRONOMY

“How was the food?” – is one of the most frequently asked questions to any delegate returning home. It’s no different for the visitors to your conference on smart & sustainable living.

Flanders is a smart choice for gastronomy. Your delegates will be pampered by talented and passionate chefs, who feel very strongly about sustainability. They apply a zero-waste philosophy, using innovative methods such as nose-to-tail cooking. With local products, fresh seasonal vegetables and fish caught in a responsible way they present you classic dishes with a contemporary twist.

Chef-kok Dennis Broeckx replaces sumptuous fillets or tenderloins with less obvious cuts of meat, to make use of the whole animal and not just the most desired parts.

Via the North Sea Chefs initiative, established chefs encourage other chefs, hobby cooks and consumers to explore lesser-known fish, caught by local fishermen in a responsible way.

Normally, 30% of the endive crop – a top local product from Flanders – goes to waste. Flemish growers developed a creative way of processing the outer leaves of the endive harvest into croquettes.

Climate-neutral ambitions can be perfectly combined with a solid business model. This is proven by Re-Vive, a sustainable project developer committed to innovation in the sector.

The impact of the built environment and public domain on nature and society is immense, says founder and executive chairman Nicolas Bearelle. As a developer, you can realise a big positive impact.

“Investing in quality and energy-efficient buildings is not an additional cost, but part of our business model. It provides a return for both the developer and our customers. They enjoy lower energy bills and higher value appreciation versus lower quality buildings. The recent rapid rise in energy costs, supports this model.

Re-Vive also invests in quality outdoor spaces, biodiversity, water recycling and better mobility solutions. This also provides higher value, both today and in the future.”

“AS A DEVELOPER, YOU CAN REALISE A BIG POSITIVE IMPACT.”

NICOLAS BEARELLE Re-Vive

The world faces a major challenge in terms of its built infrastructure. The goal is to drastically reduce the use of fossil energy by 2050. That will require a threefold acceleration of the current renovation or rebuilding pace, warns Marlies van Holm, Program Manager Smart Energy & Built Environment at Energyville.

“This should include a focus on well-insulated building, renewable energy sources, circular solutions and low material footprint. The electrification of heating and the use of heat networks are also important components. In the future, we will use energy more intelligently at times when it is available, engage in energy-sharing, and rely on collective generation and storage.”

Energyville is a unique partnership that focuses on energy research. Partners are VITO (a leading Flemish research institute with a focus on cleantech challenges in materials research, water and land use, among others), KU Leuven, Universiteit Hasselt and imec. The Smart Energy & Built Environment Unit focuses on making the entire energy system more sustainable, including the industry and building sectors.

The goal is to provide households and building owners with tailored energy advice and digital solutions. Research is also being done in the field of energy sharing and demand-response (using energy when it is available). Smart solutions are thus developed at the intersection of energy, digital innovation and as-a-service business models.

MARLIES VAN HOLM Energyville

“RENOVATION MUST BE DONE 3x FASTER THAN IT IS DONE TODAY”

SCIENTIFIC SUPPORT FOR THE BUILDING INDUSTRY

People spend about 90% of their lives indoors. It is therefore logical that buildings play a central role in the transition to more sustainable housing & living.

In the development of more sustainable buildings, the construction sector in Flanders receives support from the Wetenschappelijk en Technisch Centrum voor het Bouwbedrijf (WTCB) (“Scientific and Technical Center for the Construction Industry”). Project leader Ruben Delvaye explains:

“Through research, WTCB provides answers to issues that construction companies are struggling with. The goal is to contribute to the transition of the construction sector to greater sustainability and a greener, more circular economy through the implementation

of new concepts and building techniques.”

The challenges that the WTCB aims to address in this regard are defined in the plan ‘Ambitions 2025’ They include:

• constructing more circularly

• more re-use and recycling of building materials

• choosing low-impact materials, components and structures

• rolling out smart, sustainable and circular water management

• accelerating the renovation of existing buildings

• focus on future-oriented energy solutions

• developing new construction methods and techniques for a changing climate

• tapping into new markets and partnerships

These are ambitious goals. Yet Ruben Delvaeye is hopeful.

