menu close

Brussels Environment

view

Brussels Environment 

Brussels Environment is the government authority in the field of environment and habitat in the Belgian Capital Region. For this institution, cepezed designed a sustainable building which is BREEAM-NL Excellent certified, among other things. The edifice was was realized on the The Brussels Tour & Taxis site. It fits in well with the surrounding historic buildings, such as the Royal Depot and the Sheds.

  • client(s)
  • Project T&T
  • location
  • Brussel
  • user(s)
  • brussels environment
  • expertise
  • architects
Jannes Linders

Asset to the Brussels Tours & Taxi site  

The Brussels building is characterized by a compact volume with stepped receding floor slabs under a rounded and largely transparent roof. A central atrium functions as a continuation of the adjacent square, where large-scale historical buildings such as the Royal Depot and the Sheds are situated.

cepezed

Upstairs to the offices  

The two lowest storeys contain a visitors’ centre concerned with ecological themes, an auditorium, a multimedia library, a conference centre and a restaurant.

The offices start from the second floor. Their flexible arrangement makes them suitable for many different types of workplaces. A prominently positioned, continuous cascade staircase dovetails with open galleries and encourages taking the stairs instead of the lift.

Léon van Woerkom

Excellent and passive climate control  

The new Brussels Environment does not only hold the BREEAM-Excellent certificate. Partly thanks to concrete core activated floors connected to a geothermal pump in the ground, the building also complies with all the criteria for the Passivbau.

The triple glazing in the thermal-break façade system provides excellent insulation. The strongly heat-resistant glass is additionally combined with external sun shading that reacts to the heat load. The individual ventilation facilities in the façades also contribute to an agreeable climate on warm summer days.

Jannes Linders

Transparent heat capture  

The atrium plays an important role in the building-services concept, partly because the heat it captures is reused. It also makes a significant contribution to the transparency of the building.
A large area of solar panels has been fully integrated into the façade.

Lucas van der Wee

partners

  • client: tour & taxis
  • local architectural support: samyn and partners
  • stability: swinn, ingenieursbureau meijer
  • building services: flow transfer international
  • building physics & sustainability: dgmr
  • main contractor: van laere
  • contractor steel construction: csm
  • façades: belgo metal, hafkon

awards & nominations

  • dutch flemish energy and building physics association | 2015 | best building energy and building physics
contact
→ Mail bd@cepezed.nl or call our business development team on +31 (0)15 2150000

related projects

Dutch embassy Madrid

Consulate of the Netherlands in Munich

Forschungsgebäude öaw