A Belgian shopping mall has become the first large shopping centre in Europe to receive carbon net zero certification.
Docks Bruxsel in Brussels has received the ‘CO2 neutral – gold company’ certificate from CO2logic/South Pole, the first large shopping centre in Europe to receive this carbon net zero certification.
“Docks benefits from exceptional design and build with regard to low carbon emissions, this was part of our rationale for investing in Docks,” said Peter Todd founder of Portus Retail and asset manager/owner of Docks Bruxsel.
“Our team have worked tirelessly to further reduce the carbon emissions, to provide inclusive access and our ESG strategy. We are very pleased and proud to be the first large scale shopping centre to have achieved CO2 neutral status and gold certification. We continue working to further reduce our carbon emissions; an environmental and socially inclusive strategy is essential to us, our investors, tenants and customers and part of the DNA of Docks.”
The sustainable ecological approach has always been in the DNA of Docks and is an integral part of its architecture. The shopping centre has a natural ventilation system that replaces air conditioning and a 580m³ rainwater recovery basin which, after filtration and treatment, can be used for many applications (sanitary facilities, cleaning processes, cooling systems, etc.).
Docks Bruxsel is also equipped with a rainwater filtering method for watering the green walls. The shopping centre has 4,500 m² of solar panels and the heat from the nearby incinerator is used as an energy source. On the roof, two beehives house around 80,000 bees. This explains why the shopping centre also has BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating in the construction sector.
This same ecological infrastructure has enabled Docks Bruxsel to fill its Christmas ice rink with rainwater and power it with 100 per cent green energy generated from solar panels. These panels produce no less than 520 Mwh per year, equivalent to the average consumption of 115 Brussels households.
Docks Bruxsel is a unique shopping and leisure destination on the banks of the Brussels canal. The centre includes over 100 retail outlets, Koezio, an indoor adventure park with a concept unlike any other in Belgium, 15 restaurants that take you on a gustatory tour of the world, the Docks Dôme, an event space for up to 1,500 people, and the Espace Godin, which recalls the site’s industrial past. In short, there is something for everyone. Inside and out it is a remarkable and sustainable building with excellent BREEAM certification and easy access.
