Replicable Energy Optimization in Heritage
Pilot Project De Schipjes
De Schipjes is a pilot site of the international research project SEEDS, funded by the Climate, Environment and Infrastructure Executive Agency (CINEA) of the European Commission.
Sweco leads the Belgian pilot sites and, with its Digital Solutions experts, develops a toolbox for this research project. This aims to stimulate the replication of such implementations by providing a clear assessment framework to various stakeholders, such as owners, governments, and project developers.
- Funding
- Horizon Europe – CINEA / INEA
- Location
- City of Bruges
- Expertise
- Study and monitoring of technical installations, geothermal energy, renewable energy
- Partners
- Mintus, KU Leuven, Builtwins, Daikin
Living Lab on World Heritage Site
In a first phase set up as a VLAIO living lab between 2014 and 2017, twelve historic alms houses in Bruges received an energy makeover, in collaboration with UGent, KU Leuven, and Sweco, commissioned by the public social enterprise Mintus. Mintus was also the coordinator of the research project ‘Proeftuin De Schipjes’. On this UNESCO World Heritage site, collective renewable energy concepts such as solar energy and a geothermal heat network were already implemented. To ensure the robustness of the whole and to expand the test site with additional techniques, the technical installations were upgraded in 2025.
Pilot Project for Energy-Efficient Districts
We realized the innovative design in co-creation with KU Leuven (virtual simulations and sizing tool), Builtwins (Model Predictive Control as system integrator), and developer Mintus. This pilot project is part of the European SEEDS project*, which develops and demonstrates solutions for renewable energy and energy efficiency in urban areas in real implementation projects, to actually show that creating sustainable and energy-efficient districts through collective solutions is a viable alternative to standard energy solutions in city centers, even in a heritage context. The project further aims to measure and validate the replicability of these solutions, to propagate the scaling and implementation of the proposed
Ann Bruggeman, Senior Project Leader at Sweco: “The planned schedule was ambitious, especially because the homes connected to the heating network remained occupied during the work. The 3D model was used to the fullest extent to shorten the implementation time of the adjustments to the technical installations.”
Reconciling Modern Energy Concepts with Heritage
The alms houses on the De Schipjes site were built over a hundred years ago, coinciding with the development of the Zeebrugge port. Needy skippers and dockworkers were housed here. The renovated houses have been protected as monuments since 2004.
Energy-saving measures in such historic buildings require a specific approach. Unlike an average building, the emphasis is on finding a perfect balance between heritage conservation and optimal energy efficiency. From the disciplines of building physics, thermal systems, and social economy, all partners have strived for synergy to tackle this challenge.
Monitoring and Flexible Use of Renewable Energy
The pilot project integrates geothermal energy, air heat pumps, and solar-thermal collectors, respecting heritage constraints. To maximize energy efficiency, advanced control techniques via Model Predictive Control (MPC) and hydraulic circuits are used, alongside extensive monitoring systems with individual temperature sensors.
Sweco has also installed a flexible hydraulic system. This so-called ‘hydronic switch’ makes it possible to use the right technology at the right time. Thanks to innovative designs and switching valves, the most suitable heat pump and the right hydraulic configurations are chosen based on, among other things, the season or the time of the heat demand (day or night): this ensures the best efficiency without compromising comfort (noise levels at night remain limited). Moreover, this is very useful in (collective) hybrid energy systems, as continuous switching would reduce the lifespan and energy efficiency.
Finally, thermal sensors were added to the two additional boreholes of the BEO field (borehole energy storage), allowing us to monitor the behavior of this living lab and ensure the lifespan of the borefield.
Smart Replication in Heritage Sites
The deployed technology will also be applied to another historic social housing district in Bruges, the nearby Stijn Streuvels site with fifteen houses, also owned by Mintus. The tender for this renovation is in the awarding phase. This location will demonstrate the high replication potential in challenging heritage contexts, building on insights from De Schipjes, to also realize an electrified hybrid collective solution here.
To simplify this replication, Sweco has carefully documented the lessons learned. Decision-makers such as local authorities, social housing companies, and project developers were consulted for the first time to identify the barriers to replicating SEEDS innovations. At this moment, other consortium members are being reached out to conduct interviews and collect data.
It involves more than 25 partners in 8 different European countries, with pilot sites in Denmark, Slovenia, Greece, and Hungary. The findings are summarized in a supporting framework and a handy toolbox, aiming to identify these barriers, offer possible solutions to overcome them, and promote sustainable energy solutions.
About SEEDS
On January 1, 2024, the SEEDS project started. Sweco participates in this project together with the Belgian partners Builtwins, KU Leuven, Mintus, and Daikin to renovate and optimally manage two clusters of buildings using small-scale district heating networks. Both clusters are located in the historic city center of Bruges.
The SEEDS project, co-funded by the European Commission, aims to electrify thermal systems in buildings. This is achieved through an integrated approach that combines energy-efficient renovations and smart HVAC systems.
