Science Café “Building Space”. Construction transformation in Flanders

Because of a building shift, you are no longer allowed to build in an open space in Flanders from 2040. The building shift – formerly known as a “concrete stop” – clearly has a reason. Of all the European countries, Flanders is the densest in construction and the richest in concrete. Until 2025, we will continue to do this at a pace of ten football fields per day. After that it may still be halved, and in 2040 it will be over.

The goal is to preserve or rearrange the existing open space and create additional open space. However, the population continues to grow steadily and therefore more buildings are needed, which seems to interfere with the creation of more open space. So the message is to build differently: circular building and climate adaptation, with an interest in the sustainable use of materials.

In this science café, we want to delve into the ambitions and goals of the building shift and the problems associated with it. We also pay attention to circular and climate-adaptive construction, which is one of the conditions for achieving the transformation of construction.

Some questions that may be addressed in addition to yours:

• What is meant by “building shift”?
• What do you mean by compensation plan? what does that mean?
• What is the difference between concrete and pink construction?
• Why was the shift in construction introduced?
• What is circular and climate-adaptive construction?
• What needs to be done to make the shift in construction a success?