Herman Teirlinck Building, Brussels: Passive office building for the Flemish Government
The Herman Teirlinck Building is Belgium’s largest standalone passive office building and a showcase of sustainability and energy efficiency. It houses the Flemish Government and offers a healthy working environment with abundant daylight. Its meandering shape and four green courtyards support the wellbeing of 2,500 employees. The building combines high-quality office space with shared facilities and is a recognisable feature on the Brussels skyline.
- Expertise:
- High-performance buildings
- Client
- Flemish Government
- Location
- Tour & Taxis, Brussels
- Sweco scope
- Sustainable construction, energy performance, indoor climate control, passive design, digital twin & operational optimisation
- Partners
- Neutelings Riedijk Architecten, Conix RDBM Architects, Van Laere, Boydens (Sweco), Bureau Bouwtechniek, Scala Consultants
- Awards & nominations
- Winner Geothermal Heat Pump Award 2017 (SmartGeotherm), RES Award 2018 – Best Development for Institutional Investors, nomination for the Mies van der Rohe Award
What makes this project special is that the sustainability ambitions did not stop at design and delivery. Even during the operational phase, Sweco continues to actively monitor and optimise the building so that the intended energy performance and comfort are effectively achieved throughout the entire lifecycle.
Kurt Corvers, Business Unit Manager Buildings
Sustainable and passive design for a healthy indoor climate
From the design phase onwards, the focus was on sustainability and high-quality indoor comfort. Advanced simulations made it possible to optimise the building envelope, glazing, insulation and solar shading for energy efficiency and comfort. All office floors are organised around four green courtyards that provide daylight, natural ventilation and a pleasant indoor climate. Shared functions such as the restaurant, auditoriums, meeting rooms and exhibition space are connected via a covered internal street, resulting in a compact, clear and light-filled building.
Space to work comfortably, meet and unwind
The building accommodates 2,500 civil servants and offers extensive facilities: a restaurant with a large kitchen (1,200 meals and 500 sandwiches daily), two auditoriums (100 and 250 seats), a meeting-room complex, fitness area, underground parking for 310 cars and archive spaces. As Brussels’ largest standalone office building, it combines scale with flexibility, functionality and comfort.
Energy efficiency, even after handover
Energy performance is the backbone of the Herman Teirlinck Building. Around 90% of the heating and cooling demand is supplied by geothermal energy through a BTES system (KWO) with four well pairs, supplemented by heat pumps and condensing boilers for peak loads. Adiabatic cooling using rainwater, concrete core activation and dynamic ventilation ensure a stable and comfortable thermal climate.
Even after commissioning, this performance is actively monitored and improved. Using a digital twin of the building and Model Predictive Control (MPC), the operation of the HVAC systems is continuously optimised based on real-time measurement data, weather forecasts and building usage. This enables further reductions in energy consumption, improved comfort and proactive asset management. Initial results show that, even in this highly energy-efficient building, additional energy savings of up to around 30% are possible on the HVAC system.
Light, technology and renewable energy
The building is equipped with energy-efficient LED lighting, daylight-controlled and managed via DALI systems for maximum flexibility. All areas have been calculated for optimal light levels and uniformity. Photovoltaic solar panels have been installed on the roof with a peak capacity of more than 400 kW, enabling the building to actively contribute to renewable energy generation.
hero image © Filip Dujardin, all other images © Bram Goots
