In the future, Brussels’ Maximilian Park will also serve as a source of heating and cooling for the surrounding buildings. Test drilling will begin today as part of the park’s energy transition in the North District.
Be.SHARE, a project for a low-temperature network, aims to drastically reduce CO2 emissions in the district by replacing fossil fuels with local renewable energy sources, such as geothermal energy, heat recovery from public spaces, and sewer heat recovery, which recovers heat from wastewater flowing through the sewers.
Drilling to a depth of 150 meters
“With this project, we are demonstrating that a park can be both a place to live and a driver for the energy transition,” says Brussels Mayor Philippe Close (PS). The aim is to transform the subsoil of Maximilian Park into an “invisible power station” for heating and cooling, serving the residents of the North District and reducing their energy bills.
The drilling will reach a depth of 150 meters and is part of a test phase that will run until January 4. It should help determine how many boreholes can be drilled and exactly where in the park. After this preparatory work, work on the heating network will start in early 2026. It is expected to take about two years.
€5 million in European aid
The intention is also for the office buildings to be heated via the heating network during office hours, so that in the evening they can transfer their heat to the residential blocks, where most residents are at home.
The system can also be reserved, “enabling the network to provide cooling on hot summer days and thus offering a climate-neutral alternative to conventional air conditioning.”
In addition to office buildings, the site includes mixed-use buildings, European Commission buildings, approximately 200 social housing units, and 130 co-living spaces.
The project, which is expected to save up to 1,569 tons of CO2 annually, is supported by Brussels Environment in collaboration with Vivaqua, Sibelga, Karno, the VUB, and the non-profit organization Samenleven/Convivence. It can count on almost 5 million euros in co-financing through the European Urban Initiative (EUI) program.
Heating is a significant CO2 emitter
Just over half of the CO2 emissions in the Brussels Region are caused by heating. Gas boilers are still the most common type of heating in the Brussels Region. However, the Brussels Region is currently conducting a thorough analysis to identify areas where district heating networks could be developed.
In the sustainable Bervoets neighborhood in Forest, for example, 239 homes, 12 studios, and shops are already connected to a heating network. The innovative neighborhood-level heating and cooling network in Maximilian Park is another example.
The Be.SHARE project aims to share the expertise acquired and innovations developed in the Brussels Region with all partners and interested actors, including the European cities of Manresa, Spain; Leeuwarden, the Netherlands; and Jablonec nad Nisou, the Czech Republic.
