Sustainable Building Facilitator Network
For those individuals, groups or businesses that wish to build or renovate in line with passive standards, the Region has provided a network of support specialists (facilitators) since 2008. Since 2011, this specialist network service has been centralized under Brussels Environment under a new name: Sustainable Building Facilitator Network (Facilitateur Bâtiment durable).
All facilitators are renowned professionals with ample experience and an established expertise in the area of energy efficiency. Their mission is to offer impartial, independent consulting services on energy consumption management, rational use of energy (RUE) and promotion of renewable energy, at every stage of a project. While they do not replace the architect, the design office or the installer, they provide free-of-charge guidance and recommendations in all areas related to management, renovation or construction of passive buildings.
The facilitators are experts in the following areas:
- Tertiary building sector;
- Collective housing;
- Eco-construction;
- Renewable energy;
- Cogeneration;
- The legal framework for Energy Performance of Buildings (EPB);
- Passive building.
Facilitators offer the following services:
- Technology and supplier information;
- Identification and assistance in compiling administrative files for financial aid;
- Top-level technical expertise with permanent telephone and e-mail support, critical review of specifications, supervision of research and specific guidance (namely closer monitoring of certain project sponsors);
- Information on energy-related tools;
- Guidance at the different stages of an "energy" strategy;
- Help with energy analysis of buildings;
- Supervision of construction and renovation projects;
- Comparison of commercial offers for any energy installation.
Facilitators are classified according to their mission and activities, as follows:
- Collective housing facilitators: deal with managers of collective public housing, apartment blocks or co-ownerships. In addition to the services mentioned above, they provide: comparison of bids for lighting, heating and domestic hot water production systems, review of feasibility studies, and review of specifications.
- Tertiary sector facilitators: deal with private or public institutions (hospitals, rest homes, office buildings, swimming pools, schools, businesses, service companies, etc.)
- Cogeneration facilitators: deal with large buildings: offices, swimming pools, hotels, collective housing, etc. It provides methodological assistance in project management, cogeneration design and financial viability assessment. In Brussels, there is particularly cost-effective and underexploited potential.
- Renewable energy facilitators: provide assistance with renewable energy tools and services, especially for large projects (for instance, a thermal solar installation with more than 25 m! of panels). Smaller projects consult with the non-profit organisation APERE(Association pour la Promotion des Énergies Renouvelables).
- Green building facilitators: highly specialized experts that target the construction sector. Green building facilitators offer consulting in all areas of eco-construction. Their mission is to promote the green building tools of Brussels Environment, to raise awareness of green building, and to push green building forward by identifying obstacles and proposing adequate solutions.
- Eco-district facilitators: offer consulting to a wide range of public and private actors (architects, designers, investors, as well as municipalities), on making their district sustainable.
More information:
Le service du facilitateur bâtiment durable
For a list of past and future facilitator seminars and presentations, see:
Le Facilitateur Bâtiment durable : des experts à votre service
