Community: news and blogs
Greenhouse BXL puts (more) sustainability on the agenda
As you may already know, at Greenhouse we are constantly looking for ways to be more sustainable. We undertake many green initiatives to reduce our ecological footprint – and thereby meet our responsibilities as an organisation. Today, we will tell you more about some of these initiatives in Greenhouse BXL, our newest hub in Diegem.
Curious about what else we do? Drop by our hub in Brussels and we will tell you all about it during a guided tour.
The Tork PaperCircle programme of Essity
We will soon start the Tork PaperCircle recycling service from Essity: a tenant of an office in Greenhouse BXL. We’ll provide special containers/wastebaskets in the toilets, in which used paper towels can be deposited. Essity actually recycles one component, the cellulose, from these paper towels to make new ones. In this way, waste is reprocessed into raw material.
Too Good To Go
Too Good To Go dreams of a planet without food waste. With their handy app, they make sure that surplus food does not end up in the trash, but instead finds a consumer (at a much cheaper rate). Our in-house restaurant The Greenery has recently become part of this community: residents from the neighbourhood, but also tenants and members who work in Greenhouse BXL, can take home the day’s surpluses at a bargain price.
Rainwater and water well
First of all, we use the water storage on the green roof to water the plants of the green façade. But that is not all! Because, as of recently, we have begun using the rainwater from the well to flush our toilets. As a result, we are not using up unnecessary amounts of drinking water, and in a relatively simple way, are one step closer to more sustainability in the hub.
We use as little plastic as possible
For example, we have replaced our plastic cups with paper cups, porcelain and glasses. New members are also welcomed with a goodie bag containing a reusable water bottle for both hot and cold drinks. And the coffee in those porcelain coffee cups? That is fair trade, by the way…
Cradle to cradle
If you have been at Greenhouse BXL before, then you know how much attention we pay to our tasteful, comfortable and unforgettable interior. But what you might not already know is that the finishing and furnishing of this hub consist mainly of cradle-to-cradle certified materials? This means that its raw materials can be fully and infinitely reused without losing their value. And, oh yes: we also decided to use a lot of second-hand items as unique decoratives.
Moreover, for new products we mainly work with Belgian suppliers whose production is also located in Belgium, such as Wever en Ducré for our lighting.
Finally, we chose bamboo for our doors, floors and wall coverings: this fast-growing grass species matures in just six years – and therefore has a limited impact on the environment.
We pay attention to our energy usage
Being smart about your energy usage has never been as relevant as it is today. Fortunately, at Greenhouse BXL we were already aware of this. For example, our entire heating system consists of a smart combination of modulating high-efficiency gas boilers, which ensure energy-efficient heat generation.
Moreover, we have equipped the atrium with a combination of intelligently controlled sun blinds and automatically opening windows – which drastically reduces the energy consumption needed for cooling.
The Greenhouse façade: our pride and joy
We are not named ‘Greenhouse’ for no reason. After all, we try to integrate a bit of nature in each hub. And in Greenhouse BXL this undoubtedly refers to our great pride: that magnificent green facade wall that attracts all eyes. In total, Greenhouse BXL has built 109 running metres of green wall inside and 161 metres of green wall outside 💚.
To give our wall the necessary love and attention, we work with an intelligent Plant Care System: this ensures that the right amount of moisture and nutrition is administered to the plants. The green walls are thus remotely monitored and adjusted so that they are guaranteed to be green all year round. The professional LED lighting stimulates photosynthesis, so that the plants are always in top condition.
We chose this beautiful green wall to bring a sense of calm to the building, to neutralise CO2 and to enhance our green image. Next to this, the green wall ensures a better climate control of the auditorium. Because more green ensures more oxygen for every member!
Curious about Greenhouse BXL? Come and visit us!Â
Would you like to know more about our green initiatives and how we plan to expand these in the future? Or would you just like to see our beautiful green facade wall in person? You can! Contact us for a free, no-obligation tour of Greenhouse BXL – and we will tell you everything you need to know.
See you soon?!