Belgium real estate showcase 2014 by Business Interactive Media (Bimedia)

Showcase Connect to pro-realestate.be for news, trends, network and real estate management best practices

Europea, phase 1 of Neo project - rendering Jean Paul Viguier / Art & Build Architects for Unibail-Rodamco

Business Interactive Media sprl - Belgium Real Estate Showcase 2014, a special issue of Profacility Magazine - May 2014 - 35 Eur - Afgiftekantoor Leuven Mail - P304098

2014 / BELGIUM REAL ESTATE

MARKET TRENDS vacancy, take-up, investment & letting trends

PROJECTS

town planning, offices, housing & retail

KEY PLAYERS ÂŠ BURO II & ARCHI +I for Atenor

AG Real Estate

developers, local authorities, architects, advisers, brokers

The Brussels Europa project developed by Atenor on the Rue de la Loi will include offices, housing, and retail it will be an example of the principle of mixed urban functions which respond to the demands of sustainable development and of a compact, dense city.

TOWN PLANNING

urban regeneration, smart cities

BEST STRATEGIES

investment, property, buildings & workplace management

FIABCI 65 World Congress th

Luxembourg 17>22 MAY 2014 1500+ ATTENDEES

40+ SPEAKERS

50+ COUNTRIES

GUEST SPEAKERS JEREMY RIFKIN

Economist and Thinker The man at the origins of the Third Industrial Revolution.

ZHANG YUE

Founder, BROAD Group

30+ EXHIBITORS

50+ PARTNERS

3 DAYS OF PROFESSIONAL PROGRAM 20 MAY AM : BUILDING HUMANITY 20 MAY PM : REAL ESTATE OPPORTUNITIES 21 MAY AM : CITIES & TECHNOLOGIES

The famous chinese billionaire who built a 30-story building in 15 days.

21 MAY PM : FINANCE & TAX

RUDY RICCIOTTI

22 MAY AM : ARCHITECTURE & URBAN DESIGN

Architect & Engineer

Winner of the Grand Prix National d’Architecture - France.

ROBERT JAMES OLIVIER

Complete program and speakers online

International Asset and Property Management Professor

Master’s Programme, Department of Economics, SciencesPo

EVENT SPONSORS PLATINUM

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PARTNERS ALIAI – ACI Luxembourg – AMCHAM Luxembourg – Fondarch – IFMA Luxembourg – Luxembourg Trade and Investment Office – Luxembourg for Business – Luxembourg National Tourist Office – Ordre des Architectes Ingénieurs – City of Luxembourg Partenaires Presse : Accommodation Times – Agefi – Agir Céramique – Akmu – AMCHAM Luxembourg – Archello – Archi-Europe – Australia’s Property Review – Banque & Finance – bobsguide – BusinessMir – Business Review (Romania) – CFO World – Chronicle – e-architect –Editrice Le Fonti – Ekaruna – Entreprises Magazine – Eurobuild – Europe Real Estate (REP) – Explorimmo – Family Office – Financial Bridges – Financial Places – Facilities Management Magazine – GreenWorks – HR One – IAIR – Immobilier et Services – imot.bg – Indesign Indonesia – Investor.bg – IT One – La Revue Technique – LeadersLeague – Marketers – OPP Connect – PAM Insight – Paradnyj kvartal – Property & Wealth – Premium – Propriétés de France – Real Estate Monitor – Realty Plus (India) – REM en ligne – REM online – RFP magazine – Schiller Publishing – Surface Asia – The Scandinavian Architecture Magazine – Thomas Daily – Warszawski Kurier Mieszkaniowy – Wspólnota Mieszkaniowa – Yookô EVENT ORGANISED BY FARVEST WWW.FARVEST.COM

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EDITORIAL Smart cities, the need is now

mart cities… Very much the phrase of the moment, but what does it mean in real terms? Better ‘non-car’ mobility for those living in the city and those coming to work in it (also preferably not by car) is the most obvious response. And a more balanced, less segmented character to city centres, with the avoidance of the ‘office ghettos’ which sprung up over the 20th century, is another part. This is why, all over Europe, developments are taking place around railway stations, and developments anywhere in the city are becoming ‘mixed use’. Belgium is no exception. There are major developments to be found around the railway stations of major cities like Brussels, Antwerp, Liège, Mons and Ghent at least. Where Brussels South is concerned, and as you will be able to read in this publication, the Regional government has instigated a massive redevelopment programme under the title of ‘A living station’. Liège and Mons have both opted for radical railway station design by calling in Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. Liège is also building a tramway… And moving back to Brussels, and away from rail-borne transport, there are plans to substantially decrease the number of public parking spaces and to encourage (force?) companies to make their private car parks available to the public in the evening and at weekends. It is forecast by Frost & Sullivan that the world’s population will increasingly shift to urban areas over the coming decades, making efficient urban mobility a critical factor for life and for economic performance. Within this context, and moving back to Brussels once again, the Regional government is always talking of the importance of the RER regional express rail network for getting people in and out of the capital. Property developers boast of the proximity of their buildings to ‘a future RER station’. ‘Future’ is the key word here… Speaking at Mipim, Minister-President Rudi Vervoort seemed as frustrated as everybody else about the constant delays in making the RER a reality. He said that 70% of the rail network already exists for the RER, but we have to wait until well after 2020 to see any trains. There are of course other elements to being ‘smart’. Energy-efficiency is one, and here the European capital can most certainly hold its head up high. A vast project of exemplary buildings has already produced praiseworthy results, and all new buildings will be required to be passive very shortly. Smart cities in Belgium in the 21st century: we’re moving in the right direction but the danger is that the problems – which are already here in terms of traffic congestion, pollution and energy costs – will get worse at a faster pace than the solutions can be created.

Tim HARRUP Final editor Pro-Realestate Media

BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014 3

Belgium Real Estate Showcase I 2014 A special issue of Profacility quarterly magazine published by

Business Interactive Media sprl Avenue Louise, 475 - 1050 Brussels Phone: +32 (0)2 669 77 65 Fax: + 32 (0)2 626 37 17 info@bimedia.be - www.bimedia.be

SHOWCASE

Publication Director Didier VAN DEN EYNDE - dvandeneynde@bimedia.be EDITORIAL

Final Editors: Tim HARRUP - tharrup@pro-realestate.be Eduard CODDÉ - redactie@profacility.be Bruno HODITTE - redaction@profacility.be

Our grateful thanks to Guibert de Crombrugghe, Patrizia Tortolani, Pascal Vanhumbeeck, Michaël Zapatero from de Crombrugghe & Partners, Jef Van Doorslaer from Cushman & Wakefield, Wallter Goossens from JLL, Georges Binder from Buildings & Data ADVERTISING & MARKETING Key Account Manager Sigrid NAUWELAERTS - snauwelaerts@pro-realestate.be Marketing Didier VAN DEN EYNDE - dvandeneynde@bimedia.be Advertising rates available on www.pro-realestate.be/advertising PRODUCTION Production coördination Kim VERHEGGE - kverhegge@bimedia.be

REAL ESTATE MARKETS & PROJECTS

6 > 51

Brussels office market, prime properties to let, office buildings projects I Interwiew of Olivier Bastin,‘Master Architect’ for the Brussels Region I Antwerp, Mechelen, Ghent and Liege office markets I Retail market trends I Retail investment & development I Semi-industrial & logistics market trends I

Lay-out Kurt THYS - Str8 Communication Company - www.str8.be Printing Van der Poorten SA - www.vanderpoorten.be PARTNERSHIPS

REAL ESTATE PROJECTS INDEX

Profacility is Media Partner of

© The project descriptions in this e-magazine are non-contractual, and do not bind any of the developers or architects, Business Interactive Media or any other companies cited. © All texts are protected by copyright. All advertisings including the ‘Company Profiles’ fall under the sole responsibility of their authors. © No part of this publication may be reproduced and/or published in any form or by means of printing or photocopying, microfilm, magnetic carriers, without the prior permission of the publisher.

↓ Europea

The consortium of real estate developers and constructors Unibail-Rodamco / CFE / Besix has been selected by the City of Brussels to build the ﬁrst part of the Neo project. Neo aims to exploit the huge potential of the Heyzel plateau on the north-eastern edge of the Brussels Region for new economic, housing and tourism opportunities The French architect Jean-Paul Viguier and Brussels bureau Art & Build have designed the landscape and buildings which will made part of this ﬁrst Neo development phase called Europea. This quality mixed-use project includes the building of a 80,000 m2 shopping center – the Mall of Europe, including the Spirouland theme park-, more than 590 residential housings, and leisure facilities including a theme park, a cinema complex and the revamped open and live museum Euroville.

4 BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014

BRUSSELS CENTRE (Pentagon) • Astro Tower • Chambon • Belair • C-de Ligne • de Ligne • Ernest • Le Toison d’or • Treurenberg • Victor NORTH DISTRICT • Brussels Tower • Europea / Neo • Brussels Greenbizz • Docks Bruxsel • Meander • Neo/ Europea • Silver Tower • Tivoli Sustainable Neighbourhood • Tour & Taxis • Uplace • UP-site • WTC IV

9 20/63 77 20 21 77 62 10/20 77

27 1/58 28 49/77 26 /56 1/58 27 57 56 59 77 26

NORTH –EAST DISTRICT • Josaphat 60 • RTBF-VRT Campus 61 LEOPOLD/ EUROPEAN DISTRICT • Belview 64 • Brussels Europa 15/22 • Black Pearl 23 • Guimart 10 25 • Mérode 24 • Realex 12/22 • Midi Station 12/54 DECENTRALISED (in Brussels Capital Region) • City Docks • Erasme • Triomphe 1

65 77 29

RING AND PERIPHERY (outside Brussels Capital Region) • Gateway • Uplace

77 59

BRABANT WALLON • Axisparc • Collines de Wavre • Courbevoie • Nivaxis • Pal V Building

29 30 77 29 31

The ‘Real Estate Showcase’ guide gives real estate professionals a global view and analysis of the Belgian real estate market. It sets out market trends in terms of letting and sale for oﬃces, retail and logistics estates. The guide describes major town planning schemes and the main projects for oﬃce buildings and shopping centers. It highlights the best practices in property, buildings and workplace management.

The guide identifies the key players in the real estate industry and enlists key suppliers who can assist Belgian real estate developers and investors in achieving their real estate projects. It also provides corporate end-users with key information to find the right partners and advisers to assist them in carrying out their real estate strategy and property management: choice of the perfect location according to the company’s activities, selection of the most suitable and sustainable building, financing and taxation, building fit out and building facilities operations.

52 > 77

TOWN PLANNING

Detailed description of town planning and land development master plans: projects of a ‘district-wide’ size, involving a high degree of mixed use (offices, housing, retail, infrastructure) and integrating sustainability and mobility concerns.

PROPERTY, BUILDINGS & WORKPLACE MANAGEMENT

78 > 89

The Federal State is rationalising the space within its buildings I FMIS as a catalyst for optimal property management I Measuring the state of repair of buildings I Public Private Partnership: FM revolution behind the prison bars I Workplace Occupancy Cost benchmark I Glaverbel building: offices managed like a luxury hotel I

also on www.pro-realestate.be/projects ANTWERP • AP University College • Blue Gate • Cadiz • Eilandje • Kievit • Nieuw Zuid • Porthouse • Antwerp Province house • Spoor Noord • Westkaai • X-Antwerp • ZNA GHENT • Ghelamco Arena • Oude Dokken • Take Off office Park • Tetris Business Park • The Loop • Waalse Krook LEUVEN • Waterview • Tweewaters LIEGE • Au fil de l’eau • Coronmeuse

69 58 71 70 35/37/67 73 71 77 69 71 77 69

41 74 72 73 72/73 77

77 77

• • • • • •

Cristal Park E-Lyge Seraing City Center Tour des Finances Trilogiport Val Benoît

44/77 42 43/77 42 77 43/77

CHARLEROI • Hôtel de Police • Rive Gauche

77 77

NAMUR • Aqualis • L’arc • Le Côté Verre • Port du bon Dieu

77 77 77 77

LA LOUVIERE • La Strada

90 > 107 REAL ESTATE NETWORK

Identify the partners and suppliers who meet your needs FIABCI

GHELAMCO

TECHNUM

FACILICOM

AG REAL ESTATE

ATENOR GROUP

AREMIS

MONS • Au Fil des grands prés • New station district

77 75

CITYDEV.BRUSSELS

97 99

TOURNAI • Ath / La sucrerie

BELGIAN BUILDINGS AGENCY (REGIE DER GEBOUWEN / REGIE DES BATIMENTS)

IFMA (INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FACILITY MANAGEMENT)

100

LOGISTIC ORGANISATION GROUP (L.O.G.)

101

VK ARCHITECTS & ENGINEERS

102

DE CROMBRUGGHE & PARTNERS

104

ANIXTON

108 BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014 5

R Marc Detiffe

Marc Detiffe

Offices I Brussels A self-regulating market still restructuring

Offices I Antwerp Waiting for new projects

Polo_architects

Doc AG real Estate

Art Build-Architects Buelens

6 PRofacility GUIDE 2012

Offices I Ghent Ghent in the winning mood

Offices I Liege Return to normal

REAL ESTATE MARKETS & PROJECTS 40

→→

Art & Build Architects for Unibail-Rodamco

Offices I Mechelen Low activity between Brussels and Antwerp

Retail I Investment & development 2013 An excellent vintage for investments

doc SPI

50 Semi-industrial & Logistics I Market Trends

An encouraging year for owner-occupier transactions

PRofacility GUIDE 2012 7

Offices I Market Trends I BRUSSELS

Market still restructuring A noticeable decrease in take-up characterised 2013, with a total of some 330,000 m² in

Brussels and its periphery, down by 17.5% compared to the previous year and substan-

tially below the ten year average of around 500,000 m² annually. Despite the decrease in take-up, the vacancy level has stabilised at around 10%. Various factors appear to indicate an improvement in the vacancy situation for 2014.

Guibert de Crombrugghe, Managing Director - FRICS de Crombrugghe & Partners

he considerable decrease in take-up is essentially translated by a decrease in the average surface area taken up (around 845 m²), while the number of transactions remained stable compared with 2012. The lack of activity from the public sector also needs pointing out here, as it decreased by almost 35% compared to the previous year. A few sizeable transactions enabled take-up to be less disastrous than it might have been. Among these are 40,500 m² in the Square de Meeus by the European Parliament, 34,000 m² by Deloitte in Gateway at the airport in Zaventem, 17,600 m² by Axa Belgium in Marnix 1. Despite this decrease in take-up, vacancy has stabilised at around 10% for the whole of the Brussels market. While it has remained low in the central districts (6.4%) – which is a positive factor in view of the fact that these districts account for almost three quarters of the stock – vacancy continues to hover around very high levels – some 22% – on the periphery.

Patrizia Tortolani, Economist - MRICS de Crombrugghe & Partners

There are many signs which appear to point to an improvement in vacancy for 2014: an improvement in the economic situation, even if it remains fragile, greater demand from the national and international public sectors, along with the low level of new buildings set to come to the market in 2014 (just 39,000 m² which is not yet pre-let). Quality buildings remain the most sought-after by occupants and investors but they are few and far between and this situation is not expected to improve until after 2016. Transactions in view for the public authorities Public demand is a reality as demonstrated by the office needs recently announced by the European Commission. These are set to total almost 200,000 m² by 2020 (of which 50.000 m² in 2014 and 2015). Actiris is looking for 25,000 m² in order to bring a maximum of its services together. And the needs of the Flemish Community amount to some 30,000 to 40,000 m².

8 BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014

This demand, however, will be counter-balanced by the space (often obsolete as is the case for a good number of buildings occupied by the European Commission) which these occupants will vacate in favour of more modern and rational space. The choice of certain buildings seems to have already been fixed. Actiris is thought to have already selected the Astro Tower close to the Place Madou and the Flemish Community is believed to have put its faith in the Meander project at Tour & Taxis. Structural vacancy These forecasts need to be seen in context, however: of the 10% of vacancy, 7% can be considered as structural because it involves buildings which have been on the market for more than three years (and of which 20% have been on the market for over seven years!). And although the vacancy level in the central districts is low, the structural vacancy here is more substantial – 63% – than in the decentralised districts where it stands at 56%. This situation explains among other things why the incentives offered by owners (rent free periods or rent reductions, participation in tenant fit-out works etc…) are still so common. And the average rental level for the region has also decreased, moving down from €160 /m²/year in 2012 to €150 /m²/year in 2013. 721,000 m2 of offices transformed – mostly into housing Converting office buildings to other uses represents an alternative and this trend has been observed to be on the increase since 2007, as the annual average virtually doubled between 2007 and 2012, with some 128,000 m² of buildings transformed in 2012 alone!. The Office Property Observatory published by Citydev.Brussels estimates that from 1997 to 2012, around 721,000 m² of offices have been converted to other uses, of which 65% to housing. This represents an annual average of some 45,000 m²/year over the past 16 years (excluding 2013). Not all obsolete buildings can be converted however, and their location also plays a part in this. Such conversion would be difficult to imagine for buildings located in peripheral business parks, for example.

Economic impact of the COBRACE Alongside the growing trend for rationalisation and reduction of office space per employee, the office market is having to face up to a new threat. Since January 1st 2014, the new regulation relating to the number of parking spaces authorised when urban permits are renewed has been in force. In order to eliminate the distortion between the car parking spaces of new and existing buildings, the law of May 2nd 2013 involving ‘the Brussels Air, Climate and Energy Use Code’ (known as COBRACE) allows for an extension of the RRU charter. This authorises a certain number of parking spaces depending on floor space, accessibility by public transport and location, for existing buildings via environmental permits. In other words, each time an environmental permit is prolonged, if the number of parking spaces exceeds the permitted threshold, the holder of the permit has to eliminate some parking spaces and allocate the space to other uses: either make the parking spaces available to the public, or keep the excess spaces and pay an annual environmental charge which will depend on the zone where the office building is located, for each supplementary space. It is clear that this measure will have a not inconsiderable economic impact. Faced with these numerous changes, it is hardly surprising that the other market segments are nibbling away and gaining extra market share every year and are positioning themselves as an interesting alternative for investors. But quality buildings offering high revenue security still remain highly sought-after.

Increase in investments By contrast with the previous year, the investment market is showing signs of the beginnings of a recovery, especially on the office market which recorded an increase of almost 43 %, with almost € 1,248,000.000 invested in offices, while the retail and residential markets fell back in terms of investment. Nevertheless, the positive figures with regard to amounts invested in offices are above all due to a number of large transactions of over € 100,000,000 rather than to an increase in the number of transactions (which remained more or less stable compared to 2012). In 2013, the star transactions on the Brussels market involved the transfer of the shares of RAC I (owner of the first phase of Belair) to Hannover Leasing and its Chinese partner, the taking of a stake by Belfius Insurance in the companies which hold the Pole Star and North Light towers (GDF Suez Towers) and the acquisition by Befimmo of the Blue Tower.This transaction has been finalized begin 2014 when the building has been delivered. Guibert de Crombrugghe Managing Director, FRICS n Patrizia Tortolani Economist, MRICS n

Upcoming public demand is a reality as demonstrated by Actiris which is looking for 25,000 m² in order to bring a maximum of its services together. It is thought to have already selected the Astro Tower close to the Place Madou. The outlook of the Astro tower will be redesigned by Altiplan Architects and Estudio Lamela from Madrid. Art & Build Architects together with Global will take care of the workspace management and inside fit out

BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014 9

Offices I Market Trends I Brussels

Market Analysis and maj o (Pentagon)

A sought after zone This takes in the whole of the zone contained within the inner ring road and is characterised by an excellent mix of functions and services as well as excellent accessibility by public transport, which represents an overriding criterion in selecting a location, particularly for the large institutions and public administrations. The principal occupants to be found here are Belgian financial groups, ministries and private companies.

The Treurenberg project in the proximity of Central Station and of the Royal Park is in the course of being optimised and pre-certified, with the objective of becoming a ‘Zero Energy’ building and Breeam ‘Excellent’.

No new major project was announced during 2013. The principal projects underway or planned are for the most part total renovations. Among these is the Bel Air project (the former State Administrative Centre) of which the first phase has just been delivered and sold to Hannover Leasing and its Chinese partner Ginkgo Tree Investments for an amount estimated to be € 315,000,000.

It will be recalled that Bel Air I comprises around 68,000 m² of offices and that the Belgian Buildings Agency has taken an 18 year lease in two stages (2010 and 2012), to accommodate the headquarters of the Federal Police. Facing the vast open-air plaza of the former Administrative Center, the 9-storey C de Ligne building is still offering 9,592 m2 for rent on the market. When the second phase – whose completion is estimated to be 2016 – is completed, the site will offer 150,000 m² made up, among others, of 43,000 m² of housing, 5,000 m² of retail space and 19,000 m² of public facilities including a school and a crèche. The definitive programme will probably be defined during the course of the year. The Belair project benefits from a high level technical specification and from BREEAM ‘Very Good’ certification. The second large scale project is Chambon, which schedules, by the middle of 2015, the converting of the former historic and prestigious CGER headquarters located on the Rue Fossé aux Loups, into a mixed use complex including 220 apartments, 11,500 m² of offices, 134 student flats, 199 parking spaces and some shops. And finally, the Treurenberg project developed by Axa Belgium, in the proximity of Central Station and of the Royal Park, will comprise some 10,000 m² of offices. It is in the course of being optimised and pre-certified, with the objective of becoming a ‘Zero Energy’ building and Breeam ‘Excellent’. This is a landmark project which will constitute a reference on the market. Works started in July 2013 and are scheduled to be completed in June 2015.

Other projects are also in the pipeline. Among these, the De Ligne project now developed by AG real estate (approx. 35,000 m²) for which a concrete project, following the departure of Dexia, remains uncertain. A renovation project has been in the picture for five years and a permit was obtained in 2011 for the reconstruction of 35,000 m² of offices here. A less profound renovation of the building has also been alluded to.

10 BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014

aj or projects by business district

Results 2013 - Market dashboard : 14,380,000 m² of offices key fiGures

centre

Midi

leopold

north

louise

decentralised

Periphery

Stock

2,375,000

510,000

3,467,000

1,657,000

860,000

3,212,000

2,300,000

Percentage

16,5%

3,5%

24,1%

11,5%

6,0%

23,3%

16,0%

49,4%

21,7%

24,4%

15,7%

47,9%

35,2%

12,8%

Vacancy level**

5,0%

5,2%

6,5%

6,0%

10,5%

12,0%

22,0%

Prime rents*

235

195

285

185

210

165

165-125

Prime yields

6,25%

6,50%

6,25%

6,50%

6,25%

7,0%

8,5%

of total stock Proportion of second hand bildings

Strong and week points of the various districts of the Brussels Capital Region Advantageous ﬁscal regime

Acces by public transport

Quality of stock

Presence of facilities

Presence of green areas

++ Excellent

+ Good

= Average

- Bad

-- Very bad

* Prime rent : best rent obtained

** Vacancy level : % of oﬃce space immediately available

Sources: de Crombrugghe & Partners + Expertise News / Citydev.brussels 2014 Report ‘Oﬃce Property Observatory

BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014 11

Offices I Market Trends I Brussels

Louise District

Inoccupation due to second generation buildings This mixed use district is located along the Avenue Louise to the south of the inner beltway and comprises generally older office buildings (over 50% are more than 15 years old), housing, some top of the range retailing, hotels and restaurants. It is largely small and medium private companies which have located here, along with law firms and consultants, attracted amongst others by the proximity of the law courts. The large proportion of ‘old-fashioned’ buildings doubtless explains one of the highest vacancy levels of the central districts, close to 10.5%, and the policy of the City which, over recent years, has been more oriented towards converting office buildings to residential use.

refitting of the South Station, have turned it into an office zone in its own right. This district is continuing to mutate, as a new Masterplan for the district around South Station is being drawn up. On September 25th last year, the Brussels Region designated the architectural bureau AUC of Parisian planner Djamel Klouche as project manager for this Masterplan. Even though it is not yet definitive, the first version already shows the major lines and the concept of Djamel Kouche, creating a ‘living station’ in which residential accommodation predominates and office space is reduced. This Masterplan would have the effect of changing the situation for the majority of projects underway which will therefore have to be revised.

