Halle (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Woonpunt Zennevallei renovated 185 homes in Halle’s Vogelweelde neighbourhood, improving energy efficiency and cutting bills by 39%. Director Bart Vranken led the project, which drew European Commission attention.
As VRT News reported, Woonpunt Zennevallei has upgraded 185 social housing units in Halle to make them more energy-efficient. The association manages around 2,000 homes in the region. They mentioned that many of these older houses need renovation because they no longer meet modern energy standards. In this project, a full interior renovation was not required.
“We started with the Vogelweelde neighbourhood. The homes there were insufficiently insulated. There were also too many thermal bridges, which meant the energy literally flew out the door,”
explains Bart Vranken, director of Woonpunt Zennevallei.
“The houses were outdated, the energy literally flew out the door.”
Bart Vranken, director of Woonpunt Zennevallei
How did Woonpunt Zennevallei make 185 Halle homes more energy-efficient?
According to officials, the work focused on the outer structure of the homes. Roofs and cavity walls were insulated to prevent heat loss. Attics were also insulated, and windows and doors were replaced with energy-efficient versions. Additional ventilation was installed to improve air quality. In some homes, old heating boilers were replaced with new, more efficient models.
“Because we’ve made the homes more energy-efficient, tenants will also use less energy and therefore pay less,”
explains Vranken.
“We took various measurements before and after the renovation. These show that each family can save an average of 39%. That’s about 800 euros per year.”
The renovation project drew a visit from a delegation of the European Commission. They came to the Vogelweelde neighbourhood to see the work in person.
“In Europe, we still need to make 35 million homes more sustainable. Halle is already a good example for the rest of Europe. It’s wonderful to see how they’ve achieved both more energy-efficient homes and lower energy bills,”
says Van der Vlies.
“We weren’t able to count on the usual subsidies from Flanders for this project,”
says Vranken.
“We hope this will change in the future, especially now that there’s already interest from Europe.”
The energy renovation of 185 social housing units in the Vogelweelde neighbourhood of Halle started in October 2019. The project, carried out by Knauf Energy Solutions, cost about €3.46 million excluding VAT.
Roofs, walls, attics, windows, doors, and heating systems were upgraded to make the homes more energy-efficient. By mid-2021, the work was completed. A handover event was held on 28 March 2021, attended by Flemish Energy Minister Lydia Peeters and federal minister Philippe De Backer.