“We have specific solutions for each challenge that we are trying to realise together with the construction companies and the rest of the building sector.”

RUBEN DELVAYE Wetenschappelijk en Technisch Centrum voor het Bouwbedrijf (WTCB)

SUSTAINABLE LIVING AND PUBLIC HEALTH: A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP

KAREN VAN CAMPENHOUT

Flemish Human Biomonitoring Program

A sustainable living environment and health are closely related. Flanders is developing a unique initiative in this area, with which the region is a pioneer at European level: the Flemish Human Biomonitoring Program (VHBP). Program leader is dr. ir. Karen Van Campenhout of the Vlaams Planbureau voor Omgeving (“Flemish Planning Bureau for Environment”).

“The VHBP measures with a representative group of Flemish people which substances are present in their bodies under the influence of the environment. The government uses this research to take the necessary policy measures.

In the coming period, the VHBP also wants to carry out exposome research. In doing so, we measure the impact of spatial influences and noise on well-being. Our chemists, biologists, medics and bio-

medics will be accompanied by sociologists for this.”

Van Campenhout believes it is important that the results of her research are useful not only for the government, but also for society as a whole. Therefore, it is crucial that socioeconomically weaker groups are also represented in all samples. Moreover, the knowledge gained is shared with the public so people can change their behaviour.

For example, the VHBP developed a web tool that supports citizens to garden more healthily. People with green thumbs can enter soil analyses in that web tool, where they receive personalized advice for growing vegetables. Thanks to such initiatives, the levels of substances such as dioxins, heavy metals, pesticides and chlorinated compounds in humans are systematically decreasing.

Flanders has nine “iconic cycling routes”. These themed routes lead you along the region’s most beautiful assets.

DISCOVER FLANDERS IN AN APPROPRIATE WAY: SMART & SUSTAINABLE

A conference on sustainable living also calls for a sustainable social program. In Flanders there are 1001 ways of doing this, and cycling is one of the most enjoyable.

So, don’t hesitate to put a bicycle tour on the programme of activities for your delegates. Not only will you be treating them to a blissfully relaxing experience, you’ll also be creating a link to your conference theme in smart & sustainable living.

In Limburg, your delegates will take an unforgettable cycling tour. They will literally cycle through water. TIME Magazine labelled this route as “one of the world’s 100 greatest places”.

INTERVIEW WITH MARC DILLEN, DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE VLAAMSE CONFEDERATIE BOUW

In the transformation to smart and sustainable living, an important task rests on the shoulders of the construction industry. These companies will build or renovate our homes in a future-proof manner.

MARC DILLEN

Vlaamse Confederatie Bouw

The construction sector is aware of this social responsibility, says Marc Dillen, Director General of the Vlaamse Confederatie Bouw. This “Flemish Construction Confederation” defends the interests of more than 10,000 member construction companies.

In his interview, Marc Dillen explains how the confederation of construction companies assists its members in tackling this crucial task. All these companies are part of the social fabric, and the confederation is very aware of that, says the Director General.

“The social context is at the heart of how we operate. After all, what construction companies do is particularly relevant to society. We contribute to living, working and mobility. Our mission is to ensure that the urban countryside is liveable and comfortable.

Construction companies also play an important role in the energy transition. Interaction with other sectors is increasing, and the environment in which we operate is becoming wider. That is why the Confederation organised its thirteenth energy congress on June 9, precisely about the energy transition. Heat pumps, fossilfree buildings and fossil-free construction sites - it was all on the agenda.”

“WHAT CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES ARE DOING IS VERY RELEVANT TO SOCIETY.”

FOSSIL-FREE IN ONE GENERATION

“Within the Flemish Construction Confederation there is also a task force that deals with greenspace. Think of green roofs, green facades, green spaces, private greenery and public landscaping. In this sense we are also doing our part to protect the climate. Each new construction project must be extremely energy efficient and equipped with renewable energy. Within the lifecycle of a building project, we ensure that CO2 emissions are as low as possible. In doing so, we also take into account the materials we use. We make material choices that minimise the ecological footprint. In other words, we are in the middle of an

exciting transition period, in which the construction sector is participating as actively as possible.”