Where the Victor project is concerned, whose developer Atenor has lodged a planning request, the Masterplan envisages 60,000 m² of offices and The E-Lite project (7,000 m² of offices) is one of 35,000 m² of housing in place of the 110,000 m² the large projects in the district. Its objective is the of offices originally envisaged. total renovation and transformation of the former Bayer headquarters into a sustainable building The SNCB has also had to review its Fonsny which will be certified both Valideo and Breeam campus project which would now only be able (minimum of ‘Very Good’). At the end of 2013, to comprise 80,000 m² of offices on the Rue de the project was already 60% pre-let. Volkswagen Fonsny side. When it vacates its premises on Group Services took possession of its offices at the France-Bara site, the building will have to the end of November 2013 under a nine year be allocated to a mainly residential function and lease. Knight Frank was the next to install its new accommodate at least 40,000 m² of residential offices, and the project has since been delivered. accommodation. As for the V-shaped station project by architect Jean Nouvel, this will be abandoned for financial reasons.

South (Midi) District

New Masterplan This district is located around the South Station, and has greatly developed over the past twenty years. Its numerous new developments, combined with the arrival of the TGV and the complete

The new perspective for the district around South Station drawn up by the French architecture bureau AUC. 12 BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014

These matters are expected to move quickly because these options form part of the first phase of work, planned for 2018-2020 and for which a PPAS (Specific Ground Use Plan) will provide a legal framework.

offices I Property to let I

The Louise Centre

THE LOUISE CENTRE Avenue Louise 279 - Brussels

Developer AXA Belgium Architects Surface area to let

GS3 Architects 3,125 m²

Parking spaces 40 Certified Breeam ‘Excellent’

In order to integrate a complete environmental dimension, improve the wellbeing of users and optimise the use of natural resources, The Louise Centre was refurbished with enhanced environmental features. The renovation focused mainly on optimising the running of the building, reducing energy consumption and giving it a contemporary look. Today, The Louise Centre offers its occupants a new standard of design and performance with BREEAM ‘Excellent’ certification. Ideally located in the heart of Brussels, on the prestigious Avenue Louise, in an upmarket and commercial district, The Louise Centre also offers a great many services and facilities in the immediate vicinity.

For further information about letting possibilities, please contact

The new facade contributes to giving it greater visibility and provides it with a strong, contemporary and dynamic identity. The Louise Centre is particularly well served by public transport. A large network of metros, trams, bus, carsharing facilities and bicycle hire is accessible from the building. The proximity of Brussels South and Central stations provides easy access to TGV, Eurostar and Thalys services. Major road and motorway networks also contribute to excellent accessibility.

A real estate development of AXA Belgium

Offices I Market Trends I Brussels

North District

The Flemish Community has confirmed its interest in installing its 2,600 civil servants in the Meander project on the Tour & Taxis site.

the timing remains difficult to estimate. Just recently, the Flemish Community has confirmed its interest in installing its 2,600 civil servants in the Meander project (42,000 m²) on the site. Although not yet formalised, this project is in pole position among the four buildings in the frame (the three others being the Brussels Tower, the Silver Tower and WTC IV). Through its specific architectural style made up of a number of volumes and with a façade of almost 50 m, it will become a landmark building of Brussels.

Large scale projects in the pipeline This is the second most important business district in the capital after Leopold. It is a modern district, located just outside the Pentagon, around the Boulevard Albert II, between the Avenue du Port and the North Station. This district benefits from a good network of public transport facilities. Companies located in the North District are from various sectors, and generally have need of substantial amounts of office space. The public sector still represents a substantial proportion. ‘Silver Tower’, a new 33,000 m² tower of 27 Its development potential remains impressive as floors, which is set to overlook the current headquarters of AG Real Estate (Botanic Building). witnessed by the numerous projects underway. The developer, AG Real Estate Development, The redevelopment of the Tour & Taxis site is believed to be waiting to find an occupant schedules some 148,000 m² of offices, although before launching the project, which will therefore have less impact on vacancy in the district. In the meantime AG has lodged a modified permit request for an extension of 8,000 m².

‘Brussels Tower’ (the former Belgacom TBR tower): this project, for which a permit has been granted, consists of the renovation and extension of the existing tower, built in the 70’s. In total, the building will comprise almost 63,000 m², in a Z-shape. The project has been drawn up by Immobel and Vastgoed Ruimte Noord (KBC Real Estate) and will be 80 m high.

The WTC IV tower, will alone account for 55,000 m² (of which 47,000 m² without the podium unit) and for which the building and environmental permits have been granted. This building will be one of the first large scale passive buildings in Brussels. Its construction will not be started speculatively, however, and owner, Befimmo is looking for large potential tenants whose objectives are in the 2016-2018 range. The UP-Site project developed by Atenor on a 1.2 hectare site, located on the canal bank at the level of Quai des Armateurs, opposite Tour & Taxis. This project schedules retail space (some 1,970 m²), and around 29,600 m² of offices. There will also be around 48,450 m² of housing of which 36.100 m² in the 42 storey tower which is currently being completed. To these projects can be added: the conversion of the Noord Building (40,000 m²) which is set to be vacated by its current occupant during 2017 and for which a permit request should be lodged by Befimmo in the coming months. AG Real Estate is planning the conversion of the former B-Post site along the canal whose 17,680 m² of constructions are earmarked for demolition. The site has a construction potential of 28,000 m² according to 14 BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014

the conditions of the PPAS. study and the recent adoption of the RRUZ. The project has been downsized to 29,000 m² Urban regulations defined to enable of offices and will include some residential further developments accommodation. Works will begin once the permit The Leopold district is the most important business is granted, expected in the second half of this year. district in the capital. It is essentially the European institutions which occupy this district, along with Black Pearl (the former headquarters of Euler the major national ministries, and certain Belgian Hermes). This project, currently being finalized, and foreign company headquarters. The presence is located at Rue Montoyer 15 and consists of the of the European Parliament and Council of demolition/ reconstruction of an office building Ministers only serves to strengthen its attraction. so that it will meet current energy norms and will It has the advantage of an excellent network of have a surface area of around 12,000 m². Delivery public transport, and is in particular served by is expected for September 2014. the Luxembourg and Schuman railway stations, enabling immediate connections with the entire national and international network, as well as with the TGV terminals.

Leopold (European) District

It will be recalled that the Projet Urbain Loi (PUL) was adopted in January 2011 with a view to redeveloping the European district. The perimeter of the PUL extends to 10 blocks located along the Rue de la Loi and is currently home to around 560,000 m² of offices. It imposes new planning regulations for any new construction or renovation project, such as new building frontages, a mix of functions and a new total surface area to ground area ratio of 8, which will be applied to all of the lots within the perimeter, implying that certain buildings may be able to be extended. On December 12th 2013, the government of the Brussels-Capital Region definitively adopted the Zoned Regional Planning Regulation (RRUZ) for the perimeter of the Rue de la Loi and its surrounds (entry into force on 09/02/2014), and also drew up a Specific Ground Use Plan (PPAS) and has also decided to the drawing up of a Specific Ground Use Plan (PPAS). The RRUZ provides the Projet Urbain Loi with a precise and regulated framework and will cover the future development of the zone in question.

The Brussels Europa mixed use project developed by Atenor at the corner of the Rue de la Loi and the Chaussée d’Etterbeek will include offices, housing and retail.

The Brussels Europa mixed use project developed by Atenor at the corner of the Rue de la Loi and the Chaussée d’Etterbeek will include offices, housing and retail

Some important projects are underway in the district : Brussels Europa. In June 2005, Atenor acquired the Crowne Plaza Brussels Europa hotel in order to transform it into a mixed, high quality complex. Located at the corner of the Rue de la Loi and the Chaussée d’Etterbeek, this mixed use project will include offices, housing and retail. A modified permit request has been lodged by Atenor, in particular in light of the conclusions of the impact BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014 15

The PPAS will translate the stipulations of the RRUZ within each lot, will define the usage and the landscaping objectives, along with a strategy for laying out and managing the public and private open areas. Setting up a legal framework will enable the projects located within the perimeter of the PUL to receive a new stimulus.

Offices I Market Trends I Brussels

Cofinimmo has finally received the required planning and environment permits for the construction of this new office building with a surface area of around 17,700 m² on the corner of the Rue de la Science 15-17 and the Rue Belliard.

Trebel, at the corner of the Rue de Trèves and the Rue Belliard. This Atenor project consists of the demolition and reconstruction of a new 30,000 m² office building which has received a BREAAM ‘Excellent’ pre-evaluation. In 2012, the European Parliament reached an agreement with the developer for the acquisition of the project once it is completed. Works began in the spring of 2013 and are set to last until 2016. Science 15-17. Cofinimmo has finally received the required planning and environment permits for the construction of this new office building with a surface area of around 17,700 m² on the corner of the Rue de la Science and the Rue Belliard. Cofinimmo has the objective of constructing a passive building offering a level of energy consumption of E45 and a level of thermal insulation of K35 and is targeting BREEAM ‘Very Good’ certification.

Realex. Located on the Rue de la Loi, alongside the Brussels Europa project, this site of a little over half a hectare will offer more than 44,000 m² of mixed development, including an office tower completed by conference rooms, a retail zone, apartments, a car park and a vast public area. Works are not scheduled to begin before 2015.

Decentralised

Contrasted evolution caused by the diversity of districts This zone includes the other districts located within the 19 communes of Brussels. It is less homogenous and office buildings zones are concentrated along the major thoroughfares, such as the Chaussée de La Hulpe, Boulevard du Souverain, Boulevard de la Plaine, Boulevard du Triomphe and Boulevard de la Woluwe. The performance of these districts depends among others on their accessibility by public transport and on their environment. The districts located to the south of Brussels (Auderghem, Ixelles, etc.) continue to attract occupants. They benefit from good accessibility and a green environment. The other decentralised districts suffer from poorer accessibility and from direct competition from the periphery, as demonstrated by the move at the end of 2012 of Levi Straus (5,700 m²) and in 2013 ING Life & Non Life (5,400 m²) into Airport Plaza.

16 BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014

Few new projects have been delivered or are expected in 2014, which is the result of a degree of caution from developers where these districts are concerned, and which has enabled the vacancy level to drop to around 12%, although there is a wide discrepancy between districts. Where offices are concerned, the only projects in view over the short term are the delivery in the spring of this year of the Triomphe I building of almost 12,000 m² and whose renovation was started by Befimmo in May 2013, along with the delivery in 2015 of the ‘Veridis’ project by Banimmo in Auderghem whose 6,600 m² of low energy offices are being built to suit for Marsh which has leased the building for 15 years from 2015. The 200,000 m² project located on the Avenue du Bourget and destined for the new headquarters of NATO, is following its course and should be completed at the beginning of 2016 if it encounters no further delays. However, there have been reports in the press that the Belgium-Luxembourg consortium of BAM Alliance, which is carrying out the major structural works, has asked for a further nine months (along with an extra € 245.000.000) in order to finish the project. This information has not yet been able to be confirmed. It should also be pointed out that AXA Belgium has confirmed that when its lease runs out in 2017, it will leave its current premises located on the Boulevard du Souverain at WatermaelBoitsfort. Owner Cofinimmo is thus preparing to rehabilitate this de 11 hectare site with its 57,000 m² of offices. The option of a conversion to residential use is being considered.

Ring and Periphery

Principal developments in the Periphery South This zone, located outside of the Brussels Capital Region and which takes in those communes alongside the Ring (Machelen, Zaventem, Waterloo etc.), has grown considerably since the 80’s with the development of numerous office parks. This first took place around the airport at Zaventem (Keiberg, Airway Park, Airport Business Center, Ikaros, Airport Plaza, Astra Gardens, and later Pegasus, Corporate Village, Airport Plaza) which is thus a zone in its own right, and then extended towards more distant zones such as Waterloo, Braine l’Alleud, La Hulpe, Hoeilaert, etc. (Parc de l’Alliance, Waterloo Office Park, Collines de Wavre, and more recently Axis Park etc.).

The major attraction of this zone was originally to be found in more competitive rents than in the city centre, allied to a more advantageous fiscal regime. The major problem remains access to these parks, less well served by public transport and with a road network often congested at peak hours even though a genuine effort to improve the transport network is to be observed, especially at Zaventem where since 2012 the new Diabolo train service has been providing more rapid access between the north of the country and Brussels National airport. This zone has performed fairly well in terms of take-up, maintaining a level similar to that of the previous year. The area around the airport is attracting interest once again, with improved mobility clearly playing a part in this. There are few new projects in the Periphery North, with the exception of ‘Gateway’, the new development by Codic and Immobel and which will offer some 30,000 m² of offices to Deloitte from 2016, the date when the project should be complete. This project constitutes the first phase of the development of the ‘Airport Village’ project which schedules the gradual installation of offices, meeting rooms and conference centres over a total surface area of 400,000 m². Most new developments are concentrated in the Periphery South (Brabant Wallon), including notably the first phase of Axisparc at MontSaint-Guibert (11,000 m²) – delivery scheduled in 2014 – phase IV of the Collines de Wavre (10,000 m²) – delivery scheduled in 2015, Nivaxis (Axisparc Nivelles (22,000 m²) – permit requested), building V of the Parc de l’Alliance (5,900 m²) - permit granted.

Guibert de Crombrugghe Managing Director, FRICS n Patrizia Tortolani, Economist, MRICS n

BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014 17

OFFICES I MARKET I brussels I

5 © Marc Detiffe

8 18 BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014

Prime offices to let Here we present a selection of prime buildings located in Brussels and its periphery which have office space to let. This selection made end of April 2014 enlist properties having immediate availability for office space with a minimum of 5,000 m2 or more. The list is by no means exhaustive, and has been compiled from information supplied by the letting agents, or agents, mentioned who advised us of their mandates. Other ‘joint mandates’ from other agencies may be in place. For an updated information, please refer to these letting agents websites.

NAME

ADDRESS

state Key E

Allten

JLL

Properties are classified by business district

Cushm

CBRE

an & W akefie

• Allten: allten.be • CBRE: www.cbre.be/be • Cushman & Wakefield: www.cushwake.be • JLL: www.joneslanglasalle.be • Key Estate: www.keyestate.be

CENTRE •

Centre Etoile

12-21 boulevard Bischoffsheim -1000 Brussels

13,600 m2

Alhambra

20 Boulevard Jacqmain - 1000 Brussels

10,640 m

Pépinière

20 Rue de la pépinière - 1000 Brussels

6,650 m2

• •

•

EUROPEAN DISTRICT •

Belmont Court

55, rue Belliard – 1040 Brussels

19,800 m2

Arts Lux

58 avenue des Arts - 1000 Brussels

11,270 m

Pericles

21-25 Rue de la Science - 1040 Brussels

8,600 m2

Da Vinci

95-107 Avenue de Cortenbergh - 1000 Brussels

6,620 m2

Art Building

20 Avenue des Arts - 1000 Brussels

5,600 m2

Botanic Tower

1 Square Victoria Regina - 1000 Brussels

23,800 m2

Zenith

37 Boulevard. du Roi Albert II - 1030 Brussels

14,000m2

•

North Plaza B

7 Boulevard du Roi Albert II - 1210 Brussels

14,650 m

•

North Plaza A

7 Boulevard du Roi Albert II - 1210 Brussels

9,820 m

•

Eolis

13-15 Square Sainctelette - 1000 Brussels

8,600 m

•

110 Chaussée de Charleroi - 1060 Brussels

7,790 m2

•

Blue Star

6 -10 rue du planeur - 1130 Haren

10,160 m2

•

Woluwe Heights

110 Avenue des Communautés - 1200 Brussels

8,830 m2

Parc Newton

13-15 rue Henri-Joseph Genesse -1070 Brussels

5,540 m2

Pegasus Park

6 De Kleetlaan - 1831 Diegem

12,000 m2

•

The Lighthouse

5-7 telecomlaan - 1831 Diegem

11,950 m2

•

Airway Park

23 lozenberg - 1930 Zaventem

8,340 m2

Airport Plaza

Vuurberg - 1831 Diegem

7,970 m2

Twin Squares

1 culliganlaan - 1831 Diegem

7,820 m

The Hub

9 telecomlaan - 1831 Diegem

6,480 m

Nysdam Office Park

92 avenue Reine Astrid - 1310 La Hulpe

7,000 m2

•

Watson Crick Hill

11 rue Granbonpré - 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve

6,000 m

•

Pal V - Parc de l’Alliance

avenue de Norvège - 1420 Braine-L’Alleud

5,900 m2

•

open mandate

•

• •

•

NORTH DISTRICT 4

open mandate

•

LOUISE Trio

•

DECENTRALISED

•

• + open mandate

CITYDEV.BRUSSELS

PERIPHERY NORTH

• •

•

• •

+ DTZ

• •

PERIPHERY SOUTH 8

• + open mandate

BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014 19

OFFICES I PROJECTS I BRUSSELS CENTRE I

Treurenberg

Corner of Rue Treurenberg and Place de Louvain, 1000 Brussels AXA Belgium ASSAR Architects 9,800 m2 59 June 2015 JLL / CBRE

Owner and developer Architect Surface area Parking spaces Completion Real estate broker

The 8-storey Treurenberg office project is located in the historical business district of Brussels, a few steps from the Central Railways Station and a block away from the Royal Park. The 9,800 m2 project , developed by AXA Belgium and designed by ASSAR Architect, is the result of a design competition for the reconstruction of the site. Sustainability is a focus with as objective to be a net zero energy project. The building is certified excellent under the BREEAM standards. Triple-glazing and 1,134 m2 photo-voltaic cells are only a couple of energy efficient and sustainable features. Original Brussels city walls hidden for decades behind the existing obsolete project will be restored and incorporated into the overall Treurenberg design concept and those essential heritage elements will then be seen by the public from the street when the project is completed.

C de Ligne

Rue de Ligne, 1000 Brussels

20 BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014

Developer

RAC 2 (Breevast / Immobel)

Architect

Jaspers-Eyers Architects

Structural engineer

VK Engineering

Service engineer

TPF Engineering - Tractebel - Technum

Surface area

9,592 m2

Storage area

3,645 m2

Parking spaces

Certification

BREEAM “very good”

Completion

June 2014

Located midway between the European district and the center of Brussels, close to the Royal Park and the Rue Neuve shopping street, C de Ligne has excellent access to public transport (bus, tram, metro and train). Facing the vast open-air plaza of the former Administrative Center, the occupants of C de Ligne will also benefit from the adjacent landscaped garden. The 9-storey C de Ligne building will provide 9,592 m2 of fully redeveloped 1960s office space. The 1,197 m2 floor plates will offer a wide range of flexible, 180/90 modular, special configurations and provide space for informal workstations, meeting rooms and relaxation areas. Raised floors and suspended metal ceilings with integrated technical installations (lighting, smoke detectors.) and air circulation via openings in the suspended ceilings are a few of the technical specifications offered by C de Ligne. In addition to providing 35 parking spaces, the basement will provide room for 3,645 m2 of additional storage area for rent.

MORE ON WWW.PRO-REALESTATE.BE/PROJECTS

Chambon

Allfin Jaspers-Eyers Architects 11,500 m² 199 spaces 2014-2016 JLL / CBRE

De Ligne

Developer Architect Office space Parking Delivery Real estate broker

Rue de la Banque 7, 1000 Brussels Developer

AG Real Estate

Architects

Jaspers-Eyers Architects

Service Engineer

VK engineering

Surface area

33.000 m² offices + 6,500 m2 polyvalent surface

Parking

199 spaces

Status

Permit delivered

Real estate broker

JLL / C&W

This project involves the renovation of an historical building at the corner of the rue de Ligne and the rue De la Montagne, and a modern office building of the 1970’s with accompanying underground parking facility mixed use areas, archives and technical rooms. The building is located just behind the main St Michel and Gudule Cathedral, in the historic heart of Brussels just above the Grand Place, with easy access by public transport including the nearby Central railway station. The renovation will enable the building to meet contemporary comfort requirements, technical standards and environmental legislation. Three underground floors can be dedicated to facility services like a company canteen, conference center, archives, copy centre …

Rue Fossé aux Loups, rue d’Argent, rues des Boîteux, rue Montagne aux Herbes Potagères, 1000 Brussels

BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014 21

OFFICES I PROJECTS I EUROPEAN DISTRICT

Realex

Rue de la Loi 101, 1040 Brussels Leaselex Assar Architects 44,000 m² (Offices/conference facilities/ shops/ parkings) Greisch Feltgen start of work to be announced

One of the most truly innovative projects to come to the market will be the Realex, situated in the Rue de la Loi, just a stone’s throw from the Berlaymont building, HQ of the European Commission, right in the heart of the European Quarter of Brussels. The site of just over half a hectare will provide 44,000m² of mixed development, comprising an office tower complete with conference facilities, retail area, parking, and a vast public area covering 50% of the site. Uniquely, for the first time in more than a hundred years, the Quartier Leopold will be endowed with a new public open space, providing a pedestrian and cycle link between the Rue de la Loi and the Rue Jacques de Lalaing. The link between the Rue de la Loi and the valley of the Maelbeek will provide a long awaited opportunity for cyclists and pedestrians to escape from the intense traffic on the Rue de la Loi and rapidly join the Park Leopold, and the Place Jourdan to the south, or the Maelbeek Park and the Square Ambiorix to the north. Within the guidelines of the PUL masterplan designed by Christian de Portzamparc, Assar Architects have designed for Realex a ‘new face’ in complete contrast with the otherwise monotonous character of the street. The specifications of the project will be to the highest level attainable and will constitute the new benchmark in space and energy efficiency in line with the latest EC objectives for sustainability.

Brussels Europa

Chaussée d’Etterbeek and the Rue de la Loi, 1000 Brussels Atenor Group BURO II & ARCHI +I approx. 29,000 m²

Architects BURO II & ARCHI +I for Atenor

Developer Architects Total Office space

22 BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014

Rendering © ASSAR ARCHITECTS

Developer Architect Surface area Structural engineer Servicies Engineer Delivery

Located in the heart of the European district, the Brussels Europa real estate project fits in with a logic of redevelopment of a district marked by more mixing of functions and friendliness. Entrusted to the architectural and urban planning firm Buro II & Archi+i, the project is reliant upon the evolution of the PUL. In 2005, Atenor Group’ purchased the hotel Crowne Plaza Brussels Europa. Objective of the operation: in the end, reconvert the hotel into a high-quality mixed real estate complex, an example of the principle of mixed urban functions (employment, housing and shops) which will respond to the demands of sustainable development and of a compact, dense city.

