De Watergroep office building: sustainable design with BREEAM certification
De Watergroep’s new office building near Ghent-Sint-Pieters station was designed with a focus on sustainability and water conservation. Sweco provided the design of the installations and oversaw the BREEAM certification, which resulted in an Excellent certificate for this green and innovative building.
- Client
- De Watergroep
- Architect
- Evr-Architecten
- Period
- 2016-2023
- Expertise
- geometric energy, solar energy, BEN certification, BREEAM, EPB, technical equipment
Innovative design
The office building consists of two parts: a main building on the side of the street and a meeting hub at the back, which are linked by green patios and a glass connecting corridor. Our building experts were responsible for the design and execution of the HVAC, electrical and plumbing systems, EPB reporting and supervision of the BREEAM certification.
Economical use of energy and water
The project obtained the BREEAM New Construction Excellent certificate, which is a testament to high sustainability in all areas. In addition to its very high energy performance (BEN – E 42 – K28) and excellent location, the project particularly excels in maximizing water efficiency: the building consumes 80% less water than comparable projects thanks to rainwater and greywater recovery. That means just 2m³/person/year.
Integrated greenery
Visually striking, the building stands out for its ecologically based green appearance with green roofs, façade greenery, automatic and rainwater-irrigated patios and built-in nesting boxes.
Our BREEAM expertise
We fulfilled the role of BREEAM Assessor, BREEAM Advisory (formerly Accredited) Professional and undertook the necessary studies and monitoring to secure the BREEAM design and post-construction certifications.
Photos ©Stijn Bollaert