At the thirteenth energy congress, the Vlaamse Confederatie Bouw came up with a rock-solid promise. In barely one generation’s time, fossil-free living must become possible. How can this ambition be realised? Marc Dillen:

“Europe wanted all new constructions to be virtually energy-neutral by 2020. The construction sector has met that target with flying colours.

We still have eight years to achieve ‘Fit for 55’ - the targets for 2030. We are confident that we will succeed.

The construction industry is a technology integrator par excellence. Our companies have to integrate more and more technologies to achieve an optimal solution. It is not enough to simply install a heat pump or insulate the roof. These techniques must also be optimally integrated with each other. This integration is becoming an increasingly complex challenge.

At the same time, everything has to become more userfriendly and less expensive. It sounds like a paradox, but the sector is succeeding. Just look at today’s energy bills. If you don’t align technologies,

It is not enough to simply install a heat pump or insulate the roof.

people will pay dearly. So as a construction sector, we have a key position. Our mission is to find the optimal solution for the consumer. What is the best place for a charging station in new homes? How can geothermal energy be applied to optimally heat and cool apartments? 60% of new homes already operate without heating oil or gas, and for apartments that figure is even higher. So the transition to fossil-free projects is happening at a rapid pace. This is not always an easy period for the construction industry, but it is challenging and exciting.”

EVERYONE

SUSTAINABLE

In the evolution towards smart and sustainable living, construction companies play a key role. Can the sector bring this sustainable form of living within reach of everyone? In other words: also for people who lack the financial means?

“We can’t work magic, building costs money. However, as a sector we can ensure that the building cost of the construction is as low as possible and meanwhile the energy cost for its use also remains minimal. Someone who builds a new house now will have a very low energy bill. In addition, we can also try to adjust the regulations. That should make it possible to exchange energy locally. This way, shortages and surpluses can be exchanged within one’s own local community.

The biggest barriers are tenants who cannot make the transition to ownership. The problem here is the conflicting interests of the tenant and the landlord. The landlord is not particularly interested in making the house energy efficient, because the tenant pays the energy bill anyway. How can we persuade the landlord to make the house energy efficient anyway? This can be done, for example, with rent subsidies for less wealthy tenants, linked to an energyefficient home. This way you help the tenant while the landlord is encouraged to only rent if the house is sufficiently energy efficient.”

Marc Dillen said it before: the construction industry is a technology integrator. Construction companies apply and coordinate technologies. That’s why the Director General advocates more support for process innovation rather than product innovation.

“How can we better integrate the existing technologies within our complex buildings to make them work more efficiently? That is the question we are asking ourselves as a building sector. To reduce energy bills, technologies have to be optimally integrated. In order to achieve maximum yield, solar panels need software and systems that make adjustments every fifteen minutes. This is the only way to optimize daily consumption. Integrating all these systems is the key to smart and sustainable living in the future. It is precisely for this process innovation that more funding is needed.”

More funding is needed for process innovation.

CREATE A LEGACY WITH YOUR CONFERENCE ON SMART AND SUSTAINABLE LIVING

GEMMEKE DE JONGH

Expert

Future-proofing the way we live. That is what smart and sustainable living is all about. The sector is therefore ideally suited to creating legacy. This means that your work as a researcher, entrepreneur or public policy officer has a positive long-term impact on society.

Your association can also create such a positive impact on society, with the conference you organize on smart and sustainable living. To discover this legacy of your conference, VISITFLANDERS Convention Bureau offers a unique service. In close cooperation with your association, we go through 4 phases, capturing your legacy step by step:

PHASE 1: STRATEGIC PLAN

What sustainable impact do you want to achieve with your conference?

PHASE 2: ENGAGE PARTNERS

Which parties in government, education, business and residents can help support your conference and your legacy?