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Rue Belliard / Rue de la Science 15-17, 1000 Brussels Cofinimmo Art & Build Architects 20,000 m2 Building and Environmental Permit delivered 2016

Developer Architect Surface area Status Delivery

Located at the intersection of the rue Bélliard and the rue de la Science, the design of the building intelligently interprets ‘set-back’ guidelines, with planning permission submitted in June 2011 & obtained in spring 2014. The inclusion of a generous piazza on the road side of the ground floor enables a convivial entrance gesture at the heart of the rue Bélliard. From the first preliminary sketches, the designers chose to shift the main building’s volume from the corner upwards toward the centre of the structure, giving rise to a five storey atrium. The concept provides a welcome transparency on the pedestrian level and a widened perspective view towards the centre of the block, with green spaces brought to the fore. The building program includes a mixture of retail and office spaces, with the two lateral blocks housing the retail facilities. Some 20,000 m2 will be built, exactly replacing the current built area. This project is a first and important step towards the transformation of Brussels’ European quarter as outlined by numerous local authorities including the PRD, PCD, PDI and PUL. The design targets a ‘passive’ label and aims at BREEAM’s “excellent” certification, and has been recognised as an “Exemplary Building” according to the Brussels Capital Region Environment Ministry.

Rendering © ASSAR ARCHITECTS

Sience 15-17

Black Pearl

15 Rue Montoyer, 1000 Brussels Developer

Immobel

Architect

Art & Build

Stability and

Bagon – TPF group

Special techniques

VK Engineering

Surface area

11,500 m² + vast archives area in basement -2 (3,000 m2)

Parking

55 spaces

Delivery

End 2014

Real estate broker

JLL / C&W

Located in the Brussels CBD in the European district, the 8-storey Black Pearl has been designed to meet all of the requirements of companies, associations and other bodies wishing to meet their strategic, financial and social objectives. The philosophy behind the architecture is to break away from the traditional ‘concrete blocks’ of Brussels European district. Black Pearl features a contrasting architectural style in both colour and form, juxtaposing the black tint of the masonry with large, glazed bright areas. Even the car-park entrance is designed to blend with this attractive architecture, and to give the driver the feeling of entering into the building, not just descending out of sight below it. Features of the building include an extremely high level input of natural daylight, peripheral office areas with central service zones, a ‘duplex’ treatment of the floors for added airiness, informal areas for human communication, intelligent reactive lighting and intelligent, flexible temperature regulation. These elements have led to Black Pearl being named as winner in the ‘Brussels Exemplary Buildings 2012’ scheme and to BREEAM ‘Excellent’ certification. BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014 23

OFFICES I PROJECTS I EUROPEAN DISTRICT

Mérode Developer Architect Surface area Parking Delivery

P&V Insurances DDS & Partners 12,800 m² (above ground) 143 spaces End 2014

Real estate broker

CBRE / JLL / C&W / PNB Parisbas

Belliard 65

Rue d’Arlon - Rue Belliard, 1000 Brussels Developer Architect Special engineering Stability engineering Acoustic engineering Suface area Status

Axa Belgium Archi2000 Matriciel bST Venac 6,527 m² Permit requested

This project is a total renovation of an office building comprising a ground floor and 7 upper floors. It schedules the complete stripping of the building with the existing structure retained. Where energy performance is concerned, the project is designed to be a ‘Nearly Zero Energy Building’ (NZEB) via renewable energy production, and is aiming to obtain BREEAM Excellent certification. Once renovated, the building will total 6,527 m² above ground with 106 parking spaces. The objective is to create very high quality space for rent. Works are set to start in August 2014 and be completed in the summer of 2015.

24 BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014

The European district of Brussels is generally thought of as stretching from the Schuman roundabout towards the historic centre of the city. But there is another, extremely pleasant, district which is equally as close (if not closer) than the Brussels inner beltway. This is where the location of Mérode becomes such an advantage. A short walk across the ‘Cinquantenaire’ park, or one stop by metro, takes you from the building right to Schuman. And the Avenue de Tervueren itself is widely held to be the one of the most elegant avenues in Brussels, with the Cinquantenaire at one end and the Parc de la Woluwe at the other. The stretch of the Avenue on which Mérode is located also provides a wide range of shopping and restaurant facilities for occupants.The total surface area of Mérode is close to 13,000 m² spread in one main 10-floor building and a 2 level rear building. The high level renovation is set to attract BREEAM ‘Very good’ certification.

Avenue de Tervueren, 1040 Brussels

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Guimard 10

Rue Guimard 10-12, 1040 Brussels Owner & developer Architect Surface area Delivery

Cofinimmo LD2 Architecture 10,796 m² (above ground) June 2015

The Rue Guimard is located in the Leopold (European) district of Brussels, alongside the inner beltway. It is therefore very easily reached by car and by metro, with the South station and its national and international train services around 5 minutes away. Guimard 10 is to undergo a total renovation undertaken by owner Cofinimmo, in particular to improve its environmental performance. A twin-level entrance will be something of a statement and will offer greater visibility to this corner building. Guimard 10 is set to offer almost 11,000 m² of office space in this much sought-after location.

Regent 35

Boulevard. du Régent 35 /Rue de la Loi 13, 1000 Brussels Cimmoregent

Architect

Archi 2000

Surface area

7,315 m²

Parking

37 spaces

Delivery

Q4 -2014

Developer

Regent 35 is a project involving the demolition of a 19th century townhouse, which will then be replaced by a modern office building of ground floor plus five upper floors and two recessed floors configuration. There will be a total surface area above ground of 7,315 m2. Regent 35 occupies a prime location on the corner of the Rue de la Loi and Boulevard du Régent, less than 100 metres from the Royal Park and the Belgian parliament. This location is at the junction of the European/Leopold district and the city centre. The objectives of the developer revolve around optimal flexibility and efficiency, workspace comfort, energy economy, the office/circulation routes ratio, along with pleasant and efficient car park.

BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014 25

OFFICES I PROJECTS I BRUSSELS NORTH

WTC IV Tower

Boulevard du Roi Albert II 24, 1000 Brussels Developer Fedimmo Architect

Jaspers- Eyers Architects

Engineering

Greisch bGroup / VK Engineering / Felgen Engineering

Surface area

55.890 m²

Parking spaces

211 car spaces + 282 bike spaces + 6 motor bike

Certification

BREEAM Outstanding + Batex 2012

Status

Building permit introduced

Completition 2015/2016 CBRE / JLL / C&W / PNB Parisbas

The World Trade Center towers I, II, III and IV, North Galaxy, together with the Belgacom Towers, form the anchor crossroad of the Espace Nord, the highrise business district of downtown Brussels. The area was first envisioned in the 1960’s within the framework of an urban master plan and the World Trade Center IV (WTC IV) is part of the original central eight-tower concept proposed in 1967. The 55,887 m² WTC IV will be built within an existing infrastructure and urban master plan. It will, however, introduce to the ensemble the most advanced techniques in terms of master planning, landscaping and sustainability. While the 29-storey 102-metre high WTC IV tower will have the same dimensions as the other seven towers already completed, the net office area will be higher. In addition to an array of sustainable techniques such as 1,230 m2 of photo-voltaic cells applied all along the façades with an additional 620 m2 located on the roof, hanging gardens and a central rooftop landscaped patio will be integrated within the 9-storey podium. In addition to providing more useable areas with particularly large 3,863 m² floor plates, the new low-rise wing will allow the high-rise project to form a more coherent urban ensemble together with the lower buildings already completed nearby or scheduled to be built in the coming years.

Real estate broker

Meander

Tour & Taxis, Avenue du Port, 1000 Brussels Developer

Projet T&T NV

Architects

Neutelings Riedijk / Conix RDBM

Surface area

66,500 m²

Status

Building permit introduced

Meander has been designed to be a low-rise building within the vast rehabilitation of the canal zone project called ‘Tour & Taxis’. It will feature an internal street running along the whole length of the building, a feature it will share with the most recognisable building within Tour & Taxis, the renovated Royal Warehouse. This ‘street’ will act as a link for all of the common functions to be found within Meander, such as the restaurant, reception rooms, lounge… There will also be exhibition space and an information area. The offices will be located around internal courtyards which will benefit from a high degree of natural light. At this point, it is believed that Meander may be occupied by a service of the Flemish Region. Within this context, the proximity of North Station around ten minutes away on foot (and in the future to be linked by a new tram line), is an important criterion. 26 BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014

MORE ON WWW.PRO-REALESTATE.BE/PROJECTS

Silver Tower

Place Saint Lazare, 1210 Brussels Developer

AG Real Estate

Architects

Accarain-Bouillot / Atelier d’Architecture de Genval

Surface area

33,000 m²

Status

Permit obtained – start of construction to be announced

Real estate broker

JLL / C&W

Located in the North District and close to the city centre (Place Rogier, Rue Neuve, City 2 shopping centre), with direct access to the North railway station, the Silver Tower is set to represent a new landmark in Brussels. Some 33,000 m² of offices will be spread over 27 floors. The building is designed to respond to the high environmental norms demanded for ‘BREEAM’ certification, and therefore to obtain a ‘Very Good’ or even ‘Excellent’ rating. Silver Tower will contribute to the rehabilitation of this part of Brussels, which will in particular include the future Place Saint-Lazare and boulevard Saint Lazare.

Brussels Tower

1 Boulevard du Roi Albert II, 1000 Brussels Developer

Immobel / KBC Real Estate

Architect

Jaspers- Eyers Architects

Structural engineer

VK engineering

Surface area

63,400 m²

Status

Building permit delivered

This building originally dates from the 70’s – the former TBR Building occupied by the telecom operator Belgacom until 2009. The development will involve a heavy refurbishment of the existing structure with the construction of new additional surface. The outstanding architecture of the building will be in the form of a Z-shaped glazed tower. With the ‘Silver Tower ’project from AG Real Estate at the nearby Place Saint Lazare and on the same boulevard, the WTC 4 project from Fedimmo, the Brussels Tower represents one of the last possible real estate developments in the North District. BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014 27

OFFICES I PROJECTS I BRUSSELS NORTH

Brussels Greenbizz Rue Lefèvre, 1020 Brussels Developer

Citydev.brussels (ex BRDA/SDRB) in partnership with

Impulse (ex-ABE/BAO)

Brussels Environment (IBGE/BIM)

Belgian Building Research Institute (CSTC/WTCB)

Architect

Temporary association of architectural bureaux :

Architectes associés - Setesco – Stockman-FTI – Peutz &

Associés – Cenergie – Health & Safety

Surface Area

Building 1 : Greenbizz 8,219 m2 :

incubator for companies 2,827 m2

+ production workshops 5,392 m2

Building 2 : production workshops 4,500 m2

The project will comprise two buildings set around a new public plaza. One building will accommodate the Brussels Greenbizz project which includes an incubator for companies with an environmental vocation, and production workshops. The other building adjacent to the first, will be used for production workshops (ground floor) and areas for the production of non-material goods (upper floors). The Greenbizz building is funded by the European fund FEDER (approximately 14.4 million Euros), while the other building is financed by a private investor.

Completion 2015/2016

Greenbizz is part of a large-scale redevelopment project called ‘Tivoli Sustainable Neighborhood’ in the north of Brussels, which schedules the building of an eco-district of 450 residential units on a site of almost 4.5 hectares extending from the Rue Lefèvre to the Rue Tivoli and from the Rue de Molenbeek to the Rue Claessens in Laeken. This new publicly funded sustainable neighbourhood will include both housing and economic facilities, and responds to the desire of the public authorities to bring new life to urban areas through mixed function developments. The part of the site to be dedicated to businesses and totalling 12,900 m² will be located along the Rue Lefèvre and will act as a transition between the new residential district and the TIR centre close to Tour & Taxis, thus demonstrating that it is possible to develop a business project in an inhabited zone.

28 BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014

OFFICES I BRUSSELS DECENTRALISED & PERIPHERY SOUTH

Triomphe 1

Boulevard Arnaud Fraiteur 15-23, 1050 Brussels Befimmo

Architects

Orens –Van grimbergen Architects / Samyn & Partners

Engineer

Setesco / Studiebureau Van Reeth

Total surface area

12,115 m2

Delivery

Q2 2014

Real estate broker

CBRE

Owner & developer

Triomphe 1 is located in an office district which runs alongside Brussels Free University and just a minute or so by car from the entrance to the E 411 BrusselsLuxembourg motorway. The lively ‘Ixelles Village’ district is a few minutes’ walk. The Triomphe 1 building is the subject of a major renovation project by owners Befimmo. When completed during the course of this summer, this will provide the striking building with new glazing, a new entrance hall and completely renovated interior fittings. Photovoltaic panels, high efficiency lighting and presence detectors are among elements which are designed to attract BREEAM ‘Very good’ certification.

Rue Fond Cattelain 2, 1435 Mont-Saint-Guibert Developers

Global Construct /

Immobilière des Bruyères

Architects

DSW Architects

Surface area (total)

80,000 m²

New buildings delivered in 2014

10,700 m2

Real estate broker

Allten

Axisparc

Axisparc forms part of the development of this part of the southern periphery of Brussels into a science-based business area. Axisparc offers surface areas from 50 to 1,000 m², suitable for occupation by small workshops, laboratories and offices. Other units will offer larger surface areas (up to 2,500 m²) in a zone more dedicated to business. Along with the buildings themselves, a service centre is provided, offering restaurants and cafes, conference rooms and smaller ‘service’ offices. Axisparc currently comprises 80,000 m² of built area. The third phase of construction of three new buildings with a total surface of 10,000 m2 is set to be completed in 2014. BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014 29

OFFICES I PROJECTS I BRUSSELS PERIPHERY SOUTH

Nivaxis

Global Construct SA DSW Architects

Surface area

20,000 m²

Status

Building permit introduced

Real estate broker

Allten

Based on the success of its Axis Business Park in Mont Saint-Guibert, the real estate developer Global Construct intends to build eleven office buildings with a total surface area of 20.000 m2 in the business park located north of Nivelles city, around 25 km south of Brussels, and with immediate access onto the main E19 Paris-Brussels-Amsterdam motorway. The complex is set to be built in different phases. It will accommodate offices, laboratories and workshops for SME’s. The hightech buildings are designed to be highly flexible, and a service centre with a restaurant, shop, business centre etc. is scheduled to form part of the complex. The delivery of the first buildings is expected for the beginning of 2015. In 2016 a Service center is set to be created by the IBW providing a wide range of services to occupants (catering, meeting rooms, convenience store, …)

Developer Architect

Nivelles North

Collines de Wavre (phase VI) Developer

Codic SA

Architect

Assar, GS Architecture

Structural engineer

VK Engineering

Landscaping

JNC International

Surface area

10,200 m²

Delivery 2015 The Collines de Wavre business park has been an unqualified success ever since developer Codic started it around 17 years ago. Now in its sixth phase, it has benefited from its location in the green southern periphery of Brussels, and represents one of a handful of business parks in this particular region. It is also directly on the E411 Brussels-Namur-Luxembourg motorway, and a minute’s drive from the shops of Wavre centre. A rail link via Ottignies is also close by. The sixth phase comprises three buildings of more or less 3,400 m2 and designed to achieve BREEAM ‘very good’ environmental certification. Throughout the development of this business park, Codic has always paid great attention to landscaping, and the sixth phase will follow the same philosophy.

30 BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014

Rue Fond Cattelain 2, 1435 Mont-Saint-Guibert

offices I Property to let

PAL V Building

Boulevard de France/Avenue de Norvège, 1420 Braine-l’Alleud Developer

AG Real Estate - AXA Belgium

Surface to let

5,900 m²

Architects Parking

Available

A2M

105 in - 69 out July 2015

Certified BREEAM ‘Excellent’ – Passive building

PAL V Building is a new office project located in the Parc de l’Alliance. The Parc de l’Alliance is a unique model in terms of multi-functional business parks, developed by AG Real Estate and AXA Belgium. The park extends to some 60 hectares, with over 150,000 m² dedicated to offices via more than 25 buildings, of which a third have already been built. With exceptional accessibility from the ring road, the site offers an ideal combination of offices and residential accommodation, restaurants and leisure infrastructure. The volumes and materials of PAL V have been selected with a concern for coherence with the existing surrounds while demonstrating restrained and resolutely contemporary architecture.

For further information about letting possibilities, please contact

The building is passive and BREEAM ‘Excellent’, in line with all of our buildings. This results from expertise in the economic, energetic and social aspects of the building. In a word: sustainable. Compared to a classic building, PAL V will consume largely less heating energy and less electricity – all this with elevated levels of comfort. The BREEAM ‘Excellent’ certification indicates that along with the highest level of energy performance, the project includes responsible water management, the use of sustainable and renewable materials etc.

A joint real estate development of

ARCHITECTURE & TOWN PLANNING I BRUSSELS REGION

Guarantee architectural q Olivier Bastin has been the ‘Master Architect’ for the Brussels Region for three years, and his mandate is drawing to a close in 2014. An ideal time to ask him about progress and in particular about the impact of the new passive standard.

ow has the role of the Master Architect evolved over these past three years? On the one hand very well, in the sense that all of the institutions with which we have learned to work – the housing association, the port, the development company, the transport company and so on – have developed very substantial projects with us. And on top of this we have developed a relationship with the federal bodies and in particular for a complex project, the new prison at Haren. And then over the past 3 years the communes have become interested in how we work. In short, therefore, we have twice as much work that which was envisaged at the outset. This is all very positive, and we are certainly not short of work! We have worked on more than 140 projects and they resemble a sort of ‘acupuncture’ on Brussels. On the other hand, less positively, we still lack some political support. It seems to me that some political offices sometimes do not understand what we are for and they tend to keep us away from certain strategic decisions or just bring us in at the last minute which is obviously a problem. We would like them to put this situation right for the next Master Architect, the following mandate. Our mandate is finished at the end of next year. It has sometimes been a ‘struggle for life’ with some politicians. What does your work involve on a daily basis? This is essentially assisting the project owner, our role being to guarantee the architectural quality of the project. We have noted that in public projects the quality of the procedure enables us to achieve good results or not. It is essentially our job to modify the procedures that the project owner has put in place to ensure good results. We have invented three tools to help us do this: good programmes, good procedures and good committees. The ‘good programmes’ part consists of enabling us to anticipate all the problems which the project may come up against during its lifetime – permits, technical problems, administrative problems. This helps the project owner to resolve these issues at the beginning and not expect the architects to resolve them afterwards. Good procedures: this means selecting the best process

32 BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014

for the project in question; a 600 m² building does not require the same procedure as the Haren prison which represents an investment of 300 million Euros! Sometimes the same procedures may apply, but everything has to be analysed. And finally, ‘good committees’ means ‘who decides what’. We organise committees which are just for advice – they do not make the actual decision – that is for the project owner. But a committee with a wide range of skills and experience can really give good advice. If the project owner follows the advice, we are in a continuous process of quality. If he doesn’t, he has to answer for this himself, but up to now we have not had a problem in this respect. Passive legislation is now with us. How does this impact on your work? This has a fairly large impact in the sense that I would say we are currently only at the very early stages of ‘passive’. This is the case for the objectives, the legislation and the means made available, along with the capacity for analysis. Everybody is very new to this, including those who make the regulations, the administrations, the major players such as the architects, and finally the users of the buildings. We don’t yet know very well how they are going to behave in passive buildings. So we are really in a period of experimentation which I believe requires a great deal of caution. I understand that the Minister wished to impose the ‘totally passive’ standard in order to ensure that everyone makes an effort. And it has the benefit of being a clear objective. But now that we have several years of experience I believe it is time to put things into perspective, to bring the obligations more into line with the circumstances. For example, the passive standard is not imposed for renovated buildings, and I believe this to be an intelligent measure. Aiming for low energy and for other types of sustainable development is really to be applauded. I think it is possible to gain at least 30 or 40% in terms of energy use globally. It implies an effort from everybody, and I think the politicians are thinking in this direction too. Good insulation, good closures, simple things like this already constitute a good and fundamental base. For new constructions and in particular for social housing I think that we should start to ask

al quality of projects ourselves questions again about the imposition of the passive standard.

We may gain inspiration from the way things were done in the past, and also develop new ideas.

Have you observed enthusiasm or reticence from the major players for the passive standard? We have observed both. There is an enthusiasm for experimenting with and experiencing new techniques which can have positive repercussions on architecture. This can represent a sort of challenge for architecture to surpass technical constraints. An example of this is the outer shell of buildings, which have become extremely thick – up to 30 centimetres of insulation at least, whereas we were at seven or eight or ten centimetres before. This has resulted in a depth of facades which used to be seen in old buildings made of natural stone with deep window bays…

You will be completing your mandate this year – what advice do you have for your successor? Establish better dialogue with the government and not just with their attachés. In particular establish better dialogue with the office of the Minister-President. Obtain better follow-up of the fundamentals of missions, not just the way they are conducted, by having follow-up committees. I would advise my successor to prolong positive contacts with those involved in mobility in Brussels (public transport company, the relevant administration…) in order to create quality public areas. Make sure the question of housing is handled at government level, not just by one or other of the ministries. And finally, be strong, engage in dialogue, and be patient.

Each technical constraint imposed by the passive standard provides an architectural opportunity.

Tim HARRUP n

This enables us to rediscover this typology, which has many advantages. When it occurs in a crèche, for example, or a public facility, each bay, each window, represents an opportunity to create a little niche, a special little place for the children to sit and play in. So each technical constraint imposed by the passive standard provides an architectural opportunity. And each architect is trying to break away from the traditional solutions – the sun-canopy to the south, no openings to the north… Everyone is being creative in this respect. But the standard also throws up some technical problems such as all the ventilation systems which need to be maintained. If we could create totally passive ventilation systems without any mechanical devices, we would gain a lot. There are areas where we are still in need of more experience – the way we orient the buildings, the way in which the windows open and so on.

BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014 33

Offices I Market Trends I ANTWERP

Waiting for new projects The Antwerp office market is the second largest office market in Belgium after Brussels.

Total stock is estimated at around 1,900,000 m² (excluding Mechelen) representing around 10% of total Belgian office stock. The Antwerp port activities and international trading hub

for diamonds are both important economic drivers. The decision to build the Oosterweel

connection should help to solve the numerous mobility issues but the final planning for the

realisation isn’t clear yet and works could last for almost a decade. In the meantime, the city risks losing attraction due to the lack of new appealing projects and the increasing mobility problems.

