Project

First Five Fossil Free Districts by 2030

What do the planned renewal of the sewer system in two streets in Leuven, the yeast factory in Bruges, the renovation of social housing in Mechelen, and existing district heating networks in Mortsel and Ostend have in common? These opportunities are being seized by five pioneering local coalitions to rapidly and inclusively provide fossil-free heating to existing residential neighborhoods. With the F5D project – First Five Fossil-Free Districts by 2030 – we are working with a unique coalition towards systemic breakthroughs in these first fossil-free districts. In densely built urban environments, it is often more difficult to arrive at individual climate solutions. Yet collective heating systems are currently still facing an “implementation gap.” By connecting the capacities of local authorities, energy cooperatives, heat developers, experts, researchers, investors, and citizens from five neighborhoods in Flanders, we can pool knowledge and achieve scale. Together, these five projects form a first implementation pipeline, with the aim of spreading risks and jointly attracting financing. The impact? Combined, they can reduce 202 kt CO2e emissions over a period of 30 years! 

We start from the observation and substantiation that a house-by-house approach to the energy transition will not get us to fossil-free in an inclusive and timely way (see also: Operation Energy Neighbourhoods). Nevertheless, the energy transition is still largely seen as the responsibility of individual homeowners. But this means we are moving too slowly: today, only 7% of the 3.4 million homes in Flanders have low-carbon heating. Moreover, not everyone can participate: half of Flemish homeowners cannot afford the renovations required to heat their homes with an individual heat pump. The harsh reality is that we are still far from being on track to reduce CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions to zero. 

A neighbourhood-based approach appears—especially in densely built urban environments and village centers—to be more energy-efficient, cheaper, more inclusive, and it enables customization and integration. Many pioneering local coalitions across Flanders are currently innovating with collective heating systems. Five of them are already well advanced: 

Nieuw Kwartier, Leuven: a planned greening and sewer renewal in Meunierstraat is being linked to the installation of a borehole energy storage (BTES) field beneath public space to supply heat to existing homes, a school, and a hospital (see also: ECoOB) 

Luithagen, Mortsel: the existing district heating network from the Agfa-Gevaert factory is being extended to existing residential areas, and alternative heat sources are being explored (see also: Warmte Verzilverd) 

De Grote Post, Ostend: the existing district heating network operated by energy cooperative Beauvent is being extended to the neighborhood around the De Grote Post cultural center (see also: Warmtenet Oostende) 

Sint-Gilliskwartier, Bruges: residual heat from the nearby Genencor yeast factory is being used to sustainably heat homes in the historic city center, while also increasing water buffering, greenery, and sustainable mobility (see also: City of Bruges) 

Kriekerijvelden, Mechelen: the installation of a BTES field for new social housing serves as a catalyst to also connect surrounding homes 

But collective heating systems in existing neighbourhoods still face an implementation gap. Individual projects are too small to organize the required financial and operational capacity, and there are too few strong examples to shape an appropriate policy context (and vice versa). We do have the technical, policy-related, financial, legal, and social building blocks. However, the transition to the implementation phase requires the simultaneous commitment of so many stakeholders and competencies that we get stuck. While all parties focus on their piece of the puzzle, no one is responsible for the puzzle as a whole. So, whose hot potato is this? No single party has the mandate, or is (on its own) capable of developing a systemic, scalable solution for decarbonizing our existing neighborhoods. 

With the F5D project (First Five Fossil-Free Districts by 2030), we create space and time to bring together different building blocks and stakeholders. The project aims to realize the first five fossil-free heating systems at the neighborhood level in existing Flemish districts. The projects in Leuven, Mortsel, Bruges, Mechelen, and Ostend are bundled into a first implementation pipeline and together build towards a solution: 

Socio-technical solution: Many homeowners currently face the same barrier. Individually switching to a heat pump often first requires expensive renovation, creating inequality and uncertainty. The project reverses this logic: fossil-free heat is first provided collectively at the neighborhood level, after which homes can be renovated step by step. Collective, low-carbon district heating at medium temperatures (40–70°C) allows households to decarbonize their heating first before further improving the energy efficiency of their homes. 