PHASE 3: COMMUNICATION

How do we tell the story of your conference and the impact you want to create?

PHASE 4: MEASURING IMPACT

What parameters demonstrate that your congress is achieving its sustainable goals?

for

to your association or

De Jongh for more

HOW PUBLIC POLICY IS BASED ON SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

HELMER ROOZE Agentschap Wonen-Vlaanderen

A key player in the transition to Smart & Sustainable Living is the government. In Flanders, the Agentschap Wonen-Vlaanderen (Flemish Housing Agency) ensures through numerous measures that the most vulnerable groups in society have access to affordable and qualitative housing.

Administrator-General Helmer Rooze explains:

“Agentschap Wonen-Vlaanderen makes available 160,000 social housing units, on top of which comes the supply of social rental offices. Vulnerable tenants receive rent premiums, and via social loans, families without sufficient financial resources get an advantageous loan to purchase or renovate a home.”

That policy doesn’t come out of the blue. It is based on academic research, Rooze says.

“Our agency follows the housing market closely by outsourcing academic research to the Steunpunt Wonen, a consortium of research groups from three universities: KU Leuven, Universiteit Antwerpen and the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. The Flemish government and the Agentschap WonenVlaanderen use the results of that research in their policies. We also listen to the actors in the field of housing. This way we capture social trends and improve matters in proactive consultation with all stakeholders.”

THE VITAL CONTRIBUTION OF THE LANDSCAPE

“Smart & Sustainable Living” goes beyond buildings and housing units. The landscape also plays a role in future-proofing our living environment. This is the domain of Atelier Romain, a team of urban planners, landscape architects, geographers and architects who specialise in complex spatial research and design issues for built and open space.

How can landscape design contribute to creating a smart, sustainable and more liveable living environment? Brecht Vandekerckhove of Atelier Romain provides the answer:

“We all need to live closer together. This call for core strengthening, combined with current and urgent challenges that require an integrated solution – such as climate change, spatial mobility transition and demographic evolutions – make that villages and cities are faced with a major transition challenge.”

BEAUTY IS IMPORTANT TOO

“Densification and core strengthening go hand in hand with the development of qualitative open and green space. Therefore we must work on a future-proof story that ensures a win-win between landscape and people, nature and culture. After all, highquality urban landscapes and open space landscapes are an asset to every resident and user.

Starting from the small aesthetic – which gives form and meaning to a place – to the physical system – which is the bearer of a working landscape – Atelier Romain detects building blocks that we take into account in policy, research and design.

BRECHT VANDEKERCKHOVE

Atelier Romain

It is not only the functioning of the landscape that is important. Its beauty is also essential for our daily wellbeing and peace of mind. It is therefore a logical step to integrate landscape design into every design and research task, working towards futureproof and healthy living environments.”

You notice it in this e-book: in the evolution towards smart and sustainable living, building plays a key role. Ever since the early Middle Ages, Flanders has been a region where architecture and art flourished. This resulted in an impressive heritage – and consequently in a fascinating social program for your delegates.

Take the guests of your conference on a trip to our museums, and admire the works of innovative artists such as Rubens, Van Eyck and Bruegel. Be amazed by the groundbreaking architectural highlights in our cities. Your association has a wealth of choices, with guaranteed impact on your guests. VISITFLANDERS Convention Bureau and its partners are happy to help you put together an unforgettable programme.

SUSTAINABLE LIVING IS ABOUT BUILDING. BUILDING IS ABOUT ARCHITECTURE. ARCHITECTURE IS ABOUT ART.

5 CRUCIAL TRANSITIONS FOR THE CITY OF TOMORROW

STIJN VAN WOLPUTTE Agentschap Binnenlands Bestuur

Smart and sustainable living is a spearhead of European urban policy. An important reference point in this regard is the New Leipzig Charter published in 2020. This charter mentions social justice, climate resilience and a resilient economy as the crucial review frameworks for the urban development of the future.