Patrizia Tortolani, Economist - MRICS de Crombrugghe & Partners

Pascal Vanhumbeeck Consultant de Crombrugghe & Partners

fter a poor performance in 2012 the Antwerp take up level declined further from just above 100,000 m² in 2012 to around 80,000 m² in 2013. A fall of almost 20%. It was only thanks to a very busy last quarter that Antwerp managed to stay ahead of Ghent. In general all regional cities except Ghent were confronted with a fall in take up. In Antwerp most of the take up was situated in the Ring district (40%) followed by the centre (27%). The Port area and periphery had an equal share of around 15%. In the city centre hardly any transactions above 1,000 m² were observed. The largest transaction in the Ring district was the letting by Argenta of 3,300 m² at the ‘Veldekens’ near Berchem station. In total owner Wereldhave Belgium has now managed to rent more than 5,200 m² spread over several building in this office park. The largest letting transaction in the periphery was completed in Kontich where Veritas rented 3,320 m². Purchases for own use was a trend, alongside regular letting transactions. The purchase of Stadswaag 6 (around 4,000 m²) by the International Academy of Film and Television in the centre district and the purchase by Scouts en Gidsen Vlaanderen (3,300 m²) in the Ring district are two examples. Investments The largest investment transaction on the Antwerp market was clearly the acquisition of the Amca building by Befimmo. This large scale office building of almost 55,000 m² offices and 5.000 m² of archives dates from the early nineties. It is fully occupied by the financial federal administration for a remaining duration of 16 years and represents an investment volume of

34 BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014

110 million Euros. In the center district Baloise Insurance bought the Kievit II office building, currently under construction and pre-let to Electrabel, for an estimated € 30.000.000. In the periphery Banimmo sold its property at the Prins Boudewijnlaan to a private investor. The 5.400 m² office building with related mixed use space of 1.500 m² was acquired by Banimmo in 2007 and later renovated. Stable vacancy thanks to re-conversion and few new projects The limited development and take up levels appear to balance each other, causing little movement in the relatively high vacancy rate (around 11%). Several elements point to a possible decline in vacancy over the coming years. Firstly, no additional deliveries are expected on the market in 2014. Projects currently under construction are for own occupation (Port House and Province House) or pre-let (Kievit II Electrabel). Secondly, it can be observed that, just as in Brussels, some older office buildings that don’t meet the criteria for modern office space are to be transformed, if possible, to a residential destination. The current offices of Electrabel situated on the Mechelsesteenweg (some 15,000 m²) and the ‘Tolhuis’ building (16,000 m²) on the banks of the Schelde in the area of the MAS museum are both likely to receive a new residential destination as they were bought by the residential developers LIFE and Immogra Project Development. The Desguinlei 100 ‘Mercator Building’ (14,000 m²), currently used by the Antwerp Province before moving to their new offices, and bought by Banimmo at the end of 2013, will also be transformed to a residential building.

As a result some 45.000 m² will disappear from office stock. In many cases this is a logical choice when considering the life cycle of the building and the enormous renovation costs on one side, and the uncertain office demand on the other. Although the situation is completely different, as no building exists, the Louise Marie project at the Desguinlei will probably be developed as a residential project instead of the planned office tower. It is a sign that developers believe more in the growth of the residential market as more housing is needed to meet the increasing population in urban regions such as Antwerp.

Projects pipeline Based on the vacancy rate it may be believed that no new developments are necessary but this overall figure needs some nuancing as most of the supply is often located in older buildings that don’t meet current expectations, either in the field of possible tenants or in the field of current environmental building standards. New projects are needed but as no speculative developments are underway the market remains in stalemate. The limited number of projects under construction at the moment are either pre-let, or for own use. But there are also several future developments in the pipeline of which some could be developed in the short term

Of the three construction areas in the Kievit II project zone, the 15,000 m² site on the corner of de Plantijn en Moretuslei and Van Immerseelstraat is the most attractive. It lies barely 400 meters from the entrance to the station. Currently rising out of the ground here is an 11-storey office tower which will be the new home of Electrabel. A second tower will host 34 apartments and a public ground floor. Baloise Insurance has bought the Kievit II office building pre-let to Electrabel for an estimated € 30.000.000.

Brief overview of real estate developments per district. Port Area situated north of the center, beginning at the ‘Eilandje’ and on to the current port via the Noorderlaan • • • •

No large scale office projects on the way. Limited office development can be observed within some residential developments such at het Eilandje, the Cadiz project offering 18 office units for a total area of 5,771 m². Despite some discussions regarding technical issues, construction of the new spectacular Antwerp Port House (more than 10,000 m² of office space) continues. Works should be finished by the end of 2016. In the same area, at Park Spoor Noord, large scale public buildings are being developed, more specifically two high

schools are under construction (Artesis Plantijn Univeristy College) and in the period from 2014-2018, a new hospital (ZNA) will be built. Center Area situated inside the inner ring road (Singel) adjacent to the port zone in the north Two main developments are located in this zone: • Firstly the construction of the new Electrabel Antwerp headquarters (Kievit II) next to Antwerp Central station. The project consists of two towers, one office tower of 11,000 m² and one residential building, constructed on a common podium unit at ground level. Next to it, additional mixed developments are planned in the future. BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014 35

Offices I Market Trends I ANTWERP

The business districts of Antwerp

The business districts on the map represent the classification used by Jones Lang LaSalle

The market is geographically divided into 4 main zones: Port, Centre, Singel (Ring zone) and Periphery. With a stock of some 1,900,000 m² excluding Mechelen, Antwerp is the second largest office market in Belgium with 10 % of the total national market. Vacancy currently stands at around 11 %. Prime rents in a range of €135 /m²/year to €145 /m²/year are paid in the centre and ring zones whereas in the port zone, depending on the quality of the buildings, prime rents are located at around €120 /m²/year.

•

In the southwest of the centre zone and almost at the border of the Ring zone, the demolition of the old Antwerp Province house along the Queen Elisabethlei started in 2013. In the same place a new office tower (some 32,000 m²) will be constructed by the summer of 2017.

Ring / Singel Area extending along the city ring road and both sides of the Singel and Binnensingel Following the delivery of the Onyx building in 2013 two possible short term projects can be observed : 36 BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014

•

City Link 2 & 3 by real estate developer Willemen consisting of two office buildings with a total area of 27,000m². The project is expected to be completed once 60 % is rented. It will be one of the first projects in Antwerp to aim to be awarded a ‘very good’ label from BREEAM.

•

X-Antwerp (located near AntwerpBerchem station) is an urban renewal project with a balanced mix of mainly office and school buildings, complemented by retail and leisure. The final Masterplan for the area, which is being developed in close cooperation with the city of Antwerp, is still under study.

It includes the development of 115,000 m² of above ground space (of which 48,000 m² of office space). The not-for-profit organisation Syntra, an organiser of training courses, has announced its intention to install its new campus at X-Antwerp. Construction works should start in 2014 and be finished late 2015.

Over the longer term possible extra office space may appear in the Nieuw-Zuid project area. For this mixed use development area the master plan allows for the possible development of 40,000 m² to 70,000 m² of supra-local accommodation or office space. More to the south and almost on the periphery, limited office development is scheduled in the Blue Gate re-conversion project. In the project description there is an option for creating offices but in general this will be within a semi-industrial context.

Periphery The area covering all other communes located around Antwerp, essentially to the south and west of the city and the left bank of the Schelde No new projects are expected in the short term but on the left bank of the Schelde a total new urban development area – Regatta – is under construction. At the border of this mainly residential project the master plan allows for the development of 40,000 m² of offices. If there is insufficient office demand the area can be used for residential developments. Up to now no specific office projects have been put on the market. Pascal Vanhumbeeck Consultant n Patrizia Tortolani Economist, MRICS n

KIEVIT KANTOOR ANTWERPEN www.kievit-kantoor.be • prime location - Antwerpen Centraal Station • new development: 6000 m² to let • breeam excellent • previous phase succesfully let to GDF-Suez

EMMANUEL CEUSTERS T: 03 231 88 76 - emmanuel.ceusters@ceusters.be HC4

Kievit_Pubs.indd 1

RALPH SCHELLEN T: 03 212 15 90 - ralph.schellen@eu.jll.com

BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014 37 11-04-14 08:49

Offices I Market Trends I GHENT

Ghent in the winning mood The Ghent office market once again performed very well in 2013. With a gradually expanding office stock of more than 1.4 million m², the Ghent office market represents the second office market in Flanders.

W Pascal Vanhumbeeck Consultant de Crombrugghe & Partners

hile the economy is slowly recovering, the impressive take up figures recorded in 2013 confirm confidence in the Ghent office market. A take up of just over 60,000 m² represents a 60% increase compared to 2012, contrasting with other regional cities where in general take up fell back. Ghent represented a share of around 37% of the total take up in Flanders, which confirms its second position after Antwerp in terms of office markets in the Region.

office market where vacancy is higher and almost no new buildings are currently on the market. No large investment transactions Although take up activity boomed in 2013 no large investment transactions were recorded. The acquisition of the Zuiderpoort office building (approx. 65,000 m²) for an investment price estimated at around € 110,000,000 by the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) in 2012 was a somewhat exceptional transaction for the Ghent office market. The PMV (Participatie Maatschappij Vlaanderen) intends to launch a real estate certificate on the stock market with the new VAC Ghent as asset. The transaction would represent an investment volume of more than €100,000,000. Small investors along with larger institutional investors will be able to subscribe. In the future more investment transactions could come to light when new and fully let office buildings reach the attention of professional investors.

Take up concentrated in Ghent south Several large transactions took place in new office developments such as the Blue Towers located beside the new football stadium (Ghelamco Arena) which was inaugurated in the summer of 2013. Almost 90 % of the take up was situated in the south district; the Center and North district each accounted for around 5%. This is substantial shift to the south district where most of the new developments are located. The largest deal was closed at the end of 2013 with the agreement between Banimmo and Deloitte to develop a new build to suit office building of 7,400 m² at the Loop. Project delivery Several new projects are in course of delivery or The vacancy level remains below 5% which is much will be completed during 2014. The Blue towers better than other cities and is below the 6 % mark, just beside the Ghelamco Arena (some 28.000 m²), generally recognised as sign of a well-balanced is a notable example. Thanks to the completion of market. important road works on the R4 ring the area will become more accessible by car. Some observations should be made when looking In February the new VAC (regional office of the Flemish region) was officially opened besides at this success story. • In almost all take up transactions the tenants Ghent St. Pieters station. 1,200 civil servants will gradually move to this 36,000 m² large office were already present in the Ghent area. building. • What will happen to the offices they Before the end of the year the new AA tower are leaving? (13,000 m²) developed by MG Real Estate • Although public transport is present in the southern district, accessibility by public (De Paepe) will also be completed. Most of the space (around7,600 m²) will be occupied by TP transport still needs improvement. Vision, moving from Bruges. Top rents for new office buildings remained stable At the ‘Take-Off’ office park (part of the Loop at around 150 €/m²/year. The presence of new project area) the first office building was completed modern office projects and the limited vacancy at the end of 2013. The 3,360 m² offices were sold result in a higher prime rent than on the Antwerp to an end user (Planet Group). 38 BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014

Pipeline of new real estate developments Although several new projects were or will be completed in near future, the office project pipeline remains well filled. More than 100,000 m² is already in planning phase and a further 100,000 m² may be added. This is a large volume compared to the actual stock (15%) but oversupply should not become a problem as speculative development is almost non-existent and the construction works only start after closing of a lease or sales agreement. It is likely that some older locations left behind by the users of the newly delivered office space will be transformed to other functions, which would reduce the increase in office space.

In February the new regional office of the Flemish region was officially opened besides Ghent St. Pieters station. 1,200 civil servants will gradually move to this 36,000 m² large office building.

The development of the ‘Take Off’ office park, also located at the Loop, is continuing with the construction of additional buildings. Eventually it will total some 33,000 m² of office space. At the other side of the town the (re)development project Oude Dokken is also under construction (up to 18,000 m² offices). In Hal 26, SintSalvatoorstraat, the rehabilitated spaces into offices for the Mobistar Call center are ready for use. The development of a new office building at the ‘Oktrooiplein’ in front of the Ghent Dampoort railway station at the beginning of this re-conversion zone is also planned. The Ghent developer Alides has announced the at risk construction of this 9,300 m² energy efficient emblematic office building. Works should be finished by the beginning of 2016.

Upcoming projects are mainly to be found in the southern district especially on The Loop development zone, such as the above-mentioned Banimmo project for Deloitte. It will be part of the ‘Tetris Business Park’ launched at the beginning of 2014. All buildings will consist of blocks of 18 x 18 to ensure maximal flexibility in terms of area needs. The total floor area in this park will be around 60,000 m² and also includes the VMM building (7,500 m²), completed in 2012.

Pascal Vanhumbeeck Consultant n

BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014 39

OFFICES I MARKET TRENDS I Mechelen I

Mechelen, low activity between Brussels and Antwerp Thanks to the delivery of the new Sanoma Media headquarters in the centre zone and

some smaller projects, Mechelen office stock increased to nearly 460,000 m² in 2013. The three business zones (north and south industrial zones and the centre) benefit from

very good access to the motorway E19 (Amsterdam – Brussels – Paris). The centre zone

also benefits from the nearby railway station. The vast infrastructure works around the railway station and the complete renewal of it will make this zone even more attractive.

Patrizia Tortolani, Economist - MRICS de Crombrugghe & Partners

Last year in June the publishing house Sanoma left their offices in Antwerp (Berchem), Brussels (Diegem) and Pulderbos to move to a unique and central location in the Zuidpoort complex near Mechelen station.

40 BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014

echelen is a relatively young market with office buildings initially only present in the city centre. Several new business parks were developed during the nineties and the first decade of this century in the industrial zones situated alongside the E-19. During this period Mechelen became the alternative to the mobility problems around Brussels and Antwerp. Due to the financial crisis and limited demand, new developments became somewhat rare over recent years except in the surroundings of the station. Just as in other cities such locations are very popular for modern office developments. Sanoma moved to their new offices near the station in June 2013.

a separate production hall will be built beside their offices. No movement in rental levels was observed. Prime rents remained stable at € 135 /m²/year, while average rents vary between € 80 and € 120 /m²/year. Few developments for the immediate future are in the pipeline :

• Zuidpoort / Stationstraat Construction works for the reconversion of this site opposite Mechelen central station continued in 2013. The largest part of 12,000 m² was taken up by Sanoma Belgium in June 2013. Around 1,500 m² high-quality offices are still available to be rented in units from 500 m² and a new construction consisting of 6.700 m² of offices Take-up falling After the exceptional year of 2012 with take-up of and café/restaurant units is still available. 29,000 m², boosted by the take-up of 12,000 m² by Sanoma, a fall was inevitable. Over 2013 take-up • Blarenberglaan 4 / Blarenberglaan, along the E19 amounted to around 10,000 m², well below the 10 Developer BVI.BE is working on the redevelopment year average of approximately15,000 m². Only a few of the former industrial Cummins site. Industrial transactions above 1,000 m² were registered. These buildings are renovated and along the Blarenberglaan included the letting of 1,683 m² by the RVA along a new office building of around 4,600 m² is under the station and the letting of 1,500 m² by MMCD construction. Delivery is expected in the second half Benelux in the Zenith business park. For the latter of 2014. • York Tower / Blarenberglaan, along the E19 An 8-storey building is to be built by real estate developer Uplace along the E-19 highway. This building will have a total surface area of 6,395 m² of which 5,400 m² of offices. Construction will begin once a lease agreement with an occupant has been signed, and is set to last a year. Patrizia Tortolani Economist - MRICS n

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BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014 41 7/04/2014 9:15:38

Offices I Market Trends I LIeGE

Return to normal Following a relatively good 2012, the Liege market was once again been characterised last year by weak take-up. This was essentially kept low by a lack of new product meeting

current norms in terms of market expectations. However, local operators indicate that almost 200,000 m² are currently being envisaged in the medium term.

ith its office stock of some 485,000 m², Liege is the largest city in the Walloon region, accounting for almost half of all Walloon stock. Around 70% of the office stock is located downtown (left bank) mainly along the large avenues, such as Boulevard de la Sauvenière and Boulevard d’Avroy. Approximately 40 % of the stock involves second-hand buildings. Michaël Zapatero Consultant de Crombrugghe & Partners

Unpretentious take-up Following a record volume in 2012 (around 42,000 m² of which the majority was acquisition was for own occupation), take-up in 2013 totalled some 10,000 m², which corresponds to a take-up slightly lower than in 2009 and 2010. Despite this decrease Liege remains the most active Walloon city (takeup equating to the Flemish cities of Leuven and Mechelen). This low take-up is to be seen in parallel with the current low level of supply of modern or new buildings in Liege. According to various agents operating in the city, demand is much superior to supply. This limited supply is set to evolve over time, however, given the number of new projects being considered. The low current vacancy level of approximately 1.5 % risks suffering from this, however… New office developments on the way in Guillemins station district The local authorities plan to create around 100,000 m² of offices, including the construction of the Befimmo Finance tower of 38,800 m² located on Rue du Paradis (delivery in 2015). At the end of 2013, Fedimmo (a 100% subsidiary of Befimmo) launched an international call for tenders for developing the remaining surface area within the parcel. This re-conversion, for which a certain degree of mixed use will have to be taken into account, will not be able to start, however, before the vacating and destruction of the current finance tower. Works are therefore not expected to start before 2017. In the same district, the SNCB-Holding is considering project on the Rue du Plan Incliné, consisting of the demolition of the former ABX warehouse and the current car park on its own land (+- 20,000 m²) and the construction of a building representing a total gross area of 65,500 m² (net offices area = 48,000 m²) with 1,240 parking spaces.

42 BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014

The SPF Finance having opted for the Paradis Tower of Fedimmo, the project’s phasing seems to have been taken into account. The first phase, scheduled for the site located between the station and the car park, will involve some 12,500 m² and 300 parking spaces. Negotiations regarding the occupation of this by the SRIW took place during 2013. According to the communal authorities, no permit request has yet been established, however. And finally, bearing witness to the renewal of the district, a mixed use project is being envisaged by the Circus group at the junction of the Rue Guillemins and the square of the same name. Little information is as yet available but the local authorities have recently issued an initial opinion. In time, around 5,000 m² are set to be constructed here. A certain degree of uncertainty continues to exist with regard to the phasing of the development of the station district, therefore. Overall, along with the major projects cited above, a general revitalisation of the district is being planned in order to ensure a link between the left bank (Guillemins district) and the right bank (including the Médiacité site). The arrival of the tram in 2017 will play an important part in this revitalisation. Offices in the Cadran Area and the Val Benoît site Other projects of a certain size are also under study in the city centre, such as the one by property developer Buelens (Lyge Invest SA) - total surface area of 11,000 m² and 100 parking spaces) - in the Cadran area. The building is set to be located against the blind wall of the Academy of Arts, on the heights of the Place Saint-Lambert. Permits have been granted and delivery is expected in 2016. This is the only speculative office project of any size which has been authorised in the city centre. As well as the large urban project around Guillemins station, the city aims to revitalize certain areas, such as the redevelopment of the Val Benoît site (rehabilitation carried out by the Liege province development agency (SPI)), which was previously a university campus of 8 ha., now dedicated to technologies and economic activities. The real estate project aims mainly at reconverting existing buildings, completed by new constructions. The space will thus be reserved for economic activities (25,000

to 30,000 m²). But the site will also accommodate public utilities (17,000 to 21,000 m²) (including premises already occupied by Forem) as well as some 100 residential units (11,000 to 20,000 m²) and office space (7,000 to 20,000 m²). The first office space is expected in 2015.

The E.Lyge office building project developed by real estate developer Buelens will offer a total surface area of 11,000 m² and 100 parking spaces in the Cadran area on the heights of the Place Saint-Lambert. This is the only speculative office project of any size which has been authorised in the city centre.

element of the Master Plan), located on the Place Kuborn, will shortly be delivered. This building with its contemporary architecture will accommodate 200 employees. The conversion of former industrial hangars into a large mixed use project should also be mentioned here. The Gastronomia project will comprise around 3,325 m² of retail space dedicated to food on the ground floor and some 1,250 m² Vast industrial re-conversion projects on the mezzanine. These latter areas will be for a in Seraing The town of Seraing has established a master-plan business centre, with delivery scheduled in 2018. covering an area of 800 hectares and involving a total renewal of the former industrial backbone of The mixed use nature of this former industrial the town (CMI Cockerill, ArcelorMittal) including eyesore will also be ensured by projects such as the the creation of a leisure centre, green areas, housing, Neotica complex where residential accommodation retail, a new administrative centre and the largest and a large park are scheduled. themed commercial centre in Europe. The whole On the left bank of the Meuse, a re-conversion of project will take several years. A new multi-modal two iconic residential towers into two office towers at Jemeppe, located at the entrance to the motorway, public transport station is also part of the plan. The new Administrative Centre (first concrete is also under study.

BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014 43

Offices I Market Trends I LIeGE

The new commune Administrative Centre located on the Place Kuborn, first concrete element of the Seraing Master Plan, will shortly be delivered. This building with its contemporary architecture will accommodate 200 civil servants

The Cristal Park project also forms part of this urban revitalisation, whose aim is to restore the Val Saint Lambert site to its former stature. Cristal Park is planned around a retail village, which will focus on household and leisure goods (60,000 m2 GLA), and a leisure centre with indoor ski-slope, a water park, restaurants, cafés and outdoor leisure activities (26,000 m2). There will be four residential developments, a business park of ten office buildings (16,000 m2), a 120-room three star hotel and the new crystal glassworks. Delivery of the first ‘office’ phases is scheduled for 2017. Dependent on demand, certain lots initially planned for offices may be re-designated as residential accommodation in order to avoid oversupply on the market. In Herstal, in the northern suburbs of Liege, few projects of any size are currently being considered. The Administrative Centre should nevertheless be mentioned, with delivery scheduled for 2015. New developments will not be sufficient to meet demand The delivery of these projects is therefore eagerly awaited in order to stimulate take-up and respond

to demand for quality buildings. On the other side of the coin, the destiny and management of offices which do not correspond to market expectations will have to be considered in order not to create additional structural vacancy in second level buildings. Despite the numerous assets of the city (new TGV station, Liege Airport, central location and good motorway accessibility), average rents in Liege remain very reasonable compared with Brussels and vary between €100 /m²/year and €130/m²/ year for new and prime space, and between €80 and 95/m²/year for second-hand buildings. Prime rents remained stable at €130 in 2013. This level was recorded for the ULg’s 1,200 m² letting in the downtown area.

Michaël Zapatero Consultant n

Pro-realestate.be/projects In this section within the Pro-realestate.be information platform you will find detailed description of town planning and land development master plans in Liege and its periphery : projects of a ‘district-wide’ size, involving a high degree of mixed use (offices, residential, retail, infrastructure) and integrating sustainability and mobility concerns. In the search box of the www.pro-realestate.be/projects web page, enter the name of the project to see the detailed presentation: • Coronmeuse I An eco-district in the making • Seraing master plan I Revitalising a former industrial zone • Val Benoît I Rehabilitation of the former Liege university site • Cristal Park I Transforming an historical industrial site into a retail village and leisure centre • Guillemins District I The Calatrava station boosts the redevelopment • Trilogiport I Intermodality in a major key • Au fil de l’eau I A mixed project to revitalise the heart of Verviers city 44 BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014

RETAIL I MARKET TRENDS

The historical context of retail development The Belgian retail real estate market is characterised by a delicate balance between strong and relatively stable inner city main streets, a well developed retail warehousing and retail

parks market and shopping centres that are successful but few in number, due to a very restrictive planning policy.

