Architects express interest in  the NZEB-renovation-market

Flanders’ architects association NAV puts the light on the importance of the NZEB-market. With a brand new website (“renovatieadvies.be”, renovationadvice.be ), they invite their members to sign up and express that they offer homeowners renovation services for NZEB-renovations.

Nowadays, many renovations in Flanders happen without architect, e.g. because a building permit is not compulsory. Staged (NZEB)renovations, that can take 5 up to 10 years to become a full renovation, often miss coherence and an overall renovation masterplan. There is a risk of undermining the energy performance regulations, technical incompatibility between several renovation measures (roof insulation, new windows, wall insulation…), poorly executed works, and lock-ins. As a result there can be problems like health issues (moisture, poor air quality), sub-optimal investments, and missed chances to renovate to NZEB.

These issues were discussed with NAV: in the REFURB focus group and in other contacts with REFURB-partners and other stakeholders in Flanders. The emerging need for more professionalism in staged and non-permit mandatory NZEB-renovations already lead to the development of a “compelling offer” with renovation coaches (e.g. Leiedal) and integrated building solutions (e.g. Bostoen, Recticel) in the REFURB-project. Now architects are stimulated to broaden their services to this market.

The REFURB-partners welcome this initiative of NAV. The lack of architects that express themselves to offer services to unburden homeowners for smaller (and staged) NZEB-renovations was a key problem. The REFURB-partners look forward to create synergies between the compelling offers that they introduce in Flanders and the pool of NZEB-renovation architects.

See Renovatieadvies HERE.