The Team Stedenbeleid (“Urban Policy”) of the Flemish government bases its course on the New Leipzig Charter. According to Stijn Van Wolputte of Agentschap Binnenlands Bestuur, the team focuses on five crucial transitions:

THE COMPACT CITY

dealing differently with space for affordable and qualitative housing, quality of life, attractiveness and accessibility. Sustainability in its ecological, social and economic dimensions is the basis for every urban renewal project.

THE ACCESSIBLE CITY

from automobility to soft modes of transport (walking, cycling) and collective forms of transport.

The Flemish urban renewal policy has followed a beautiful trajectory, says Stijn Van Wolputte.

“Urban renewal has contributed to the redevelopment of postindustrial, vacant and neglected sites, such as nineteenthcentury city belts, vacant factory sites, canal zones, port areas, barracks, military hospitals, vacant monasteries, station areas, hospitals and schools. Urban regeneration has also helped to reconstruct public areas that had been neglected for years, to build

public facilities, to develop a more diversified range of urban housing, and to upgrade the dilapidated central function of small towns.

Yet many challenges remain for the future. Affordable housing, climate-robust urban space, accessibility, urban economy and employment can only be solved in conjunction with all actors. The public domain must become more climate proof (water harvesting and heat resistant) and the rollout of new utilities (separate sewer systems, electric charging infrastructure, the

Internet of Things, heat networks, natural gas-free disctricts) must be done differently. This is what the Flemish government’s Team “Urban Policy” wants to work on in the coming years” concludes Stijn Van Wolputte.

THE INCLUSIVE CITY

new levers for inclusion and living together through urban development projects, neighbourhood improvement contracts and digital initiatives such as e-inclusion.

THE

CIRCULAR CITY

a sustainable, urban development with a circular organisation of flows (waste, water, energy, materials) and local energy networks.

RESILIENT AND RESPONSIBLE CITY

combines entrepreneurship and innovation with social added value (shared value idea).

HOW FLANDERS SUPPORTS YOUR CONFERENCE ON SMART & SUSTAINABLE LIVING

You choose Flanders as your location? Then you enjoy the free support provided by VISITFLANDERS Convention Bureau. So you can

› meet interesting new partners

› create legacy with your conference

› get the technology needed for a hybrid conference

› organize a corona-safe conference

› receive a tailor-made experience programme

› get support with your project proposal

› provide an inspirational visit for your decision-makers

VERGUCHT

Smart & Sustainable Living

FLANDERS Convention Bureau

Association Expert Milo Vergucht will be happy to provide you with more information.

Milo Vergucht

THE NECESSITY OF CITIZEN PARTICIPATION

A smart and sustainable society requires a smart government. A government can only be smart when it is aware of the opinions and attitudes of its citizens. Therefore, it is important to also hear the voice of the citizen.

Listening to the voice of the citizen is the area of research of Andrew Vande Moere, professor of Design Informatics at the Department of Architecture at KU Leuven. He conducts research around citizen participation technology, such as interfaces that allow citizens to express their opinions about the built environment.

“We believe that interactive interfaces placed directly in the urban environment reach a more diverse audience than

participations workshops or online apps, which are generally used by people with free time. What’s more, our interfaces connect directly to the local context, so that passers-by can immediately leave their opinion about a mock-up of a planned urban change, or real-time sensor measurements of air quality, environmental noise or mobility. After all, what a sensor measures does not always correspond to what a human experiences.

In our current research we are turning typical “bottom-up” citizen participation, surveys that are organized by the government, upside-down. We are developing technologies that allow citizens to organize surveys for themselves, from drafting the content, to moderating

the responses, to curating the dominant opinions that then can be communicated to the government. This way, we hope to empower the local population with the necessary technological tools to actively and democratically co-govern their environment for themselves.”

ANDREW VANDE MOERE KU Leuven

Cities have a specific mission in tackling societal challenges. The transition to sustainable living and housing is one of them. This is not surprising, because problems often first manifest themselves in the city. Cities often also provide the solutions, as the past has repeatedly shown. Because of their high density and mix of socio-economic and cultural actors, they are the ideal laboratory for new concepts.