Retail warehousing Belgium has been a relatively early adopter in developing retail sites in the periphery of cities and along roads in between towns: during the sixties and seventies, supermarkets and hypermarkets along with solitary retail warehouses boomed without too many planning restrictions. Unlike in countries like the Netherlands, retail categories like clothing and shoe shops were free to go to peripheral locations in Belgium. As a result, retail permit legislation was made more stringent over time in several phases from the mid-seventies to curtail these developments. Despite this, Belgium proportionally built more retail warehousing space than most of its neighbouring countries. Most retail warehousing sites and retail parks continue to be successful thanks to their easy access by car and parking

facilities ‘in front of the shop’. Because of the large stock of retail warehousing, Belgium was relatively late in building purpose-built retail parks, but many retail warehouse clusters organically grew into retail park-like locations with common parking spaces. Nowadays it is difficult to obtain permits for solitary retail warehouses because planning committees prefer retail parks with well organised traffic infrastructure. Shopping centres Shopping centre development started in Belgium in the seventies but was faced with growing planning restrictions which resulted in relatively few projects that were built over time. Most shopping centres that did make it to market proved to be very successful: the scarcity of this retail format resulted in growing turnover and footfall figures, which gradually drove rents in these centres to levels close to prime main street rents. In other countries, shopping centre rents are usually only a fraction of main street rents. Belgium has a very low level of shopping centre stock compared to most other European countries. Planning restrictions are very severe in Belgium, as a reaction to the large stock of retail warehousing that was developed from the sixties. Jef Van Doorslaer Head of Research & Marketing Cushman & Wakefield ■

Main streets Inner city main streets retailing is perceived by both the general public and the policy makers in Belgium as a vital urban function, together with other city functions such as culture, education, healthcare, tourism, entertainment, housing, offices, public transport, etc. Policy makers strive towards a balanced mix of functions in town centers and tend to be favourable to retail permits in city centers compared to other retail formats. Although usually not stated publicly, most cities have an implicit policy to ‘protect’ inner city retailing against peripheral such as retail warehousing or out-oftown shopping centres.

The retail park ‘Crescend’eau’ which has been created at the periphery of Verviers by real estate developer Allﬁn, has been an immediate success upon opening at the end of last year. BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014 45

RETAIL I MARKET TRENDS

Demographic growth and h hold lease levels up Prime rental levels kept up very well over the crisis years in Belgium but the turnover of many retailers slowed over the past year, later than in most other European countries. As a result the appetite to lease new or extra space is down considerably; this is reflected

in more rents coming under downward pressure. But demographic growth in Belgium is significantly higher than in most neighbouring countries and Brussels is even one

of the fastest-growing cities in Europe. Within this context some of the planned retail developments are therefore certainly justifiable.

Jef Van Doorslaer, Head of Research & Marketing Cushman & WakeďŹ eld

he total number of shops in Belgium as calculated by Locatus each year has decreased from 89,924 in 2009 to 86,851 in 2013. But over the same period the total sales surface area of these shops increased by 5% to 18,552,0000 m2, which means the average shop area has increased considerably by 9.2% over the last 5 years to 214 m2 in 2013. This upscaling of the size of shops is expected to continue but at a slower pace. Expectations in terms of retail rents for the coming years are moderate: only if retail sales pick up considerably again, including in other countries, will demand improve. A general increase in retail rents is therefore not in the immediate offing. Demand for retail outlets is still healthy but fewer and fewer locations are over-supplied: rental values in top locations are holding up but pressure there has certainly declined. Of the 236 retail locations for which Cushman & Wakefield has tracked the rental values, exactly 50% have risen over the past 5 years, with 33% experiencing a reduction, particularly in secondary retail locations.

(1) see page 70 > Impact on development projects of retail permits law being transferred from federal to regional level. 46 BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014

Demand for retail warehouse locations held up better than in the other market segments. Many of these peripheral sites have also seen an upgrading in terms of architecture and brands: more and more high street names such as H&M can now be found in a retail park environment too. Rents for these shops are much lower than in the main streets; most of the prime rents for retail warehouse clusters have kept up very well over recent quarters. Shopping centre rents are relatively high in Belgium; but as for high streets, rents in shopping centres were under downward pressure over recent quarters. Shopping centres are successful but few in number. Even though some of the planned retail developments are certainly justifiable in the context of the Belgian population growth, due to the planning policy which could become even more restrictive this year(1) Belgium may still maintain a much lower level of shopping centre stock compared to most other European countries. Another factor within this that Belgium has a very limited pipeline of shopping centre projects that have now obtained all necessary permits.

d household consumption MAIN STREETS PRIME RENTS As a result of the trend not to lease new or extra space, more rents are under downward pressure. Even in the top-6 main streets most prime rents have witnessed a downward correction over recent quarters, which is something which has not being seen for a long time in the Belgian market.

RETAIL WAREHOUSE PRIME RENTS BELGIUM Demand for retail warehouses fluctuates with local demand: Rocourt in Liege around the Cora site was slightly down in the 2009-2011 period but has performed particularly strongly over recent years because it proved more and more to be the prime peripheral retail location in Liege; now it is has the second highest rents in Belgium, nearing the top Brussels location in this market â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Rue de Stalle in Drogenbos / Brussels. The Boomsesteenweg near Antwerp, on the other hand, has suffered from over-supply: rents were as high as on the Rue de Stalle until 2006 but today it is only 5th in the ranking of top retail warehouse clusters.

SHOPPING CENTRE PRIME RENTS The highest rents are noted in Woluwe W Shopping in Brussels. Wijnegem near Antwerp started with a relatively low level in the nineties but was so successful that it surpassed all other centres to become the most expensive shopping centre in the 2006-2007 period; as from 2010 its rents lowered slightly and Woluwe took the lead again in 2012.

e-commerce : threat or opportunity ? E-commerce in Belgium was lagging behind neighbouring countries but recent volumes of turnover by e-commerce show that Belgium is now at the European average: according to Eurostat 5% of purchases are made on-line. E-commerce is viewed by many retailers as an opportunity, although it is also perceived as a threat: 56% of those web sales pass via a foreign e-shop, which is much more than in the Netherlands (20%), France (29%) and Germany (14%). Nevertheless, there are doubts about the profitability of pure e-commerce players such as Zalando: the cost of home deliveries and the high percentage of returns will make it hard for them to be profitable. Knowing that only a part

of e-commerce is captured by the web sales of physical retail players, e-commerce overall easily represents a loss of turnover of approximately 3 to 4% for many retailers. This evolution is confirmed by the statistics for total retail turnover which have dropped considerably in 2013 compared to recent years; this means that the losses caused by e-commerce have not been fully compensated by the previously cited demographic growth. Jef Van Doorslaer Head of Research & Marketing Cushman & Wakefield n

BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014 47

RETAIL I INVESTMENT & DEVELOPMENT

An excellent vintage for investments in retail property The healthy balance in the Belgian retail market between the three main segments (high street stores, shopping centres and out of town stores/retail parks) continues to attract an unprecedented number of investors. But this delicate balance is under threat. And in

particular, the new regional retail permit legislation may result in a lack of dynamism and even a complete standstill in certain areas.

Jef Van Doorslaer, Head of Research & Marketing Cushman & Wakeﬁeld

property in 2013 was again viewed as the ideal fallback for investors looking for an alternative to the volatile stock markets.

012 was a record year for retail property, although even more sales were recorded for high street stores in 2013: 374 million Euros was an absolute investment record for this sub-sector. The total volume for out of town stores and retail parks was 320 million Euros; in December last year, this segment saw the largest retail transaction of the year, with the sale of a portfolio of 5 Cora sites by Cora to the Ascencio property trust for around 85 million Euros.

Retail property will remain high on the list of property investors in the coming years, too. In terms of rental yields, much higher prices are being offered for good retail property in Belgium than in neighbouring countries. Yet most owners continue to opt for the security of their retail investments and are not inclined to sell.

The total volume for the whole retail property market was 756 million Euros; the 2012 record (889 million Euros) was not surpassed because no major shopping centre deals were finalised in 2013. More than half of the retail property in Belgium sold in 2013 – 57% to be precise – went to private investors. This meant that retail

The main factor holding this market back is now, and will remain, the lack of quality investment opportunities. As a result, the outlook for this market in the coming years can be said to be moderate: it will not be easy to exceed the figures achieved in 2012 and 2013.

RETAIL INVESTMENT VOLUME BELGIUM (€ M) 1,000

900

800

700

385 252

600

160 320

500

126

300

Main Street

234

400 181

0 339

233

178

325

188

200

100

374 291

235

117 138

48 BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014

164

229

179

53 2006

2007

Sources: Cushman & wakeﬁeld, 2013.

2008

Shopping Centre Retail Warehouse

135

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

Impact on project development of retail permit law being transferred from federal to regional level As of July 2014 the retail permits law in Belgium (‘socio-economic permits’) will change from federal to regional legislation. Flanders and Wallonia have regional laws in the making which will probably be in place by July 2014. Flanders is clearly opting for legislation that supports the development of city centre locations fully in line with the previously published ‘Winkelnota’ strategy. The Walloon decree project is quite different: it would, according to the current project texts, only give urban planning and retail permits for a maximum of 20 years. If this 20-years rule is adopted it will probably mean a complete standstill for retail development above 400 m2 in Wallonia. Owner and developers may be put off building shops knowing that they have a permit for only say 15 or 20 years – and already from the start or after 10 years the project would become totally unleasable. Such a standstill would also mean that Walloon city centres like Charleroi, which clearly need new retail development to put them back on the map, would not find investors for this.

New retail developments competing for shoppers in Brussels There are several projects for shopping centre developments, especially in the northern periphery of Brussels, but only one project is currently fully ready to start construction: Docks Bruxsel, a 41,000 m2 development by Equilis near Pont Van Praet is starting construction. The 79,500 m2 Uplace project in Machelen (near Vilvoorde north of Brussels) has been a political issue for several years; it has all the permits but is awaiting the result of an appeal procedure. The Neo project by the city of Brussels is a redevelopment of a large area around the current Heysel national football stadium and the Atomium; the first phase including the 81,000 m² ‘Mall of Europe’ was recently attributed to a consortium with UnibailRodamco, CFE and Besix and is set to be realised in the 2018-2021 timeframe.

Europea, phase 1 of Neo project, will see the construction of a large shopping centre of some 81,000 m². The Mall of Europe is set to include 200 retail units and 30 restaurants. A new Kinepolis multiplex cinema will be built and the Spirouland, an indoor amusement park dedicated to the universe of Spirou, will open as an exclusive in the new shopping mall enriching the tourism and leisure experience.

If the demographic development in Brussels continues at its current pace the Brussels market can certainly support new shopping centre space; the question is whether three large centres would be too much, or as they say in Brussels ‘trop is teveel’. Jef Van Doorslaer, Head of Research & Marketing Cushman & Wakefield n

BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014 49

SEMI-INDUSTRIAL & LOGISTICS I MARKET TRENDS

2013 an encouraging y and logistics owner-oc c Although the ‘offices’ sector is regaining some of the ground it lost within the overall real

estate landscape during the worst of the crisis (and the most severe of the ‘self-reglation’

period), two other sectors which took on more importance are not going away. These are logistics and semi-industrial property, and we take a look, with the help of Jones Lang LaSalle, at how these segments are performing.

tarting with the logistics market, in the final quarter of 2013 a total of 320,600 m² of logistics space was taken up in Belgium, bringing the total for the year to 659,000m². As JLL points out, this represents a 13% rise yearon-year. And the figures show that take-up in the fourth quarter alone accounted for virtually half of the full year total. The full year figure also puts 2013 at 9% above the 5-year average.

Future supply Some 342,000 m² of logistics space was built during the year, all of it non- speculatively, equivalent to a little over half of the number of square metres let. For the coming years JLL estimates total non-speculative new supply to be around the 200,000 m² mark in 2014, 100,000 m² in 2015 and 300,000 m² in 2016. The three together do not add up to the total lettings in 2013. It has to be remembered, however, that many take-up transactions are not in speculative projects, but are owner-occupier or built-to-suit.

In terms of the main geographical centres of activity for logistics in Belgium, four major axes are identified. These are Brussels-Antwerp (A12-E19) including Nivelles, Antwerp-Ghent (E17), Antwerp-Limburg-Liège (E313, E19, E34, E314 towards the Netherlands), and MonsCharleroi-Liège (E42). The first two of these, taken together, constitute the ‘Golden Triangle’ of Brussels-Antwerp-Ghent. However, during 2013 around three quarters of all activity was seen in

the Brussels-Antwerp and Antwerp-LimburgLiège axes. The second of these is strategically well located to serve a huge consumer region based around part of the Netherlands, of Belgium, and the highly populated and economically / industrially vital Ruhr Valley region of Germany (Dortmund, Essen, Düsseldorf, Cologne…).

50 BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014

year for semi-industrial c cupier transactions Investment Where investment was concerned, 2013 saw a total of around 112 million Euros (deals over 2.5 million Euros). While this represents a modest 3% increase over 2012, JLL believes that the market has been negatively impacted by the lack of triple A product. Prime yields for these products when they are available (and Triple A includes at least a 6/9 year lease) stand at 7% – considerably in excess of what can be obtained by investors for Triple A office assets. JLL believes that the volume of money available for investment could (through creating competition) push prime yields down as prices begin to ease upwards. Semi-industrial The semi-industrial market is also concentrated largely around the ‘Golden Triangle’ and the E313 axis. Just as in logistics, a sparkling fourth quarter had a substantial impact on the 2013 full year take-up figures in the semi-industrial sector. The 353,000 m² of the fourth quarter represented more than a third of all take-up, and enabled the full year to slightly exceed the one million square meters mark for the second year running. The

A sparkling fourth quarter had a substantial impact on the 2013 full year take-up figures. previous two years (2011 and 2010) had seen take up closer to the 850,000m² and 650,000 m² marks respectively. The Brussels-Antwerp zone accounted for a little more than a half of all takeup in 2013. Investment By contrast with the take-up markets, the fourth quarter of 2013 saw no investment in semiindustrial real estate in Belgium. Nevertheless, the € 65.5 million invested over the previous three quarters of the year (virtually all of it during the first half) enabled 2013 to close with total investments just 10% down on 2012 but 17% ahead of the 5-year average. And once again, lack of quality product is blamed for not enabling the 2013 figures to be higher. Prime yields in

Walter Goossens, Head of Industrial Leasing JLL

this segment are higher than those in logistics, standing at around 7.75%, a level which JLL believes will be maintained in the foreseeable future. Looking to the future of the semi-industrial market, JLL does not predict take-up growth (compared to 2013) in any geographical location during 2014. Most zones are predicted to decrease, including the Golden Triangle and other major areas. And investment levels are predicted to be no better than equivalent to 2013. Asked to confirm the position for both of these markets after the first quarter of this year, JLL’s Head of Industrial Agency in Belgium, Walter Goossens, said: “After the first three months of 2014, the logistics market is showing excellent take-up figures, progressing by some 40% compared to the first quarter of 2013. The semiindustrial market is keeping the same pace as over the last two years, largely driven by many owneroccupier transactions.

Tim Harrup n

For more detailed information and figures refer to JLL Pulse reports: ‘Semi-industrial market – Q4 2013’ & ‘Logistics market – Q4 2013’

BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014 51

T 73

Tetris Business Park Offices build-to-suit development on The Loop site in Ghent

Tour & Taxis Major developments on the way on Brussels canal side

AUC architects - NFA Architects

Brussels Midi district Master plan for a living station

Eilandje The multi-faceted new Antwerp 52 PRofacility GUIDE 2012

TOWNPLANNING & LAND DEVELOPMENT © doc City Mall

→→

77 Le Côté Verre

A shopping centre integrated into Namur future multimodal station

77 Waterview

Renewal of Leuven Engels Plein © rendering DDS & Partners

77 Rive Gauche

Flagship for Charleroi city center urban regeneration PRofacility GUIDE 2012 53

town planning I BRUSSELS I south

Midi district

Master plan for a living station As cities everywhere – and including in Belgium – place increasing importance on mobility, the role of the railway station is also evolving. One striking example of this is Brussels South Station. It is already of international importance, with services to Paris and as far as the South of France, Amsterdam, London, Cologne, Düsseldorf… as well as serving much of Belgium. Now, it is at the centre of a vast redevelopment plan which will see it become a district in its own right.

The ‘title’’ of the project, of the masterplan, is ‘gare habitante’ which signifies ‘living station’, an allusion to the fact that this district must be a living area. There will be green spaces, more shops, a covered street, and the market which is currently only at the weekend may become a permanent feature – 7 days. There will be student flats, some cultural activities... And in particular, the area beneath the tracks will be redesigned to accommodate some of these functions.

The zone is so strategically important for Brussels, pointed out Brussels Region Minister President Rudi Vervoort at Mipim this year, that a master-plan to give it coherence was necessary. Djamel Klouche of AUC, the Paris-based agency which has been entrusted with the elaboration of the master-plan agreed with this, and said that his agency had come onto the scene when several projects for the zone were already on the table – including notably Atenor’s Victor and the Eurostation scheme. The task is therefore to make these all part of a wider vision for the whole area and make the station a link between the communes of Anderlecht and St. Gilles rather than a barrier as it is now. The two communes are being invited to formally approve the masterplan. The station itself is also to be made worthy of its enormous international importance. Management of the public areas and better control of traffic passing through the district are two other important elements.

The architecture of the station and the way its various transport modes are organised, have to be in keeping with its stature. The imposing facades will need to be highlighted, but this is not likely to include the glass structure of an earlier project. A dual skyline will be created, whereby the podium sections of high-rise buildings will also play vital ‘human’ roles. This includes the podium of the Midi Tower, which will be integrated into the zone rather than simply sticking up out of it. There are a number of phases to go and many years, but once the station itself is renovated and all the other factors are being established, the south zone is intended to be a district worthy of the name.

There will be a substantial proportion of mixed use – especially residential – and this has led to a review (with Atenor) of the functions of Victor, for example. It was originally scheduled to be more or less totally offices, but may finally be around two thirds offices and one third residential.

This is not the only current example of station district developments in Belgium. In Liège, the Calatrava-designed station which was completed a few years ago is set to be the centre of a considerable amount of real estate activity. And in Mons, the Spanish architect has also been called in, to create a new station which will link two parts of the city.

The master plan for the district around South Station drawn up by the French architectural bureau AUC. In blue on the picture, the towers of the Victor project.

54 BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014

I BRUSSELS I north

Docks Brussel

New retail and leisure centre downtown along the canal-side Equilis

Architect

Art & Build

Surface area

± 33,000 m²

Completion

end 2015

Creches

500 m²

Retail

1.000 m2

Developer

‘Docks Bruxsel’ (formerly ‘Just Under the Sky’) makes a reference to the location not far from the port of Brussels, and is a linguistic compromise of the ‘Bozar’ type. All of the necessary permits have now been obtained. Almost half of the non-bank finance is in place, and around half of the retail space has attracted at least ‘letters of intent’ from prospective tenants. It is therefore expected that that works by the contracted builders BPI and Besix will be able to start in time for completion at the end of 2015.

Along with the shopping centre, Docks Bruxsel will provide leisure and cultural events, entertainment and shows, and a certain amount of productive activities. A 1,500 seat events hall is part of the programme. It is widely agreed that Brussels is lacking in shopping centre space when compared to other major cities, and this is partially due to the strong desire to retain the traditional city centre high street shops. It is this desire, defended by certain organisations such as Unizo, which has led to the long-running sagas surrounding these three developments. ‘Docks Bruxsel’ is likely to win the race in terms of timing, but the evolution of the other two – Neo and Uplace - is set to drag on for quite a lot longer yet.

BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014 55

town planning I BRUSSELS NORTH I CANAL SIDE

Tour & Taxis

Major developments on the way There have been further developments in the ‘Tour & Taxis’ project on the canal side in Brussels. The intention is to create an entire new district on this former customs site, with a number of different functions. On the ‘offices’ side, it is now expected that the Flanders Region will opt for a building named ‘Meander’ to be constructed on the site, to accommodate 2,600 civil servants. working. It is likely that the Flemish authorities will confirm this choice during the middle of this year. ‘Meander’ is set to be a vast structure, totalling some 65,000 m² and located close to the newly opened Brussels Environment Agency building, at the ‘front’ of the Tour & Taxis site. The developer of Meander is Projet Tour & Taxis itself. The iconic office building which has been designed by CEPEZED for the Brussels Environment Agency (IBGE) will be inaugurated early next year. It features a vast atrium open to the public, and double, rather than triple, glazing. The building is nevertheless said to be the most passive office building in Belgium.

has received, but which has to be modified in sections for the various programs. The accommodation is set to run to around a hundred low energy apartments with floor areas either side of 100 m². This development is the first phase of 80,000 m² of residential and office accommodation planned for this part of the site. Another of the main features of Tour & Taxis is a vast public park, which will be the subject of specific landscaping to ensure good water management. Tour & Taxis is already a major exhibition venue, its renovated ‘Royal Warehouse’ and ‘Sheds’ hosting a large number of national and international events each year.

Green light for building residential accommodation The successful achievement of this ‘new city district’ is also clearly dependent on a substantial degree of residential accommodation. The developers ‘Projet Tour & Taxis’ have been granted a modified building permit for 13,000 m² of residential accommodation. This is a proportion of the overall permit which Tour & Taxis’

With the leasing contract for the Noord Building - known also as the Boudewijn gebouw located on the corner of Boulevard Albert II - ending in 2017, it is expected that the Flanders Region will opt for the ‘Meander’ building to be constructed on the site as their new location to accommodate the 2,600 civil servants.

56 BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014

The iconic office building which has been designed by CEPEZED for the Brussels Environment Agency (IBGE) will soon be completed.

i BRUSSElS i noRth

tivoli sustainable neighbourhood An exemplary mixed district in Brussels Developer

Citydev.brussels (ex BRDA/SDRB) in partnership with Impulse (ex-ABE/BAO) Brussels Environment (IBGE/BIM) Belgian Building Research Institute (CSTC/WTCB) Brussels Capital Region Housing Association (SLRB).

Architect

Temporary association of architectural bureaux

Office & production space

Building 1 : Greenbizz 7,500 m2 incubator for companies 2,500 m2 + production workshops 5,000 m2 Building 2 : production workshops 4.500 m2

Housing

450 units

Creches

500 m²

Retail

1.000 m2

More detailed and updated information via www.pro-realestate.be/tivoli

The Tivoli sustainable district project is located close to the canal in a zone which is undergoing expansion and revitalisation. The project schedules the building of an eco-district of 450 residential units on a site of almost 4 hectares extending from the Rue Lefèvre to the Rue Tivoli and from the Rue de Molenbeek to the Rue Claessens in Laeken. This new publicly funded sustainable neighbourhood will include both housing, economic facilities, green areas and common facilities (creche, shops,…). It will respond to the desire of the public authorities to bring new life to urban areas through mixed function developments. The part of the site to be dedicated to businesses and totalling 12,900 m² will be located along the Rue Lefèvre and will act as a transition between the new residential district and the TIR centre close to Tour & Taxis, thus demonstrating that it is possible to develop a business project in an inhabited zone. Incubator for companies and production workshops The project will comprise two buildings set around a new public plaza. One building with a floor area above ground of 7,500 m², will accommodate the Brussels Greenbizz project which includes an incubator for companies with an environmental vocation, and production workshops. The other building, with a floor area of 4,500 m² above ground and adjacent to the first, will be used for production workshops (ground floor) and areas for the production of non-material goods (upper floors). The Greenbizz building is funded by the European fund FEDER (approximately 14.4 million Euros), while the other building is financed by a private investor. Ground was broken for the Brussels Greenbizz project in December 2013 and the building is scheduled to come into operation in May 2015.

