ZIN, which involves the sustainable redevelopment of the WTC 1 and 2 towers in Brussels, is the current flagship project in the field of circular construction in Belgium. A real boost for the future of sustainable building!

ZIN is a daring project, not only in terms of its architecture and design, but also because of its low impact on the environment. Commissioned by Befimmo, it is an innovative and sustainable undertaking involving three companies in the CFE Group: Van Laere and BPC will take care of the building work, while VMA will manage the multitechnics.

The circular approach starts by preserving 65% of the existing WTC towers, which significantly reduces the amount of demolition waste and the quantity of new materials that will be needed for construction. A total of 95% will be preserved, reused or recycled, and 95% of the new materials for the offices must be cradle-to-cradle (C2C) certified.

A benchmark for the circular economy
First of all, ZIN will be a nearly zero-energy complex. Secondly, circularity has been given high priority. The circular approach starts by preserving 65% of the existing WTC towers, which significantly reduces the amount of demolition waste and the quantity of new materials that will be needed for construction. A total of 95% will be preserved, reused or recycled, and 95% of the new materials for the offices must be cradle-to-cradle (C2C) certified. ZIN will be the largest circular building project in Belgium, with clear requirements in terms of C2C certification.

Sustainability ambitions
With ZIN, CFE Contracting is delivering on its sustainability ambitions. “The real estate and construction sectors are currently responsible for 40% of global CO2 emissions,” says Raymund Trost (CEO CFE Contracting). “We’re well aware of this fact. But by recycling or using a circular approach, we can make our construction methods even more sustainable and effective. In that respect, ZIN will be a landmark project, both for the companies in our group and for the entire sector.”

A multipurpose construction project An innovative, multipurpose project for the redevelopment of the existing WTC 1 and 2 towers in the Brussels Nord business district. The above-ground surface area of 110,000 m² will include 73,000 m² of office space, 14,000 m² for residential units and 16,000 m² for a hotel, as well as leisure facilities and retail outlets.

Project owner : Befimmo
Architect : Jaspers & Eyers Architects – 51N4E – L’AUC
Construction period : 01/2021 – 12/2023
Project built by : Van Laere, BPC et VMA