Linda Boudry of the Kenniscentrum Vlaamse Steden (“Knowledge Centre Flemish Cities”) lists the challenges which the Flemish central cities, in cooperation with the Vlaamse Gemeenschapscommissie (VGC) (“Flemish Community Commission”), are currently working on:

“Projects for qualitative and affordable housing, the climate-proof design of urban space, sustainable modes of transport and employment in the immediate surroundings are all urban tasks. In their cohesion, they make a substantial contribution to the transition to sustainable living and living.”

The Kenniscentrum Vlaamse Steden was established to facilitate and strengthen the interaction and exchange of experience between cities and the Vlaamse

LINDA BOUDRY Kenniscentrum Vlaamse Steden

“MANY PROBLEMS FIRST EMERGE IN THE CITY. SO DO THE SOLUTIONS.”

Gemeenschapscommissie, and to inspire both the cities’ own policies and the urban policies of central governments. This exchange between levels of government is crucial, according to Linda Boudry.

“After all, complex urban problems are difficult to split up. One level of government will rarely be able to provide the solutions alone. An increasing number of issues which arise require initiative at different administrative levels and therefore require cooperation and coordination. That is why the Kenniscentrum Vlaamse Steden also works together with Europe and the federal and regional government.”

According to Linda Boudry, there is a growing awareness that cities will capture the future need for housing to a large extent and equip their territories with facilities that are related to the entire living career of the citizen.

“In this task, cities are faced with challenges such as making the built environment more sustainable, with specific attention to the historic and densely built-up cores, more sustainable private housing and business premises, sustainable mobility, more space for green and water, and use of local energy. Consequently, cities are facing major architectural transitions and need instruments to make transformations possible within the existing spatial frameworks. This involves new financial, regulatory and decision-making tools that can provide solutions.”

“TECHNOLOGY SHOULD NOT DOMINATE, BUT INSPIRE”

INTERVIEW WITH JAN ADRIAENSSENS, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC TECHNOLOGY AT IMEC

JAN

To achieve future-proof living, technology is indispensable. The Flemish research centre imec is a forerunner in this process. With the City of Things project, imec is investigating every day how sensors and new technologies can make our cities better.

How does Jan Adriaenssens, Director of Public Technology at imec, see the role of technology in the evolution towards smart and sustainable living? Read all about it in this interview, where not only data, smart trash cans and digital twins are featured, but also philosophers such as Kant, Rousseau and Aristotle.

THE IMPORTANCE OF BALANCE

Adriaenssens begins the interview with a side note. “When we look at the role of technology in the public domain, it is important to find a good balance: a

balance between realising what technology can do and what the policy objectives are. We need to avoid getting into a so-called “tech push story” where technology overwhelms us and the government rushes after it with reactive legislation rather than proactive rules. This was the case, for example, with some global apps - I won’t name names - that forced legislators to adjust regulations on hotels and cabs. Technology should not dominate, but inspire. Technology can be a lever to achieve major societal transitions. But that change must happen simultaneously through other levers, such as behavioural change, regulation, and the design of the public domain.

As a government, your goal must be a technologically mature society, especially when it comes to smart and sustainable living, where investments must last many decades. Making all stakeholders - public sector, companies and citizens -

technologically mature is our role at imec as a research centre. That’s why we started City of Things, to assist the government in that process.

That process revolves around Smart and Sustainable Living in various ways. Take for example the total energy consumption in a country. Some 20% of it is residential. Of that 20%, an average of 75% goes to heating homes. That’s a crucial share, hence the importance the government puts on isolating your home. And when we talk about isolation, we’re talking about the construction industry.

Technology plays an important role in this, which is why at imec we attach great importance to local energy networks, demand-response systems and to developing the next generation of solar cells that can be integrated into facades or windows, for example.

Let me give another illustration of the importance of technology

in the development towards smart and sustainable living. A study by the University of Antwerp mapped out the logistics flows in a city. What was the outcome? Of all the logistic kilometres driven in a city, barely 2% comes from couriers delivering mail packages. The largest logistics flow is the construction sector, with 36% of all kilometres. So you’re back at

lot of data. And thus technology. Because you need to collect information to be able to make data-driven decisions, necessary to make our inhabited world future-proof.”