Social mix at the residential level Between the Rue du Tivoli and the future street which will run alongside the Brussels Greenbizz building, new roads will be created in order to enable a new residential district to be created. There will be 7 lots bringing together local shops, a park, two crèches and other shopping. These will complement a district which will number some 450 residential units. All of these will be passive, which means that their energy needs will be limited and the district will most likely be provided with an urban heating system. Some 70 % of the housing will be sold at prices subsidised by citydev. brussels. The remaining 30 % will be social housing to be rented out by the social housing association ASSAM-SORELO and financed with the participation of the SLRB (Brussels Capital Region Housing Association). A developer for this part of the project will in principle be selected during the course of this year.

For better integration between the residential elements and the production units, the workshop roofs will be laid out as gardens and terraces, accessible to occupants. all car-parking is below ground.

BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014 57

town planning i BRUSSElS i noRth EaSt

neo

The ambition of the Heysel site shows up with Europea With the mixed-use NEO urban plan the City of Brussels wishes to exploit the huge potential of the Heyzel plateau for new housing, economic and tourism opportunities. On an estimated surface of 18 hectares out of the 68 hectares making up the Heyzel Plateau, this inspiring mixed-use project development plan includes the building of an international-scale convention centre, a shopping centre, a hotel, housings and leisure facilities. Neo is a project which, it is fair to say, has been something of a thorn in the side of the Brussels government for quite a long time. But right at the end of April, this megaproject took a huge leap forwards: the consortium which is to develop the first phase of the complex has been selected; three candidates were originally in the running, and one dropped out during the Mipim exhibition. So then there were two, and now there is one: Unibail-Rodamco / CFE / Besix. A French-Dutch-Belgian mix for what will constitute a complete new district on the north-eastern edge of the Brussels Region alongside the border with Flanders. The consortium will inject 800 million Euros into Neo, of which 180 million will be transferred to the City of Brussels. The City will make up this figure to around 350 million Euros to be used for the infrastructure, (park, roadways etc.) along with the conference centre (phase 2) which has always been a key priority. Phase 1 (Europea) is scheduled to be finished in 2021. The major elements of phase 2 have been announced as the 5,000 seat convention centre and a 250-room high class hotel. Phase 3 will follow with more housing, another hotel and public facilities. It is still expected that the whole of Neo will be completed by 2023 or 2024 at the earliest.

Read more and view the video about the Europea project via www.pro-realestate.be/neo

the atomium Esplanade

the Market square

Europea A major international team has been gathered for the Europea project: the French Master Architect Jean-Paul Viguier will coordinate all conception teams and work closely with the Brussels architecture bureau Art & Build. The architect Conran will bring its expertise in the Art of living into to the lifestyle spaces, more precisely in the shopping mall. The current priority is to create a new residential district which will initiate a new economic dynamic.There will be 590 residential units, along with other facilities required by a new residential district of this size (crèches, retirement home…). Europea will see the construction of a large shopping centre of some 81,000 m² (one of its most contentious elements in view of the proximity of two other planned centres – Docks Bruxsel and Uplace). The Mall of Europe is set to include 200 retail units and 30 restaurants. The Spirouland, an indoor amusement park dedicated to the universe of Spirou will open as an exclusive in the new shopping mall enriching the tourism and leisure experience. A new Kinepolis multiplex cinema will be built with 21 projection rooms and 4,000 seats. Inspired by the concept of the existing Mini-Europe park, the “Euroville” outdoor park will be re-developed at the foot of the Atomium.

the architectural intention for Europea consists of creating a residential park and public spaces on more than 3 hectares, positioned above all the retail and leisure activities, offering this new district with an exceptional appearance.

58 BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014

i BRUSSElS pERiphERY i MaChElEn

Uplace Brussels Developer

Uplace

Architect

Benoy (masterplan) Jaspers-Eyers Architects (execution)

Read the complete article with the interview of Bram Thomas, Chief Operating

Mobility Much attention is being paid to the circulation routes and green areas on the site, with amongst others a central square with a roof garden where various types of events will be able to take place.

Uplace will be able to accommodate at least 5,900 cars, spread across three levels of which one will be completely underground. Smooth accessibility by car will be guaranteed by the yet to be built entrance and exit complex on Woluwelaan and the treatment of the surrounding streets in Machelen. Along with this, optimal access by public transport is planned via the nearby location of a local railway station and a shuttle service between Vilvoorde railway station, Uplace Brussels and the airport at Zaventem, together with new bus services. The planned tramline between Tervuren and Machelen will further improve accessibility. The site has now been totally cleansed and is ready for construction. In November 2013 the AWV (Flemish Region Road and Traffic Agency) obtained the necessary mobility permits for the works around the Uplace site, a crucial requirement for further development. The building and socio-economic permits are also ready, as is the environmental permit, although this last one is temporarily delayed.

Uplace Brussels is to be an ‘all-in one experience destination’ with optimal integration of the range of functions in a superb location. Uplace combines work, shops and leisure in a harmonious balance and with an interesting cross-pollination between visitors and operators. The office offering will total 52,000 m², spread across an office tower and four low-rise office buildings. A central square with 8,000 m² ‘food & beverage’ is set to provide an exceptionally varied offering. The retail element of this development will extend to 81,000 m². A glazed roofing structure will be positioned over the zone, so that the weather cannot spoil the shopping experience. The attraction of the 300 shop units in Uplace will be further added to by the permanent presence of an organiser to take care of original events, product launches, pop concerts, fashion shows and other events. “In 2013 we started to rent the retail space and today more than 40% has been contracted, with new and renewed concepts for the Belgian market”, explains Bram Thomas, Chief Operating Officer of Uplace. A surface area of 20,000 m² has been scheduled for the leisure zone. This will include among others a contemporary cinema complex, a theatre and a ‘family zone’. On top of this will be a trendy lifestyle hotel with 180 bedrooms and its own 2,000m² spa.

Officer of Uplace on www.pro-realestate.be/uplace-brussels

BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014 59

town planning i BRUSSElS EaSt

Josaphat

Living and Working in a Park Located on the north eastern edge of Brussels centre, straddling the communes of

Mixed us district strategically located Josaphat is already a mixed use district inasmuch as it accommodates an industrial zone which is to be gradually improved and made denser. The intention behind this is to allow companies which may have difficulty in locating in a more traditional urban environment, to have the possibility of doing so in Josaphat. Finally, the zone is intended to benefit from its strategic ocation half way between the airport and the European district via the creation of a station for the future RER train network, and the construction of a certain number of offices and of a hotel.

Schaerbeek and Evere, Josaphat is one of Brussels’ priority revitalisation projects (ZIR nr 13). The mixed nature of this zone is described by the slogan used by the City for its development: ‘Living and Working in a Park’. The total area to be rehabilitated covers 25 hectares and will see 1,800 residential units, of which just over 800 will be social housing and the rest private. Along with these will be two crèches, a French and Dutch speaking school, a sports hall and local shopping. The ‘social housing’ will itself be divided into 60% purely social and 40% with restricted rental levels. The intention is to be able to offer a wide variety of choice to ensure more access to housing. 4 hectares of green areas are an important feature of the Josaphat Master plan.

60 BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014

MoRE on www.pRo-REalEStatE.BE/pRoJECtS

Spoor noord

A striking gateway to the city On 13 June 2009, the 24-hectare ‘Park Spoor Noord’ was ceremonially opened. Today, there is a great deal of construction activity on the remaining 6 hectares at the northern end of the former railway siding, enclosed between the Noorderlaan viaduct and Ellermanstraat. The new AP University College building will be the site’s architectural gem and opposite, close to ‘Eilandje’, a new state-of-the-art hospital will be built with a public ‘care boulevard’ ZNA The Ziekenhuis Netwerk Antwerpen (ZNA) is beginning the development of a stateof-the-art hospital at the Kempisch Dok, opposite the Artesis Plantijn High School. The new construction is set to take over most of the current activities of the ‘Stuivenberg’ hospital and offer its own emergency, intensive care, maternity, hospitalisation, day hospital and polyclinic services. In total some 65,000 m² are involved, due to come into service in 2018. The new hospital is being built via a public-private partnership (PPP) within which the selected consortium – Kairos – prepares the site, takes care of the development and acts as project manager along with undertaking the maintenance of the building. The contract is for a period of 20 years. The Flemish and Federal authorities are subsidising the project to the tune of more than 95%. A public ‘care boulevard’ is integrated in the project. The term ‘care boulevard’ has been in common use in the Netherlands for some time and forms part of most new projects in the healthcare sector. This involves a sort of shopping centre which accommodates shops and businesses active in the healthcare sector, along with the sale or rental of medical apparatus. Private partners operate these.

ARTESIS PLANTIJN UNIVERSITY COLLEGE The Artesis Plantijn University College new campus being built on spoor Noord will bring together seven locations of the former Artesis University College. The buildings will consist of a trapezoid principal building that opens onto the Noorderplaats (Italiëlei - 8 levels), a square building on the Ellermanstraat (4 levels), a long single storey building on the Noorderlaan and a ramp on the Ellermanstraat leading to the extensive underground parking garage and bicycle racks. The investment for the new Artesis Plantijn University College totals € 64 million. It will offer a net usable area of 25,000m² as the new home for 3,000 to 3,500 students from the professional bachelor’s programmes. On level -2, there are 200 parking spaces and spaces for 1,000 bicycles. POLO Architects have designed a kind of concrete honeycomb shell from which the structure inside is suspended. The completed building is scheduled to be handed over in spring 2015, so that the internal fixtures and fittings can be finished in time for the start of the academic year 2015 – 2016. Since October 2013, the Artesis and Plantijn University Colleges have been combined as the Artesis Plantijn University College (AP University College). Works have started in 2013 on the new Plantijn campus on Ellermanstraat, next to the 60-metre high ‘North Star’ customs building. This will have a capacity for 1,200 students. The 13,000m² building should be ready in 2015 at virtually the same time as the Artesis campus. More detailed and updated information via www.pro-realestate.be/AP-university

More detailed and updated information via www.pro-realestate.be/ZNA

BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014 69

town planning I ANTWERP NORTH

Eilandje

The multi-faceted new Antwerp The master-plan for Eilandje was drawn up by the City Master Architect and

been made for a vertical structure similar to the typical warehouses. Underground,

involves a zone of some 172 hectares stretching from the city centre in the south to

the two parking levels and a substantial bicycle parking facility will mean that the

the seaport in the north. ‘Mexico-eiland’, which is the northernmost part of Eilandje,

area around the towers at ground level is largely left free for the public. This area

is set to represent the last part of the puzzle in the 2030 to 2035 period. Today most

is to be the work of Paris landscape architect Michel Desvigne, who is planning a

of the visible construction activity is concentrated around the ‘Waterwijk’, and more

wide public walkway among others.

specifically the Cadixwijk, on the Westkaai, which is located opposite the Waterwijk

The Westkaai project complies with the Eilandje Masterplan, the Aesthetic Quality

and on the northern part of Eilandje, where the new Port House is located.

plan for exterior spaces, the Green plan, the Water plan and the Eilandje Urban plan. The project plans were also put before the Wellbeing commission. The towers, in pairs, will bear the signatures of three exceptional architectural

The Westkaai project is one of the largest urban development projects in Antwerp.

bureaux. The design for the first two, entirely residential, is by Swiss bureau Diener

On the Westkaai part of the Kattendijdok six residential towers will eventually

& Diener Architects. They will have a glazed façade. Building works on the third

emerge within a limited ground area. This will give them exceptional views over the

tower began in the summer of 2012, followed by the fourth, fifth and sixth towers

historic city, the MAS and the dry docks with the new Port House. The choice has

in the latter part of 2013.

Westkaai opts for variation

Cadi

Eilandje

70 BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014

Post House

Towers 3 and 4 have been mandated to top British architect David Chipperfield.

They will be delivered ‘bare’ and can easily be connected. The residential care

Sanded white prefabricated concrete and light grey aluminium with steel parapets

centre is integrated into the podium unit and extends to two building levels.

mark out the buildings with their imposing corner terraces. Tower 4 is to be 56

The 116 bedrooms will be operated by GZA (GasthuisZusters Antwerpen).

meters high with fifteen storeys. This tower will offer a total of 60 apartments of

The demolition works on the former customs building were completed in the

various categories.

middle of 2013, following which 250 foundation posts were driven into the ground.

The last pair of towers is designed by British bureau Tony Fretton Architects.

Completion is scheduled for the end of 2015.

The choice of materials is allied to the history of the Kattendijkdok and in particular the Montevideo warehouses: light grey and red brick architecture with exterior

Diamond for Eilandje

fittings in bronze coloured aluminium. Both towers number fifteen storeys but

For the construction of the new Port House – the headquarters of the Antwerp

with differing heights. Tower 5 is scheduled to accommodate retail units and 105

Port Authority which is scheduled to accommodate 500 employees – a budget

apartments over two ground ﬂoor levels. Tower 6 will offer retail space at the lower

of a little over 50 million Euros has been allocated. The project by Zaha Hadid

level and 60 residential units with large surface areas.

Architects (London), selected at the beginning of 2009 from the five candidates who had responded to the public call for tenders from the Antwerp Master Architect

‘Cadiz’ in the Cadixwijk

launched in 2007, stands out like a diamond to be constructed above the old fire

On the Oostkaai of the Kattendijkdok the temporary association of Besix-Vanhout

station at the corner of Mexicostraat and Siberiastraat.

is building, on behalf of project developer Cores Development, the ‘Cadiz’ project,

During the development phase the new building was rated BREEAM ‘Very Good’,

and has a north-south orientation parallel to the Kattendijkdok. The top of the

building of the customs service previously stood here. Cadiz is composed of a

building at the south side is a window on the city and marks out the beginning

podium unit with three building levels, upon which four towers of nine storeys each

of the port zone. The specific shape, the façade architecture with glazed triangles

can be erected. Within these will be offices on the 1st and 2nd ﬂoors, a residential

(transparent and shining), along with a height of 46 meters, will make the Port

care centre, shops, a supermarket along with cafe and restaurant facilities.

House an eye-catcher for the most northerly part of Eilandje from a wide variety

A central garden adds to the attractiveness of the ensemble. Green roofing and

of places.

tanks for the collection of rainwater contribute to the environmentally friendly nature of the project. There are scheduled to be 471 underground parking spaces.

Cadiz-project

More detailed and updated information via www.pro-realestate.be/eilandje

The office space is divided into 18 units with surface areas of 149 to 439 m².

use

westkaai

BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014 71

town planning i ghEnt SoUth

the loop

A 145-hectare new district building up

Take Oﬀ Offi ce Park Spotlight on site ‘The Loop’ Developer

Euro Crossroads Property Developers (ECPD)

Architect

G+D Study bureau, Bontinck

Property agents

Creas Turner & Dewaele Immobiliën Hugo Ceusters

More detailed and updated information via www.pro-realestate.be/take-off-office-park

The site ‘The Loop’ is made up of the former Sint-Denijs-Westrem airfield (1910 - 1984). It includes the ‘Flanders Expo’ exhibition space and at the edge the KBC Tower which has been inaugurated last year. A master plan and a Spatial Planning Programme has been drawn up splitting the area into 18 lots, each with targeted developments with many real estate developers, both public and private. Located close to the junction of the E40 and E17 motorways, the site The Loop benefits from excellent accessibility by road.

On the site ‘The Loop’ the development of the ‘Take Off Office Park’ by Euro Crossroads Property Developers (ECPD) is currently underway. The first office building with its remarkable architecture in the shape of a droplet of water is currently being constructed on parcel 1. This building with a surface area of 3,340 m² will be the headquarters of the HR services company ‘Planet Group. A second office building of a similar size is also under construction. Where the residential element is concerned, ECPD is developing ‘Avian’ as well, two buildings with 24 apartments each. The development of the easternmost part of ‘Take Off Office Park’ - parcel 5 west - is also well underway. Upgrade Estate is building almost 80 business flats here, above a common underground car park with a capacity of 500 vehicles, which will cover the whole of the parcel. The construction of three other buildings is scheduled for this parcel, with a gross ground surface area of 19,000 m², destined for offices. The building permit for the first of these three buildings is currently being prepared. The target group are companies interested in surface areas of 2,000 m² to 10,000 m². Parcel 7 is accessible by a new road which forms a small separate loop in the zone, located between parcels 7 and 8. A first building destined for the consultancy firm Brantsandpatents has been delivered this year.

the entering into service of the south bridge along with the north bridge, crossing the avenue a. pégoud, recently finished, ensure that motor traffic is further catered for.

72 BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014

The presence of these two motorways, along with the proximity of the R4 towards Zelzate, connected to the E34, leads to this accessibility being even further improved. Public transport serves the site with a tram line. De Lijn has scheduled bringing a bus line into service which will directly link Ghent St. Pieters railway station and the station can be reached by cycle in less than 10 minutes.

tetris Business park Developer

Banimmo nv

Architect

Arch & Teco

Property agent

JLL

Read the complete article with the interview of Filip De Poorter, COO of Banimmo and

the Deloitte building forms part of the tetris Business park and will be constructed at one end of lot 5. the other end is all to be taken by the Flemish Environment agency which is to occupy 7,200 m² of offices and laboratories. © Arch & Teco for Banimmo

the yet to be constructed buildings of the tetris Business park will be arranged like the vertebrae of a spinal column, which will contribute to allowing natural light to enter the office space unhindered, and leave a maximum of space for green areas. along with this, the modules can be linked at the underground levels.

Filip Deprez, Portfolio Manager of Banimmo on www.pro-realestate.be/tetris-park

Banimmo nv owns the development lots 3 and 5 east of The Loop site. Lot 5 east is totally set aside as ‘suitable for offices’ while Lot 3 is scheduled for mixed use, including both residential and office buildings. The residential element will be carried out by the Ghent city development body, Sogent. One of the largest real estate deals of the last quarter of 2013 involved Deloitte taking out a rental contract with Banimmo for the build-to-suit development of 7,400 m² of office space on Lot 5 east of The Loop. The rental contract is for a period of 15 years and the building is scheduled to be delivered during the first half of 2016. Within the context of the new construction has been taken into account the fact that 60% of the personnel will be physically present in the offices. The Deloitte building forms part of the Tetris Business Park and will be constructed at one end of Lot 5. The other end is all to be taken by the Flemish Environment Agency (VMM). A plot of 18 m x 18 m has been set aside for further construction on Lot 5. Banimmo has profoundly analysed the overall question of flexibility with regard to office building tenants and formulated new responses which meet current needs to a maximum. The buildings will have a maximum height of six storeys and a total of 3,000 to 12,000 m² of surface area. The lay-out of each office floor is open plan, without any fixed walls or obstructive columns, which enables the floors to be organised in landscape or closed office configuration according to desires. The compact modularity also plays a part in the search for flexibility, as does the possibility of having separate entrances per building. The Territorial Development Plan already schedules that delivery within 18 months from the signing of the rental contract is feasible.

BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014 73

town planning i ghEnt

oude Dokken

Rehabilitation of the Schipperkaai on the way More detailed and updated information via www.pro-realestate.be/oude-dokken In the coming years some 1,500 dwellings are to be built in the entire area around the Old Docks. The first part to be developed is the section on the east side of the Handelsdok, where the Schipperskaai will be the site of some 350 residential properties, green areas for residents, a primary school, a crĂ¨che and a sports centre. Sogent, the Ghent city planning company, is throwing in its lot with a private partner: a team made up of developers, architects, sustainability specialists, financial experts and other relevant players.

ÂŠ rendering courtesy of SoGent

Mid-december Sogent established the ranking of the three possible partners for the development of the Schipperskaai in the Old Docks, with DOK9000, the team formed around project developers Re-Vive, Vanhaerents Development and Van Roey Vastgoed, emerging as the top-ranked candidate. The striking aspects of this proposal include the diversity of residential properties and public areas, the attention devoted to a sense of community and the farreaching ambitions in the field of mobility and sustainability. Sogent is now proceeding the negotiation phase with the first-ranked candidate, DOK9000. If everything goes smoothly Sogent will sign a contract with this candidate after the summer, whereupon it will be possible for the work to commence in the course of 2015.

74 BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014

I Mons

Mons Station

Not only a magnificent station but a whole new district Developer Eurogare Architect Calatrava / Daniel Libeskind Works Underway Completion end 2014 (Congress centre) Located outside of the historic city, the extension to Mons (a ‘Eurogare’ project) will be linked to its heritage by a brand new railway station designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, whose magnificent station in Liège is already highly appreciated. But the station is only the hub. A new 6,500 m² congress centre -designed by the architect Daniel Libeskind - with three auditoriums and a number of meeting rooms and offices, stands out like a modern ship, a monument in wood, aluminium and glass. The congress centre is designed to enable Mons to become a ‘centre for business tourism’. It is located alongside the first of Mons’ new developments, the 30,000 m² ‘Grands Prés’ shopping centre, and close to the rear entrance to the station. Just between the station and the conference centre is to be a new 4-star hotel, offering 200 rooms on a ground area of 4,000 m². The overall plan for Mons includes a technology-oriented business park and a substantial amount of housing. The business

➋

park will comprise three identical buildings of ground floor plus three upper floors configuration, each of them having a surface area of 3,600 m2 Alongside the ‘Eurogare’ development, Atenor is also adding to the enlargement of Mons with its own project ‘Au Fil des Grands Prés’ The company has acquired 7.2 hectares which will accommodate a mixed use complex comprising further housing, offices and shops.

➊ With its pedestrian bridge that overarches the railway tracks and is lined with shops and services for the passengers, the station forms a link between the heart of Mons and the Grand Prés site. ➋ The conference centre will provide Mons with the multi-functional infrastructure necessary to attract business tourism ➌ The 4-star hotel with a capacity of 200 rooms ➍ The technological park and offices formed by three buildings, each of them having a surface area of 3,600 m2 ➎ Housings, some buildings with inner courtyard

➎

➎ ➎

➎

Le Toison d’Or

➌ ➍

Le Cond’Or

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BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014 75

town planning I Projects

In this section within the Pro-realestate.be information platform you will find detailed description of town planning and land development master plans: projects of a ‘district-wide’ size, involving a high degree of mixed use (offices, residential, retail, infrastructure) and integrating sustainability and mobility concerns.In the search box of the www.pro-realestate.be/projects web page, enter the name of the project to see the detailed presentation.

