The Smart City Blocks project started from the observation that the habitat of cities, Brussels in particular, is greatly in need of renewal in terms of energy savings and the fight against energy shortage.

Urban renewal initiatives and policies are mainly geared towards individuals and not communities. Consequently, there are few possibilities of carrying out large-scale building works and it is not possible to count on the savings and advantages which accompany this type of work.

A study in several steps

Several ULB faculties have been involved in this study, in a stepped approach. This is because the issue of cities covers technical/economic, social, urban planning and also legal dimensions.

The first step therefore involved working with geographers and sociologists to analyze the structure of Brussels by defining the types of districts. These feature a great deal of diversity: social, density, economy, energy. After a survey and interviews, the Uccle and Cudell districts were selected for the project.

The Uccle district was chosen because it had a pre-existing social dynamic, while the Cudell district, differing in density and in its varying cultures, was chosen because requests came from the authorities for an approach more targeted on the fight against energy shortage.

A catalogue for renewal

“A catalogue of fifty or so energy features was created, listing the various possibilities of renewal. From solar energy to building insulation, to mention the most common, to a cogeneration heat network but also communal cooking and parking facilities or even less technical features such as the planting of a vegetable garden or the installation of a compost system,” explained Frédéric Klopfert, researcher at ULB and project coordinator.

Several themes were analyzed at Uccle such as heat networks, solar panels and shared mobility. A full report was drafted for Uccle’s occupying homeowners, containing all the technical, legal and economic dimensions. Work groups were formed and, despite the end of the study, ULB continues to offer advice to help the work groups in moving forward.

Key lessons

The study gives a sneak preview of the cities of tomorrow and defines ways to improve our existing cities. As stated by ULB Professor Jean-Claude Maun: “What we’re recommending is not so much the dream city of tomorrow, but more the possibility of moving the city forward towards solutions to society’s current issues in the energy field.”