New partnership for a more sustainable and digitized construction industry

Anno 2024, building and renovation in Belgium is still a, mainly, manual affair. Although some initiatives are emerging here and there, digitization in the construction sector is still in its infancy. There are thus important opportunities to make construction processes more efficient, reduce failure costs and deploy personnel in a more targeted way with attention to comfort and safety. Research and innovation can help make construction processes more efficient through prefabrication, increase quality, reduce failure costs and achieve climate goals by making new and existing building stock more sustainable.
Digitalization is a must
Digitalization solutions have become more and more cost-competitive in recent years, providing significant cost savings for construction companies. This technology provides a basis for follow-up steps in quality assurance, productivity enhancement and allows us to make optimal use of available resources, including the reuse of products, components and raw materials.
Flanders Make and EnergyVille join forces
To support the construction industry and the entire construction value chain, Flanders Make and EnergyVille are joining forces. In the collaboration, these partners bring their state-of-the-art technology to the table.
- EnergyVille focuses on the development of innovative building elements, improved energy performance and integral sustainability throughout the life cycle buildings, elements and materials, supported by the Thoreaq and Constructhor infrastructure at Thor Park Genk.
- Flanders Make focuses on design techniques for assembly and manufacturing, digitization of design and manufacturing processes, operator support and semi- and fully automated manufacturing processes.
This collaboration is also strengthened thanks to the cooperation, expertise and sector knowledge of Buildwise, Embuild and Agoria.
Based on these competencies, Flanders Make and EnergyVille have identified four domains in which new technology will be developed to support companies:
- Design rules for on-site (de)assembly of prefabricated building elements and systems for first-time-right design and construction
- Automation technology for new construction and renovation in the factory and on-site
- Automated, generative design of building systems
- Building design with maximum reuse of components and materials from existing construction