Skip navigation 
Previous Page
THE ENERGY FUTURE OF EXISTING BUILDINGS IN BRUSSELS: BETWEEN PRESERVATION AND PERFORMANCE
originally fitted with individual heating appliances and, with the draw from the fire, some of the rooms’ waste air was removed via the chimneys. Another advantage of installing the ventilation ducts in the chimney flues: it turns out that the system, according to the occupants, is particularly quiet.
What is interesting about this project is that it could be used as inspiration for the renovation of numerous Brussels houses of the same type. However, it should be pointed out that it was carried out thanks to the owners’ involvement and that they carried out certain lengthy and difficult works (such as fitting the ventilation ducts in the chimneys) themselves. This work, which was in keeping with the heritage value of the property, would most likely not have been financially possible if it had been carried out by a company.
The renovation of a bel-étage house in Watermael-Boitsfort (fig. 15) illustrates a more radical operation from an energy and architectural point of view. Since the objective was to achieve a passive standard (under 15 kWh/m2/year), this project required significant insulation of the envelope and, in this particular case, the street-facing façade was insulated externally. Not generally possible for urban planning and heritage reasons, this technique was accepted due to the presence of the set-back area and because it involved a building dating from the 1950s-1960s which did not present a significant heritage issue. However, this approach does raise questions: should this type of operation be applied generally given that, in certain cases, the interest of the architecture of this period is yet to be fully explored?
To conclude this chapter, let us go back a little in time by examining a
Fig. 12, 13 and 14
Rue Rubens 92 in Schaerbeek. This renovation project received an award as part of the 2008 call for Batex projects (photo by author). Notable work carried out included: partial insulation of the street-side façade using wooden panels (fig. 13) and integration of the double-flow system in the old chimney flues (fig. 14) (© A. de Nys and S. Filleul).
Fig. 15
Rue des Archives 28 in Watermael- Boitsfort. The project received an award as part of the Brussels Environment 2009 Batex competition (© H. Nicodème and R. Tilman).
111