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S M A R T & S U S TA I N A B L E I N F R A S T R U C T U R E

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BELAIR New life for the former ‘State administrative center’ DOCKS BRUXSEL New retail and leisure centre downtown along the canal-side ERASME More than 1,000 apartments and family houses to be built on the western edge of Brussels ERNEST Major reconversion of offices into a mixed use complex GATEWAY First stage of the development of the ‘Airport Village’ PROJET URBAIN LOI New developments within an evolving urban framework UP-SITE A new place to live, work and play VICTOR A major pillar of Brussels Midi district regeneration

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ANTWERP | PROVINCE HOUSE New futuristic home for more than 2.000 civil servants ANTWERP | X – ANTWERP Mixed-use project for the reconversion of the former Berchem X postal sorting depot GHENT | ‘WAALSE KROOK’ New future designed according to Ghent’ smart city’ strategy GHENT | GHELAMCO ARENA Multipurpose project development for permanent attractiveness LEUVEN | WATERVIEW Innovative renewal of the Engels Plein LEUVEN | TWEEWATERS Green rehabilitation of the the former industrial ‘Stella Artois’ site

WALLONIA

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• CHARLEROI | RIVE GAUCHE Flagship for the city center urban regeneration • HERMALLE-SOUS-ARGENTEAU / LIEGE | TRILOGIPORT Intermodality in a major key • LIEGE | CORONMEUSE An eco-district in the making • LA LOUVIERE | LA STRADA Transforming a brownfield site into a mixed-use city centre area • LIEGE | SERAING MASTER PLAN Revitalising a former industrial zone • LIEGE | VAL BENOÎT Rehabilitation of the former Liege university site • LIEGE | CRISTAL PARK Transforming an historical industrial site into a retail village and leisure centre • LOUVAIN-LA-NEUVE | COURBEVOIE An entire new district close to the railway and future RER station • NAMUR | LE COTE VERRE A shopping centre integrated into Namur future multimodal station • NAMUR | PORT DU BON DIEU Converting a former industrial site into an ecological residential complex • NAMUR | AQUILIS The new sustainable district development on the site occupied by Atradius • VERVIERS | AU FIL DE L’EAU A mixed project to revitalize the heart of the city

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The Federal State is rationalising the space within its buildings Interview with Dirk van Geystelen, Director General of Real Estate Strategy and Management at the

FMIS as a catalyst for optimal property management Interview with Frank Geets, Administrator General at the Agency for Facilities Management of the Flemish Government

Building state-of-repair measurement Optimisation process carried out by the City of Mechelen with consultancy of Asset Facility Management company

78 PRofacility GUIDE 2012

PROPERTY, WORKPLACE & FACILITY MANAGEMENT

Marc Detiffe

Rendering Assar Architects

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87 Public-Private-Partnership:

Doc DTZ

FM revolution behind the prison bars Interview with Christine d’Hont, Director of the new Leuze prison Belgium

Workplace Occupancy Cost benchmark Results of an intensive survey carried out in 22 European countries analysing 3, 400 buildings

Glaverbel building : offices managed like a luxury hotel Interview with Henry Morauw, Head of Property Management at DTZ

PRofacility GUIDE 2012 79

PROPERTY & WORKPLACE MANAGEMENT

The Federal State is r within its buildings The Belgian State Buildings Agency (Régie des Bâtiments) manages properties occupied by the Belgian State or operated on its behalf. The Agency has adopted a new strategy aiming to decrease the space allocated to each full time equivalent (FTE). Dirk van

Geystelen, Director General of Real Estate Strategy and Management for the State Buildings Agency, explained the strategy to us.

new standard for the occupation of Federal administrative buildings was approved by the Council of Ministers in june 2012. This standard sets out a surface area of 13.5 m² per corrected full time equivalent (FTE) for these buildings. The 13.5 m² include the office areas along with local support function space such as small meeting rooms, kitchenettes, photocopier zones etc. The 13.5 m² do not include circulation routes, technical areas or sanitary facilities. We call this ‘primary space’. The word ‘corrected’ applied to the FTE signifies the fact that an adjustment is made according to the function of these ‘FTE’ persons. Persons working in a bookshop, for example, or a restaurant, or drivers, do not need office space. A correction is also applied for persons who are often on business outside the office (site controllers, inspectors etc.). By taking these elements into consideration, the Agency is able to determine the number of persons who really make up the FTE figure and who need office space. This standard has now been established and each time a request for space is received, it is analysed in line with this standard. If the request is for Liège, or Namur, it starts by checking whether space is available in buildings already in our portfolio, whether they are owned or rented. All of the ‘clients’ of the Agency are Federal public services. What do you do if you don’t have suitable available space? If we have to have a new building constructed, or look for one on the letting market, we always apply this new standard. This is based on a program of standardised needs which takes note of the corrected FTE figure and of the necessary provision for specific areas (restaurants, libraries, large meeting rooms, firing ranges, reception rooms etc.).

80 BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014

Does this standard apply to buildings already occupied? For those buildings we already occupy, we are monitoring them to see if they respond to the real needs of our clients. In the past, we had around 20 m² of space per FTE. We carried out a screening of all our rental contracts and started by selecting some twenty buildings which we knew we were still going to occupy for a long time. For this monitoring exercise, we start by measuring the primary space we have available in the building – the offices, restaurants, kitchenettes and local support services zones – but not the horizontal and vertical communications, nor the sanitary installations or technical areas. So this means just the space which is genuinely used for carrying out the client’s core business. A comparison between the primary space capacity of the building and the program of our client’s needs will certainly reveal a gap in some cases between the current situation and that set down by the new standard. We are absolutely certain that the occupation of certain buildings is not optimal and efficient. In a case of non-conformity with the standard, what will you decide to do? After a certain time we hope to have a clear view over these twenty or so buildings. We may decide to lay them out differently in order, in particular, to locate other services in them. A good example is the Kamgebouw in Bruges: the occupation of the building is not optimal and we know we can accommodate other services in it. We could install a service of the Agency itself, or a Federal service, or the Social Security which is currently located in another building in Bruges. This latter is the property of the State. If we vacate this building we could sell it. In other cities we may probably find buildings which we rent and which are not optimally occupied. In these cases, the lease contracts could be terminated when they arrive at their term over the coming years.

s rationalising the space What about the costs associated with these potential removals? We do indeed have to carry out this calculation and there is a good example in Brussels. We wished to bring together the mobility and transport service which is currently housed in two buildings – the CCN at the North Station and City Atrium in the same zone. We were considering bringing them together in City Atrium. This would give us a rental saving of 1.6 million Euros every year, with removal costs 5 to 6 million Euros. This is something we decided was worthwhile as we recovered the investment in four years. Where the building we occupy in Brussels is concerned, we would like to carry out the same exercise despite the high removal costs. You manage around 1,400 buildings for the State, of which around 500 are rented. Are these rented buildings your prime target? We would indeed like to limit the portfolio of rented buildings because they currently represent an annual expenditure of 480 million Euros. The government is obviously asking us to make savings. We own some 4.8 million square metres, a figure which varies from month to month, and we rent 2.8 million. But it shouldn’t be forgotten that we are not only talking about administrative buildings such as offices which the State owns: there are also the prisons, the law courts, the museums… and these represent a high number of square metres. Amongst the 2.8 million square metres we rent, around 2.2 million are administrative in nature. What is your overall objective in terms of reducing the space you rent? We wish – in time – to reduce the average office space of 20 m² per FTE to 13.5 m², in other words reduce by almost a third. This is a significant objective. If everything proceeds as we wish – and in time once again – we estimate that it should be possible to reduce rental costs by 60 to 80 million Euros per year. This remains a theoretical figure for the moment. We are also going to draw up a master-plan of all the administrative space in Brussels, in order to follow the important changes to come over the next few years and see how we can optimise our occupation.

Dirk van Geystelen, Director General of Real Estate Strategy and Management State Buildings Agency

Are you also considering selling buildings? We put all buildings up for sale which are no longer used for a public function. To carry out the sale, the buildings are transferred to the Acquisition Committee of the ‘Finance’ Federal Public Service. This Committee acts as our solicitor. So all buildings which are vacated and which can no longer be used for a public function will be sold. We have often been reproached in the press because some buildings are unoccupied, but there are some very specific cases. For example, gendarmes have a right to a lodging until their retirement, which means that some units become available before others. It is sometimes better in such a case to wait until all the units within a single complex are empty, in order to sell the complex as a ‘lot’ to an investor. We have recently been negotiating this somewhat ambiguous situation with the police. It will now be possible to sell certain of these complexes with a clause which respects and protects the right to a lodging of these former gendarmes. There are 1,000 apartments of this type in our portfolio. Overall, the vacancy level in buildings we rent is relatively low, around 2.9%. Across the whole of our portfolio, we have to carry out sales of buildings to the tune of 25 million Euros in 2013, 2014 and 2015. Tim HARRUP n BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014 81

Property & Facility Management I ICT - Management Information system

FMIS as a catalyst for optimal property m The Flemish Government holds impressive real estate assets comprising more than 80,000 plots of land and 2,500 buildings, ranging from castles and office buildings

through to concert halls and cultural centres. The management of this varied portfolio is

spread within the Flemish Government, with the Agency for Facilities Management (AFM)

assuming responsibility for a very significant part. In order to optimise property policy there was first of all a need for a detailed inventory and a uniform management system.

Frank Geets Administrator-General Agency for Facilities Management Flemish Government

Koen Matthijs Managing director MCS

82 BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014

rank Geets, Administrator-General at the Agency for Facilities Management: “A start had already long since been made on a system aimed at helping to ensure better management of the buildings, but it took an awfully long time and the possibilities were already outstripped before it was fully operational. Therefore we, as the AFM, approached the market in search of a Facilities Management Information System (FMIS) that met our expectations”. As far as content is concerned the project grew step by step by accurately charting expectations, which led to an RFI (request for information) being sent out just before the summer of 2013. Talks were held with various parties, following which it was possible to draw up an RFQ (request for quotation) during the summer months. Frank Geets: “In the end MCS was chosen, on account of its experience as a software supplier but equally due to its in-house skills relating to various subsectors in the fields of catering, cleaning, technical maintenance, workplace management, energy management and property policy. An impressive list of references together with agreements entered into concerning a strict timing in the rollout and implementation added to our confidence”. Koen Matthijs, managing director of MCS said: “The project started at the beginning of this year and everything will be operational by the end of the year”. Within the AFM, a project team was put together that, from the outset, has enjoyed considerable freedom and is allowed and able to take decisions quickly. This project team consists of two FTE members of staff and is afforded additional assistance where necessary. It will also continue to be responsible for the operation and optimisation of the FMIS after installation.

our own”, says Frank Geets. “It is easier to align our organisation to an existing system that has already proven its worth many times over, than the other way around. This also leads to results much more quickly and in addition turns out to be cheaper. Moreover AFM can benefit from the continuous improvement and innovation that go hand in hand with a standard FMIS package in the market.”. Every AFM department head has been involved in the project in order to compile as comprehensive a dossier as possible with which to go to market. This approach ensures that no issues are forgotten or overlooked and encourages the involvement of all parties in the project. Relevant property data Initially all buildings managed by AFM are incorporated in the FMIS. At a subsequent stage the intention is to include all buildings owned by the Flemish Government. Koen Matthijs: “The availability of qualitatively ‘clean’ data is vital for every FMIS. Fortunately this was something that had already been effectively sorted out at the AFM”. Firstly all basic data are entered, such as the CAD plan, the address – which is linked to Google Maps – and the land registry registration number. Other data relate to the layout of the buildings and the use to which they are put.

Optimal property management The FMIS project is a project that will carry on growing in the future by means of systematic expansion with more data (thought is being given to inclusion of the E-level and energy consumption) that should underpin a total view of all buildings and thus contribute to the further professionalization of the management of the impressive property portfolio. Frank Geets: “Our property portfolio does not just contain buildings; there are plots of land, too. For every property asset we have to closely Everyone involved “We deliberately opted for the purchase of an FMIS examine what could best be done with it: use, and not the development of a software system of sale, restoration, re-designation for a different use,

y management demolition... Within this process we have to look at the property not solely as an asset in isolation, but also at the environment, the users, the social impact, and so forth. The objective is to pursue an optimal policy for every property, and this does not always necessarily entail its sale”. Ambitious view for the future Implementation of the FMIS will help improve the management of everything falling under the AFM’s competence. Frank Geets: “Our agency is very ambitious and has a sense of responsibility

the pipeline, such as the ‘Heritage Safe’ (managed by PMV), the extension of the archives and most probably the largest property transaction in Brussels that is set to be concluded before the end of the current government’s mandate (before 25 May 2014). All these projects will benefit from the support provided by the FMIS. “In the selection of buildings the FMIS will enable us to involve far more criteria that are decisive for the real cost of use or TCO”, argues Frank Geets. Koen Matthijs adds: “These days property, workplace and facility management cannot be viewed independently of

Our property portfolio does not just contain buildings; there are plots of land, too. For every property asset we have to closely examine what could best be done with it: use, sale, restoration, re-designation for a different use, demolition... as regards the taxpayers’ money that our working capital is made up of. Enhanced management thanks to the FMIS will not only help us to operate more effectively and efficiently, it may also enable us to save money”. One of the points of special interest is preventive maintenance of the property. The follow-up of invoices received currently still leaves something to be desired. With the FMIS substantial adjustments can be made in this respect. The Flemish Government’s Agency for Facilities Management has numerous ambitious projects in

each other. The three go hand in hand. You need a single all-embracing view, like there is at AFM”. Frank Geets: “From the moment we started looking for a high-performance FMIS, integrated management was the primary objective. This aim was further confirmed during the course of the work we had already done, further to AFM’s merger with the EIB Agency, the Flemish Government’s ICT arm, with the result that the two now act together as a single joint service provider”. Eduard Coddé n

FMIS scope The MCS software, called ‘myMCS’, has been in existence for more than 20 years now. It is a standard web-based software package with a high degree of flexibility for configuration according to the clients’ wishes and processes. The software package covers three main fields of property management via a number of integrated modules that can be used separately or together. ‘myMCS Portfolio’ covers the sub-field in which buildings and the contracts related to them are managed. Additional possibilities include the inventory of assets such as technical installations, furniture and equipment, and cable and key management. Dynamic viewing of these assets on the integrated CAD plans ensures active and effective management. ‘myMCS Workplace’ provides for an extensive reservation function for the most wide-ranging matters such as car-pool vehicles, shared equipment (e.g. data projectors) and conference facilities, through to the opening of buildings for external users (e.g. sports facilities for/in schools). Additionally, myMCS also provides for visitor reception (with the possibility of selfregistration), relocations and energy monitoring. The third section is myMCS ‘Service’, with items such as the helpdesk, the service centre, preventive maintenance, work control (planning, generation and processing of job orders for interventions), the data bank, satisfaction measurements, stock management, etc. These service interventions are financially adjusted and entered. Across the three areas the myMCS management reporting guarantees a detailed and integrated insight as a basis for optimal policy decisions to be taken.

www.mcs.fm BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014 83

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT I BUILDING STATE-OF-REPAIR MEASUREMENT

Measuring the state o helps save money The City of Mechelen owns some two hundred buildings of very wide-ranging types, sizes, ages and functions. Twenty of these are designated as large, including the

Cultural Centre, the Municipal Theatre and the historic city hall. The desire for optimised

maintenance and management of these assets has led to cooperation with a specialist partner.

art Permentier, technical engineer of the Buildings Department: “We felt the need to gain an overall picture of all the buildings, and more especially their exact current state of repair, with a view to then drafting as optimal a long-term maintenance plan as possible on the basis of our findings. Knowing exactly what the state of repair of each building is enables you to draw up a plan of action with objectively determined priorities and in this way to budget as accurately as possible: in short, to plan for the buildings to be maintained in the best possible condition in the future”. To draw up an analysis of a building’s state of repair, uniform and neutral reporting is essential. Reporting of this kind differs radically from what the users of buildings may or may not report via the helpdesk.

Useful links This article is published in the online library of Pro-realestate.be. On the introduction page of this article, you will find useful links to download the NEN2767 norm together with the Netherlands Government Buildings Agency Maintenance Inspections Handbook. Unfortunately these are only available in Dutch. In the section www.pro-realestate.be/ library all articles are listed according to their publication date, 10/05/2014 for this article. 84 BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014

with this selection of buildings, with the aim of being able to see where the process can take us and being able to propose specific measures to the city council so that the necessary budgets can be earmarked for them”. Registration of defects State-of-repair measurement involves all a building’s defects being recorded. Every defect is detected, established and listed, and is then given a classification, a process for which there are valuation scales. The classification of a defect is influenced by the stage to which the damage has progressed and its size. This results in a state-of-repair score of 1 to 6, where ‘1’ represents perfectly good condition, ‘2’ is average, ‘3’ denotes acceptable, and so on. The assessment is in theory done by multidisci-plinary personnel, but for large buildings additional experts are sometimes called in. Rob Boelen: “In addition to the actual state-ofrepair measurement we can also take care of the complete digitalisation of all available information on a building, enabling its incorporation into the desktop management software. This covers, for example, all maintenance contracts, inspections, certificates, etc. that are currently applicable or in force. At the moment this is not yet included in the project with the City of Mechelen, but the intention is for this to happen eventually”.

In the Netherlands is to be found Asset Facility Management, a company that has been active here for 30 years. Rob Boelen, Maintenance Consulting Manager: “Building state-of-repair measurement originated in the United Kingdom in the 1970’s. In the Netherlands it was quickly picked up by the Government Buildings Agency, which has worked the methodology into a maintenance standardisation system. Today measurement of this kind is very widespread and is used by many companies. We use the NEN-2767 standard for the measure-ment; at the moment this is still a Dutch standard, but will undoubtedly be internationalised Building state-of-repair measurement is a key factor in the context of calls for tenders for maintenance at European level”. contracts but is equally important in the assessment of current contracts and the contractors bound by Phased approach In an initial phase, the City of Mechelen will have them. However, state-of-repair measurement also 12 buildings assessed by Asset Facility Management. proves to be worthwhile in the case of new developThese represent a mix of old buildings and recent ment, for the drafting of the most appropriate buildings – the smallest is the Muizen town hall maintenance plans designed to ensure that the with a surface area of 500 m² and the largest is the building is maintained ‘in the desired condition’ for city hall. “This first step is part of a growth process as long as possible. A state-of-repair measurement within the building management procedure carried on completion and handover can be tested against out by the City of Mechelen”, explains Bart the state of repair after one year’s use by way of a Permentier. “The idea is to complete the exercise maintenance check. Obviously a certain margin has

e of repair of buildings to be taken into account to allow for acceptable damage as a result of use, but how large or small that may be is something that has to be defined by the party taking the initiative to have the state-ofrepair measurement done. Initial findings Bart Permentier: “Parallel to the state-of-repair measurement we asked Asset Facility Management to draw up an inventory of all technical equipment in the buildings, such as various detectors, light fittings, and anything that could serve to provide as much detail as possible in requests for offers or calls for tender and for the drafting of maintenance contracts”. Asset Facility Management gives the client noncommittal advice further to the state-ofrepair measurement and in consideration of the theoretical useful life of various types of equipment linked to the risks of non-repair or non-replacement, and this results in a priority code. Rob Boelen: “If necessary the client can compare our advice with comments he has received from users of the buildings in order to draw up a plan of action that is as accurate and targeted as possible”. Bart Permentier: “When we had a look at the reports on the first series of buildings we were somewhat shocked at the high costs involved in restoring the buildings to a sound state of repair and then maintaining them in that condition. And it’s not just the maintenance and repair of the old buildings, either. The City of Mechelen has grown very rapidly

Rob Boelen, Maintenance Consulting Manager Asset Facility Management

in recent years, and this has also led to a large number of new development schemes. To keep the costs down during the useful life of those buildings, these need to be kept ‘new’ for as long as possible thanks to the right approach being adopted. This calls for adapted policy choices and budgets”. Building state-ofrepair measurement is an essential tool for the correct planning and accurate budgeting of maintenance work and is consequently a practical way of limiting and closely monitoring maintenance costs. Eduard Coddé n

From left to right working for the City of Mechelen : Bart Permentier, Technical engineer of the Buildings Department, Petra De Kempeneer, Architect responsible for the building management division, Sven Cuyt, Advisor, Head of Buildings department BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014 85

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INVESTMENT & PROPERTY MANAGEMENT I

WWW.PRO-REALESTATE.BE/LIBRARY

Photo Bernard de Keyzer

Public Private Partnership FM revolution behind the prison bars Within a relatively short space of time, four brand new prison buildings are going to come into service within Flanders and Wallonia. The Federal Justice department decided a few years ago to build a certain number of new prisons. And it was high time because a large number of Belgian prisons already had a good number of years of service behind them. This wave of new buildings falls within the framework of the execution of the governmental agreement approving the 2008 – 2012 – 2016 guideline pour for a more humane custodial infrastructure. The Belgian State Buildings Agency is acting as project manager. To ensure that the costs – high but necessary – allied to these new constructions are supportable, private partners have been sought with the aim of creating a Public Private Partnership (PPP). This approach represents a completely new approach for the Federal Justice department which is intending in this way to come into line with the general trend in the public sector. Christine d’Hont, Director of the Leuze establishment in Hainaut province: “The Federal Justice department and the State Buildings Agency have organised an open competition for consortiums made up of study bureaux, building contractors, financiers and maintenance companies. The specification was identical for each establishment. Where Leuze is concerned, twelve consortiums have applied. This new PPP approach for the new constructions at Beveren, Marche-en-Famenne and Leuze-en-Hainaut won the State Buildings Agency a PPP Award in 2013”.

Christine D’Hont, Director of the Leuze establishment in Hainaut

The Public Private Partnership involves a 25 year contract. For the whole of these 25 years, the State Buildings Agency pays an ‘availability fee’ to the consortium. This means that the private partner takes charge of costs allied to the building, including VAT, along with the financing and maintenance of the project. When the contract reaches its conclusion, the Belgian State becomes owner of the building. The PPP consortium applies the DBFM (Design, Build, Finance and Maintain) principal, and in particular for the Leuze prison. Included in the ‘Maintain’ element are long term maintenance, technical servicing, catering, cleaning, laundry, garden upkeep for the 14 hectares of the site, building maintenance including facility management, and the monitoring of all services. Under the traditional system, prisoners carried out a certain number of tasks under the supervision of guards. For certain tasks (catering, laundry), the new situation schedules the integration of prisoners into the contractor in charge of these elements. Christine D’Hont: “This means that the contractor has to train and prepare inmates to be re-inserted into society. It also requires the contractors to adapt themselves in terms of relations with inmates”.

doc courtesy of ASSAR ARCHITECTS – DDS & Partners – Storimans Wijﬀels

See this report in the www.pro-realestate.be on-line library. All articles are classified by publication date. This article, written by the journalists of Profacility magazine, is available in French and Dutch. Article to be downloaded from www.pro-realestate.be/biblio > 28/03/2014

BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014 87

WORKPLACE & PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

Glaverbel building Oﬃces managed like a luxury hotel

Henry Morauw, Head of Property Management at DTZ “While it is impossible to do anything about the location of the building, we can act on its quality through technical contracts, and oﬀer services”.

Impacted by the crisis, the office buildings sector is being obliged to constantly reinvent itself. At the beginning of its Property Manager mandate for the iconic building formerly occupied by Glaverbel, DTZ analysed those contracts currently in operation in order to renegotiate them and obtain a quality of service at the best prices. The level of charges per square meter was therefore able to be decreased by 20% over two years according to Henry Morauw, Head of Property Management at DTZ. Location, quality and services are three criteria allied to a building which condition the level of rent and charges paid by the tenant. If it is impossible to do anything about the location, the quality of the building can nevertheless be optimised. Audits were carried out relative to security, fire and energy. As the image of companies plays a vital role in their development, the owner of the building which accommodates them wished to make this a green building. In 2013, solar panels were located on the roofs in order to provide extra savings. The installation of these was financed by a third party investor who was remunerated by subsidies granted in the form of green certificates. Works were also carried out on finishings and decoration, lighting, air conditioning and access control. Going beyond the intrinsic characteristics of the building, how can it be made even more attractive and stand out from the ‘standardised’ competition? UBS, owner of the Glaverbel building, thus opted, in agreement with its manager DTZ, for a fully comprehensive service offering. Dry cleaning, car washing, innovative buffet restaurant, changing rooms for those arriving by bicycle, making electric bikes available… The desire to personalise the building involved a very far reaching multi-service approach. This approach also involved giving the building a strong identity. To maintain the link with its past, the owner opted for ‘Glaverbel building’, in agreement with AGC, the new name of the Glaverbel company. A logo was created and, at the same time, signposting within the site was modernised in order to make the building known. In a saturated office market, the quality of the Glaverbel building and the service offering associated with the building, along with a decrease in charges, enables the building to stand out from the competition.

