We organise our actions in six thematic & strategic agendas:
Strategic Agendas:
Bio-economy
Circular Construction
Chemicals/Plastics
Manufacturing Industry
Food Chain
Water Cycles
Seven leverages provide additional support:
Leverage effects:
Lever Policy Instruments
Lever Circular Procurement
Lever Communication
Lever Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Lever Financing
Lever Jobs & Skills
Lever Research
What, why and how?
Why are we pursuing a circular economy?
Future visions 2050
How do we see our circular future?
About our management
Who steers what at Flanders Circular?
Woestgoed is a cohousing project in the Ghent sub-district of Wondelgem that consists of 5 houses, 3 flats and a communal pavilion. This project is the first phase of a larger whole. The ultimate goal is to build a cohousing project with 14 housing units. In the communal pavilion, spaces will be created for 8 families, but these can easily be expanded to spaces for 14 families, with very wide possibilities in terms of precise infill.
The houses are constructed in timber frame, and the pavilion and flats in concrete skeleton with timber frame envelope. There are only load-bearing internal walls at the level of the stairwells and lift shafts, but otherwise all floor plans are completely free to be filled in. In this way, a flexible and in time adaptable structure is created according to the principles of circular construction.
The entire construction of the buildings follows the principle of layers of change (by Stewart Brand). The structure, shell, techniques and internal walls are all separate elements that can be replaced independently of each other when they reach their useful life or when the needs of the occupants change. All these elements are fitted using exclusively mechanical fastening methods and consist of bio-ecological materials. Both the biological and technical cycles of circular construction are thus taken into account.
The entire project is designed to be energy-efficient, based on BEN houses. The special feature of BEN houses is that they consume little energy. It is also possible to design some houses as passive houses with minimal impact. Renewable energy is generated locally thanks to heat pumps and PV panels. This creates a project that is completely independent of fossil fuels and free of CO2 emissions.
The preservation of as many trees as possible, the integration of greenery into the whole and the limitation of non-permeable paving mean that this project is also very ambitious ecologically. To encourage sustainable travel, there are three spacious bicycle storage areas. In addition, the few parking spaces are equipped with electric charging stations and a shared car will be used.
EA+ architects are responsible for the architectural design, expertise in integrally sustainable and bio-ecological construction and the energy study. EA+ architects are pioneers in the field of climate-neutral and climate-positive building.