According to the legislation of the Brussels-Capital Region, every new municipal building must comply with a "passive" standard: by acceding to the European Directive on the energy performance of buildings, the regional government aims to achieve zero carbon dioxide emissions from buildings by 2020. Under these conditions, the 19,690 square meters of the new headquarters of the Brussels-Capital Region Environment Authority (IBGE, or Bruxelles Environnement) are bound to represent a model for sustainable design (see video). Located on the banks of the Senna River, a volume with a rounded roof, a large glass surface and a dark glossy facade should not only be carbon-neutral, but also become an impetus for the development of the adjacent territories.
The historic urban square spills into the interior of the headquarters through an 8-story glazed atrium that acts as a giant greenhouse: black aluminum cladding absorbs heat, while the atrium stores heated air for recuperation. Heat-resistant triple glazing provides a high level of thermal insulation, while automatic louver systems protect the building from overheating in summer.
Solar panels are integrated into the façade, a geothermal pumping system is used, mechanical ventilation is minimized, and rainwater is used in the technical water supply system. The building received an "excellent" BREEAM score and a passive building certificate.
The first two floors are open to everyone: there is a permanent exhibition on climate change in the 21st century, a multimedia library, a conference room and a restaurant with an organic menu. Above the second floor there are office open spaces and laboratories, and from the uppermost platform, through the glazed roof-wall, a view of Brussels opens up.
The interior is finished in white and gray: the overall light tone is set off by the multi-colored seats and the wooden amphitheater of the conference room, which echoes the steps of the main staircase, and the high partitions of American cherry wood that zone the office space.
However, today the sustainable development of the surrounding area is only in the plans, so the huge area is empty, and the sloping volume of the headquarters of the Environment Department, towering alone above it, managed to acquire the nickname "toaster".
