Be.SHARE: a European project for sustainable energy exchange in the city

The Be.SHARE project is spearheaded by Brussels Environment on behalf of the Brussels-Capital Region and in partnership with the intermunicipal companies Vivaqua and Sibelga, the private company Karno, the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and the non-profit organisation Convivence-Samenleven. The project was selected by the European Urban Initiative (EUI) as part of its European Innovative Actions programme and will receive almost 5 million euros in funding from the European Union.

Through this project, Brussels Environment will support the deployment of a district heating and cooling network, while exploring its own role in the future development of such networks across the Region.

An innovative project

Be.SHARE is one of the 20 winning projects of the European Urban Initiative’s (EUI) third call for proposals focusing on energy transition and urban innovation. 

This project for a low-temperature district heating and cooling network is comprised of local and decarbonised energy production units. It harnesses geothermal energy in public spaces (energy recovered from the ground beneath our parks and streets) along with riothermal energy (energy recovered from our sewage water). This system efficiently supplies heat and cooling to a diverse range of users in the district. 

The Brussels North District is particularly interesting for its variety of building types and uses, from offices to housing. This enables direct energy exchanges based on complementary needs: during certain times of the day or year, the network will enable heat to be exchanged directly between a glazed office tower with excess heat and housing that still requires heating.

This low-temperature network, which could be extended to other buildings in the future, is a first in the Brussels Region.

A major step forward for a just transition

Be.SHARE is more than just a technology project: the deployment of this project in the North District will also make decarbonised heat available to a variety of users, including 200 social housing households from the Foyer Laekenois.

The project features an innovative governance model involving public, private and community stakeholders and a strong social component. The aim is to give social housing households a better understanding of the new energy system and to empower them to change their energy habits through participatory workshops. These households will be invited to take part in the entire project, from conception to completion, thus guaranteeing a fairer and more inclusive energy transition.

A significant reduction in CO2 emissions

The system will reduce the Region's CO2 emissions by around 1,500 tonnes a year, thus helping to combat climate change. It’s a prime example of a new generation of fossil-free district heating and cooling networks that are independent of fossil fuels and contribute to the gradual phasing out of these energy sources.

In addition, cooling office buildings through the district cooling network helps to counter the effects of urban heat islands. This technology avoids the use of conventional air-conditioning systems based on air-source heat pumps, which has several positive effects because the traditional systems are often a source of noise pollution and contribute to the saturation of the electricity grid.

A commitment to knowledge transfer and dissemination

What makes the European EUI programme unique is that it facilitates knowledge transfer to other European cities. The Be.SHARE project aims to share the expertise and innovations developed in the Brussels Region with all interested partners and stakeholders, including these 3 European cities: Manresa in Spain, Leeuwaerden in the Netherlands and Jablonec nad Nisou in the Czech Republic.

This will greatly increase the contribution to reducing CO2 emissions in the Brussels-Capital Region and beyond. In addition, other stakeholders will be able to benefit from the best practices established in terms of governance and citizen participation.