Financial-organizational solution: By bundling five projects into one pipeline, we create economies of scale (shared expertise during the development phase, risk mitigation and diversification during implementation, and cost-sharing during operation). The diversity of contexts and local coalitions also makes it possible to inform and influence policymaking by regional governments. 

How? 

Integration: We link investments through integrated implementation plans and support local coalitions in connecting projects, building strategic partnerships, and bundling business cases. 

Polycapital: We establish a systemic financing logic by working with guarantees and blended investments (public, private, civic). 

Organization: We set up an interlocal supporting and service entity that leverages economies of scale. 

The project runs over four years and receives €2.7 million in financial support from the Helios Foundation. This will enable 3,514 homes to be prepared for fossil-free, collective heating by 2030, with the ultimate goal of reducing CO2 emissions by 6.8 kt per year. 

This project was set up with the support of the Helios Foundation. The consortium comprises Workroom, Kelvin Solutions, VITO, the City of Bruges, the City of Leuven, the City of Mechelen, the City of Mortsel, the City of Ostend, Beauvent, ECoOB, Klimaan, Warmte Verzilverd, Woonmaatschappij Rivierenland, Woonland, BBDO, Equator Advocaten, Leuven 2030, Transition Stories, Wattson, Flux50, Impact Finance Belgium, KU Leuven, ODE Warmtenetwerk Vlaanderen, Rescoop Vlaanderen and VVSG Netwerk Klimaat. 

Period: from 2026 onwards

With the support of: the Helios Foundation

Partners: Kelvin Solutions, VITO, la ville de Bruges, la ville de Louvain, la ville de Malines, la ville de Mortsel, la ville d'Ostende, Beauvent, ECoOB, Klimaan, Warmte Verzilverd, Woonmaatschappij Rivierenland, Woonland, BBDO, Equator advocaten, Leuven 2030, Transition Stories, Wattson, Flux50, Impact Finance Belgium, KU Leuven, ODE Warmtenetwerk Vlaanderen, Rescoop Vlaanderen et VVSG Netwerk Klimaat. 

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WORKROOM

Since 2010, Architecture Workroom Brussels has focused on the future of our living environment. The organisation began as a safe haven to address the link between space and societal transitions, aimed at fostering a futureproof design practice, commissioning and building culture.

It has now become evident that the transformation of our streets, neighbourhoods, and landscapes is both a prerequisite and a lever for achieving societal goals in synergy. Yet we observe that these transformations remain difficult to imagine and implement. They span so many sectors and involve so many actors that responsibility falls on everyone, and therefore, ultimately, on no one.

That is why we make it our mission to create the space that connects them. And with this refined mission comes a new name: WORKROOM, House for transformation. WORKROOM is the shared space where the future of our living environment is not only imagined but also organised.

We are currently taking the lead on three mission-driven transformations:

  • SOCIETAL INCUBATORS - By 2030, stakeholders from the youth, culture, sports, care and education sectors will join forces to create renewed societal spaces that tackle loneliness and counteract the fragmentation and pressure on public infrastructure.
  • FOSSIL-FREE NEIGHBOURHOODS - By 2030, at least ten neighbourhoods will be underway with the transition to fossil-free energy in an inclusive and affordable way, with a view to completely phase-out fossil fuels by 2040.
  • SPONGE LANDSCAPES - By 2030, we will have achieved our water, agriculture and nature goals through a single, coherent approach at catchment area level, in which strong regional coalitions collectively enhance the landscape's sponge capacity.

To make these transformations a reality, WORKROOM works shoulder to shoulder with pioneering designers, local authorities, organisations and businesses, governments, knowledge institutions and impact investors.

Through co-creative design, we imagine shared pathways to the future in exhibitions, publications, innovation programmes and public programmes. These are the workrooms where we connect the actors capable of realising these transformations. From there, we design shared ownership and the organisational, funding and policy models that lead to real change.

The name is simpler. The stakes are higher. WORKROOM is the shared space where we tackle the social and spatial transformations that no one can achieve alone. In an era of polarisation, compartmentalisation and instability, that is perhaps the most radical thing we can do.