DATA EXCHANGE IS CRUCIAL

In 2019, imec published a vision paper mapping the needs of an open smart city. In that paper, imec stated that a smart city should become more than the sum of its smart parts. What Jan Adriaenssens means by that, he illustrates with an example.

the table with the same partner if you want to make urban logistics more sustainable. This can be done in various ways, for example by developing other business models, working with window times for the logistics flows or by making micro deliveries of building materials. But to organize that, you need a

“Not so long ago, a Flemish city organized an experiment. In a particular neighbourhood it put smart garbage cans on the street, with sensors that collected data to better organize waste collection and prevent fly-tipping. The pilot project was successful and the city issued a call for tenders to equip the other districts with the smart garbage cans as well.

But what happened? That tender was won by another company, whose system was not compatible with that of the pilot district. Consequently, the city now has two dashboards: for the original pilot district and for the other districts of the city. This makes optimization difficult, as no data exchange is possible. In another city, they wanted to make traffic lights smarter. For example, when it rains,

traffic lights can give priority to pedestrians and cyclists faster. These road users then cross less often at red lights, which increases traffic safety. The logical step, therefore, seemed to be to install pluviometers on the traffic lights. But that was not necessary, because there are apps with precipitation radars, whose data could be made

As a government, your goal must be a technologically mature society.

A smart city is more than the sum of its smart parts.

available. So you don’t have to start collecting that data again.

That’s what I mean by “a smart city is more than the sum of its smart parts.” Data exchange is crucial. In a smart city, data, services and sensors are interoperable. Each application should be able to be plugged into some sort of “data socket,” so to speak, to immediately extract the necessary data and plug in new data. Garbage can filling rates, rainfall, logistics flows, air quality, demographics, health, water quality - it’s all connected. If you want to solve a policy issue, you can ask a disciplinerelated question, but the answer is always interdisciplinary: it always relates to multiple policy domains and policy levels.

Technology is then crucial to make the data interdisciplinary interoperable. It should be possible to standardize data flows so that we can exchange data uniformly - and with respect for privacy - between the public and private sectors.”

THE POTENTIAL OF DIGITAL TWINS

To create the smart city, the government needs to make smart decisions. These decisions must be based as much as possible on objective data and criteria. That’s where Adriaenssens sees a lot of potential in setting up digital twins.

“A digital twin is a so-called “cross-domain decision support system” which helps to support policy decisions. It is “crossdomain,” because it encompasses multiple policy domains, policy levels, and geographic locations.

Such a digital twin is thus eminently inter-operable. It links together data on e.g. traffic, air quality, noise pollution, economic activity, weather and energy in order to solve particular policy questions. This data can originate from real-time information, but the system can also be fed with historical information in order to identify trends.

That data makes cross-domain prediction and simulation possible. You can then start doing short-term forecasting, or even nowcasting. What will happen in the coming hours just before, during and after a rain shower? Simulation is also possible in the long term. What is the effect of putting an apartment building or a bus station in a certain place? What is its effect on traffic, air and water quality, logistics and even climate objectives? You can check all scenarios with a digital twin, combining data and technology from different policy levels and domains.”

HOW PHILOSOPHY HELPS

The Director of Public Technology at imec has two degrees under his belt: a master’s degree in mathematics and another one in philosophy. That first degree undoubtedly helps when deploying data and technology. But how is the second degree useful for answering policy questions? Jan Adriaenssens:

“I studied “Philosophy and Public Policy” at the London School of Economics. This looks at major policy questions from the perspective of philosophical

currents. How would Kant view this issue of road safety? What would be Rousseau’s view on euthanasia? How would Aristotle think about nuclear power or healthcare costs? This theoretical exercise helps to think analytically about policy questions and to unravel them to their essence. In that fine-grained analysis lies the foundation for compromise and solution. Philosophy helps me think about questions differently and unravel them even further than I used to.”

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