Photo Marc Detiﬀe

88 BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014

WWW.PRO-REALESTATE.BE/LIBRARY

Workplace Occupancy Cost benchmark The crisis puts Belgium under pressure The second edition of the European Occupiers Cost Index (OCI) published last year by AOS Studley gives a clear indication of the average annual cost of a work-station per full time equivalent (FTE) employee in Europe. The OCI is the result of an intensive survey carried out in 22 European countries which analyses no less than 3,400 buildings. It is made up of elements borrowed from the EN 15221 norm. Firstly, the ‘Space & Infrastructure’ component which considers costs and investments relative to the building. The second component ‘People & Organisation’ brings together employee support facility costs. And the third element ‘Management’, covers strategic, tactical and transversal management. The survey on which the 2013 survey is based involves 1.45 million FTE’s and a total office surface area of 31 million square metres. “The idea behind the Occupiers Cost Index is originally Belgian and dates back to 2006” explained Jeroen Govers, Real Estate Services Director at AOS Studley Belgium. “At that time there already existed the index in the Netherlands, the Dutch Facility Cost which conforms to the NEN 2748 norm which indicates, per work-station, the average facility costs which apply to the office-based organisations segment. The Belgian OCI immediately became recognised as the reference within corporate real estate”. Since the adoption of the EN 15221 norm as a European standard for facility management, a European comparison has been possible.

Jeroen Govers, Real Estate Services Director at AOS Studley Belgium

For 2013, the annual European cost per FTE stands at € 9,853 compared to € 10,170 in the 2012 OCI. Some 59 % of the total indicated by the OCI involves the building itself. The remaining 41% involves resources and services in the domain of ICT, security, catering, cleaning, management etc. Where Belgium is concerned, the OCI shows a figure which has decreased from € 12.707 per FTE in 2012 to € 12.368 in 2013. This is a decrease of 3%, exactly in line with the European average. At € 12.368 per FTE, the OCI positions Belgium at 25% above the European average of € 9.835. Where the building letting cost is concerned, Belgium is noticeably lower than its neighbours and Luxembourg. By contrast, salary costs are clearly a problem. Costs relative to personnel and services supplied (People & Organisation + Management) are clearly higher and are substantially above the European average, and more particularly those of its immediate neighbours the Netherlands and Germany. At a European level, where the cost of occupying offices is concerned, the most expensive countries are Norway, Sweden and Switzerland. They are in some cases 50% more expensive than Belgium! See the presentation and analysis of the 2013 OCI in the www.pro-realestate.be on-line library. All articles are classified by publication date. This article,, written by journalists of the Profacility Magazine editorial team, is available in French and Dutch. To be downloaded from www.pro-realestate.be/library> 15/12/2013

European Occupiers Cost Index 2013 In the centre, the European average cost per FTE is € 9,853 for 2013. To the left are to be found the countries with the lowest average cost in Europe and on the right those with the highest. The OCI is made up of three components: ‘Space & Infrastructure’ (orange), ‘People & Organisation’ (green) and ‘Management’ (red). The relationship between the different components can vary greatly from country to country.

BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014 89

108 PRofacility GUIDE 2012

REAL ESTATE NETWORK Finding the right partner, adviser or supplier can be highly valuable to your performance in your investment, real estate development projects, properties, buildings, workplaces en facilities management. In this section you will find profiles of companies and persons who can assist you in these areas. More than 720 companies are enlisted with their coordinates in the online directory of Pro-Realestate.be. They are classified according to their field of activities. Connect to www.pro-realestate.be/network for the full listing and their coordinates.

→→

COMPANY PROFILES AG REAL ESTATE

ATENOR GROUP

AREMIS

CITYDEV.BRUSSELS 97 BELGIAN BUILDINGS AGENCY

(REGIE DER GEBOUWEN / REGIE DES BATIMENTS) IFMA

100

(INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FACILITY MANAGEMENT) LOGISTIC ORGANISATION GROUP (L.O.G.)

101

VK ARCHITECTS & ENGINEERS

102

PRofacility GUIDE 2012 109

Let’s share our passion for real estate!

With a diversiﬁed portfolio valued at € 5,5 billion, AG Real Estate is the largest real estate group in Belgium. A subsidiary of AG Insurance, the leading player on the Belgian insurance market, AG Real Estate is able to leverage the group’s ﬁnancial muscle to support its core activities: - DEVELOPMENT 800.000 m2 projects under development - INVESTMENT € 4 billion assets under management - REAL ESTATE & PPP FINANCE Objective of € 1 billion to invest - PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP 625.000 m2 for € 1,5 total investment - PUBLIC CAR PARK MANAGEMENT 302.250 car spaces in 670 car parks in Europe

COMPANY PROFILE

AG REAL ESTATE NV/SA Boulevard Saint Lazare 4-10 - BE-1210 Brussels TEL 0032 (0)2 609 68 00 FAX 0032 (0)2 609 68 10 info@agrealestate.eu www.agrealestate.eu

Contact

Mathonet Véronique Chief HR & Communication Officer veronique.mathonet@agrealestate.eu TEL 0032 (0)2 609 66 73 veronique.mathonet@agrealestate.eu

Structure Management With a EUR 5,5 billion diversified portfolio, AG Real Estate is the largest real estate group in Belgium. As the real estate subsidiary of the leading Belgian insurance group AG Insurance, AG Real Estate benefits from financial strength to support its core activities: Development, Investment, Real Estate & PPP Finance and Public Car Park Management.

Serge Fautré Chief Executive Officer

Alain De Coster Chief Development Officer

Laurent Stalens Chief Legal Officer

Marc Van Begin Chief Financial Officer

Xavier Pierlet Chief Investment Officer

In its new department, Real Estate & PPP Finance, AG Real Estate has an investment objective of EUR 1 billion earmarked to finance real estate, PPP and infrastructure projects.The today most important PPP is “Schools of Tomorrow”, i.e. the design, building, financing and maintenance of 200 school buildings in the Flemish Region of Belgium. In Investment, AG Real Estate is also one of the leading real estate Asset Managers in Belgium with a portfolio under management of EUR 4,5 billion that incorporates office buildings, shopping centers, logistics and residential, and shares in real estate investment funds. The portfolio is invested in direct and indirect real estate, mostly but not exclusively in Europe, and in all asset classes.

AG Real Estate is active both as an equity investor as well as a debt investor across the entire risk spectrum. The Public Car Park Management activity is carried out under the brand Interparking, operating in 9 countries and 350 cities with more than 290,000 parking spaces in 656 car parks. Interparking, with almost 2,000 employees, welcomes 85 million customers a year to its car parks and has become one of the major players in the industry in Europe. Its portfolio includes car parks in city centres, airports, train stations, hospitals, commercial, business and tourist centres. As a key player in the field of mobility, it contributes to enhancing the traffic flow and stimulating the interoperability of different means of transport. Thanks to continuous efforts to reduce its environmental footprint, Interparking’s operations in multiple countries are now CO2 neutral. AG Real Estate is keen to discuss new partnerships to leverage its real estate know-how and financial strength together with local players. AG Real estate aims at ‘Building the future together’. AG Real Estate employs some 250 professionals.

Roland Cracco Chief Executive Officer Interparking

Company

Number of staff: 250

BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014 93

80%

of the apartments are already sold. Hurry before they all go! The UP-site Terraces: unique apartments with outstanding comfort.

UP-site Terraces: last units Make the most of your terrace this summer! The UP-site Terraces are perfectly located: they stretch along the canal in one of Brussels’ thriving districts, which is fast becoming the Place-to-live in Brussels. Are you dreaming of owning an exceptional apartment? A room with a view and a unique living space in one? Then don’t hold off any longer. Come and find out more, as only a few units remain available. Spring is almost here, and if you move now you’ll be able to bask on a balcony this summer. For more information or to organize a meeting or visit, contact us on:

www.victoire.be

Quai des Péniches • 1000 Brussels www.up-site.be

www.immobilierneuf.be

02/777.15.10

0496/56.96.96

www.engelvoelkers.be

www.trevi.be

02/256.07.27

02/340.24.73

COMPANY PROFILE

ATENOR GROUP NV/SA Avenue Reine Astrid 92 - BE-1310 La Hulpe TEL 0032 (0)2 387 22 99 FAX 0032 (0)2 387 23 16 info@atenor.be - www.atenor.be

Contact

Sandrine JACOBS for Happybizz sprl Communication Director TEL 0032 (0)2 387 22 99 - jacobs@atenor.be

Structure Management

UP-site, Brussels

Stéphan Sonneville s.a. Managing Director

Olivier Ralet (for Olivier Ralet BDM sprl) Executive Officer

Introduction

ATENOR GROUP is a real estate development company listed on NYSE Euronext Brussels. Its mission is to provide suitable answers to new requirements created by changes in urban and professional life through its urban planning and architectural approach (mobility, respect for the environment, urban densification, safety…)

Laurent Collier (for Strat Up sprl) Executive Officer

Sidney D. Bens Chief Financial Officer

William Lerinckx (for Probatimmo bvba) Executive Officer

Sandrine Jacobs (for Happybizz sprl) Communication Director

Hans Vandendael (for Hans Vandendael bvba) Legal Director

Plant/International

ATENOR Group Romania - ATENOR Group Hungary ATENOR Group Luxembourg

Company

Number of staff : 44

Turnover

2010: 10.944.000 € - 2011: 36.456.000 € 2012: 45.943.000 € - 2013: 110.133.000 €

ATENOR GROUP invests in large scale real estate projects which meet very strict requirements in terms location, mixed use, diversification, technical quality, economic efficiency, and sustainable development. Environmental responsibility Respect for the environment and sustainable development The Group proposes real estate projects which fall under a continuous progress of sustainable development: use of environmentally-friendly materials, energy drawn from the natural elements at hand (water, wind, sun)... Social responsibility An increased functional diversity for more userfriendliness A user-friendliness factor, functional diversity makes it possible for city dwellers to experience the city differently. Well integrated into the urban fabric, it engenders a sociological diversity and supports inter-generational contact. From a macro-economic point of view, it also makes it possible to reduce intra-urban travel (mobility/ pollution) and to ensure a dynamics for the city beyond office hours. Urban density as the basis even for the existence of a city For many town planners, increased urban density counts as one of the most relevant solutions for mitigating the problems with which large cities are confronted. A well considered increase in density thus acts in favour of a better quality of life.

Public spaces conducting a private space/public space dialog More than an open air meeting space, public space is a link between private life and public life. An essential and incontrovertible link that contributes to the success of the renovation of a district. Architecture with a meaningful direction For Atenor Group, architectural quality fashions an urban landscape and encourages everyone to respect their city, to live there, to work there and to stay there. Economic responsibility Attentive to its financial stability and future growth, ATENOR GROUP endeavours to create value by the implementation of a clear and largely diffused strategy. The Group intends to offer to shareholders a regular return on capital. Social and cultural responsibilities Sensitive to the promotion of art, architecture and education, the company therefore supports various projects.

References - Properties & Real Estate Development REAL ESTATE PORTFOLIO The 12 projects in the portfolio representing about 600,000 m² are:

UP-site (Brussels, Belgium – 80,000 m²) l Trebel (Brussels, Belgium - 29,766 m²) l Brussels Europa (Brussels, Belgium - 29,000 m²) l Victor (Brussels, Belgium - 100,000 m²) l City Docks (Brussels, Belgium - 165,000 m²) l Port du Bon Dieu (Namur, Belgium - 20,614 m²) l Au Fil des Grands Prés (Mons, Belgium 70,000 m²) l La Sucrerie (Ath, Belgium - 20,000 m²) Les Brasseries de Neudorf (Luxembourg - 11,400 m²) AIR (Luxembourg - 10,000 m²) l Hermes Business Campus (Bucharest, Romania – 78,200 m²) l Vaci Greens (Budapest, Hungary – phase 1: 57,800 m²) BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014 95

COMPANY PROFILE

AREMIS NV/SA Avenue Charles Schallerlaan 54 - BE-1160 Brussels TEL 0032 (0)2 775 95 12 FAX 0032 (0)2 775 95 14 info@aremis.com www.aremis.com

Contact

Xavier Orts TEL 0032 (0)2 775 95 12 x.orts@aremis.com

Structure Management

Introduction

Talents and technologies for a sustainable workplace. Based on its 20 years experience in corporate real estate and workplace management, AREMIS is proposing the OxSxE strategy to reduce your occupancy costs up to 30% and your carbon footprint up to 70% while increasing flexibility and efficiency within the whole company.

Xavier Orts Managing Director

Réginald Thomas Management Services Director

The experts and solutions deployed by AREMIS currently manage more than 40 million sqm. Located in Belgium, France, Luxembourg and Switzerland, AREMIS is able, thanks to its international network, to support organizations on a local and global scale.

Services

Management Services AREMIS provides expert profiles to complement your building, facilities and real estate management teams for a short, mid or long term, in which case we act as a specialized head hunter. As a human resources developer and provider, AREMIS selects, develops and insources architects, project managers, space planners, move coordinators, site managers, HVAC and energy engineers,…

Axel Tasiaux Sales Director

Bart D’heer Major Accounts Director

International

Luxembourg, France, Switzerland

Company

Number of staff 2014: 97 Year of foundation: 2010

Turnover

2010: 7 800 000 € € 2011: 8 137 000 € € 2012: 10 250 000 € € 2013: 10 550 000 € € 96 BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014

Information Systems AREMIS delivers solutions based on software expertise and best practices to optimize your corporate real estate and workplace management. These solutions will notably help you to achieve the following goals: • Real estate and occupancy costs optimization • Environmental footprint reduction • Increase in efficiency and credibility of your FM and RE departments • Shorten decision process and enhanced level of services The AREMIS team is by far the most experienced in continental Europe and offers a strong combination of expert profiles: FM & RE process specialists, IT engineers and project managers, web and database experts, application consultants, GIS, CAD & BIM engineers, … We deploy solutions that are supporting daily operations to deliver intuitive dashboard that support your decisions with reliable data and indicators.

Consulting Services The AREMIS consultants have a practical experience in facilities, workplace and real estate management. Through this combined approach, our experts and technologies can support you in various domains: • New Ways of Working: preparation, change management, design, implementation, follow up … • Move and Occupancy Management • IWMS (Integrated Workplace Management System) solution deployment • Strategic space planning • Energy performance optimization • Key performance indicators and dashboards • Portfolio inventory and lease administration • Change management • Site/building management and maintenance • Convert, create and maintain accurate drawing libraries • Employee Portal - Service Desk administration • Information system requirements, deployment plans and budgets • Process re-engineering • …

References - clients

Some companies who trusted us : 3M, AGC Glass Unlimited, AG Real Estate, AXA, Belfius, BMW, BNP PARIBAS Fortis, bpost, Bristol-Meyers Squibb, Brussels Airport, Clinique St-Pierre, Cofely Services, Communauté Française Wallonie-Bruxelles, Consilium, Corelio, Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne, European Commission Luxembourg, European Investment Bank, European Patent Office, European Space Agency, Eurostation, FOREM, Generali, GlaxoSmithKline, IATA, IBM, KBC Bank, KBC Real Estate, Linklaters, Ministère des Affaires étrangères et européennes (France), Ministère des Finances à Luxembourg, Nestlé, Philip Morris International, Police d’Evere/Politie van Evere, Régie des Bâtiments/ Regie der Gebouwen, Région Bruxelles Capitale/Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest, Réseau Ferré de France, RTBF, RTL, SABCA, Sanofi, SD Worx, SITA, SNCB/NMBS, Société Générale Bank & Trust, Sodexo, SPF Sécurité sociale/FOD Sociale Zekerheid, TOTAL, Tractebel, UBS, UCB, UEFA, UNIL, Université Catholique de Louvain, Veolia, ...

COMPANY PROFILE

citydev.brussels Rue Gabrielle Petit 6 - BE-1080 Brussels TEL 0032 (0)2 422 51 11 FAX 0032 (0)2 422 51 12 info@citydev.be www.citydev.be

Contact

Benjamin CADRANEL CEO TEL 0032 (0)2 422 51 11

Structure Management

Introduction

citydev.brussels has 40 years of experience in professional real estate

citydev.brussels, a significant player in Sustainable Urban Development

citydev.brussels is an autonomous public organisation established in 1974. It is in charge of the urban development of the Brussels-Capital Region (BCR) by way of real-estate projects.

citydev.brussels has also been very involved in urban renewal projects for the past 25 years. It builds housing for middle-income households. Thanks to regional subsidies, it makes housing available to residents of Brussels at 30% below the city’s real-estate market prices.

Specifically, citydev.brussels: • establishes and anchors businesses in order to stimulate the Region’s economic expansion;

citydev.brussels moved to a sustainable development policy several years ago. All of the housing built by citydev.brussels is either passive or low-energy.

• produces housing for middle-income households;

Denis GRIMBERGHS Chairman of the Board

Julien Meganck Executive Director

• dynamizes neighbourhoods and restores the urban fabric with mixed projects combining housing, economic activities and services.

Services

citydev.brussels provides tailor-made real-estate infrastructure for companies

Benjamin CADRANEL CEO Philippe ANTOINE General Manager Gert Nys Acting General Manager Gert Van der Eeken General Manager

citydev.brussels furthers the BCR’s economic expansion by hosting and anchoring businesses. In order to accomplish this, citydev.brussels makes high-quality real-estate infrastructure available to them. This way, it can help them find a suitable location in each stage of their development. Today, citydev.brussels provides them access to a patrimony of some 200 ha of industrial zones and SME parks across 45 sites, 75,000 m² of spaces for economic activities, 8 business centres and 5 incubators.

citydev.brussels boosts Brussels’s neighbourhoods through mixed projects Lastly, as regional public operator, citydev.brussels is also developing mixed projects, appealing to both private persons and businesses. These projects combine housing, economic activities, shops, public spaces, communal gardens, and collective facilities (day-care centres, playgrounds, etc.). In short, everything that can breathe new life into a neighbourhood by setting up integrated, complementary and pleasant living and working conditions.

If there are no suitable properties in its real-estate portfolio, or if the company does not meet its criteria, citydev.brussels will try to find a solution in the private sector via its Inventimmo real-estate database (www. inventimmo.be) which lists all properties available in the Brussels-Capital Region (workshops, depots, offices, industrial lots, etc.).

Company

Number of staff: 140 Year of foundation: 1974

BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014 97

© Philippe SAMYN and PARTNERS architects & engineers, LEAD and DESIGN PARTNER. Philippe Samyn and Partners architects & engineers, Studio Valle Progettazioni architects, Buro Happold Limited engineers.

The Belgian Buildings Agency Gulden Vlieslaan - Avenue de la Toison d’Or 87 box 2 B-1060 Brussels - Belgium Phone: +32 (0)2 541 70 66 - Fax: +32 (0)2 541 70 70

www.buildingsagency.be

Buildings Agency

COMPANY PROFILE

BELGIAN BUILDINGS AGENCY (Regie der Gebouwen Régie des Bâtiments) Avenue de la Toison d’Or 87 b 2 - BE-1060 Brussels TEL 0032 (0)2 541 65 11 FAX 0032 (0)2 541 65 10 infodesk@buildingsagency.be www.buildingsagency.be

Contact

Laurent Vrijdaghs - C.E.O. TEL 0032 (0)2 541 70 76 laurent.vrijdaghs@buildingsagency.be

Structure Management

Introduction

The Belgian Buildings Agency The real estate expert of the federal state Founded in 1971 as a semi-independent governmental organization, the Belgian Buildings Agency provides qualitative office accommodation for federal public servants and manages the national architectural heritage. Integrity, professionalism, team spirit and responsibility are its core values.

Laurent Vrijdaghs C.E.O.

Marie-Caroline Pardon Director-general Clients

Dirk Van Geystelen Director-general Strategy and real estate

Paul De Ceuster Director-general Operational

Roger Vermeulen Managing director Staff

Brussels (HQ), Antwerp, Hasselt, Leuven, Ghent, Bruges, Namur, Liège, Arlon, Mons, Nivelles

Company

Number of staff: Around 1100 Year of foundation: 1971

The Agency manages about 7,9 million m² in real estate, devided over some 1 300 buildings. About 890 of the buildings are owned by the Federal state (about 4.7 million m²), 428 buildings are rented (about 2.9 million m²). For the federal public servants, the Agency either rents office blocks of high quality, or it operates as a property developer. When renting offices, the needs of the clients are carefully analysed. For newly constructed buildings, particular attention is paid to the global architectural quality of the building plans. This quality is assessed, among other things, in terms of functionality, expected operating lifetime, aesthetical quality, urban integration within the existing environment, construction costs, maintenance costs and sustainable energy consumption. The federal heritage includes several buildings of immense architectural and historic interest, such as the site of the Cinquantenaire with the Cinquantenaire Museum, Autoworld and the Royal Museum of the Army and Military History. This patrimony is administered by the Belgian Buildings Agency, which guards over the preservation of these monuments and unique buildings, which refer to Belgium’s rich past and culture. The Agency has been developing its conservation and restoration know-how for many years. Every year, the Agency restores several valuable buildings and monuments to their former glory. The opera house La Monnaie, the Palace of the Academies, the Musical Instruments Museum, the Belgian Royal Museums of Fine Arts, the Halle Gate and the Centre for Fine Arts are just a few examples of this commitment. The Agency is also responsible for the various commitments of the Belgian state to provide office

accommodation for international organizations such as the European Schools (European Commission) or the Council of the European Union. The realization of each project is always the result of a successful collaboration between the different partners. Quality service and a specific and unique expertise in the fields of construction, restoration and real estate management make the Belgian Buildings Agency the real estate expert of the Federal State.

Services

• Civil & Structural Engineering: stability, concrete and steel studies, infrastructure, special construction procedures, VRD, etc. • Engineering: Hvac, electricity, electro-mechanics, fire prevention, technical building management, energy management, environmental audits, special systems (IT, telephone, etc), restoration techniques, etc. • Facility Management • Project Management: public procurement procedures, calls for tender, budget, timescale, space planning, quality control, etc.

References - clients

• Federal Ministries • Federal Public Services (Personnel and Organisation, Chancellery of the Prime Minister, Budget and Management Control, Information and Communication Technology, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, Home Affairs, Finance, Justice, Mobility and Transport, Employment, Labour and Social Dialogue, Social Security, Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment, Economy, SMEs, Self-Employed and Energy) • Federal Public Planning Services (Social Integration, Fight against Poverty and Social Economy, Sustainable Development, Science Policy) • Fedasil • State Archives • Royal Palaces (Brussels and Laeken) • European schools in Belgium (European Commission) • Council of the EU (Justus Lipsius - Residence Palace) • Academia Belgica (Rome – Italy) • Fondation Biermans-Lapôtre (Paris – France) • World and International Exhibitions (Shanghai 2010, Saragossa 2008, Aïchi 2005, Hannover 2000) BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014 99

COMPANY PROFILE

IFMA BELGIAN CHAPTER VZW/ASBL Pegasuslaan 5 - BE-1831 Diegem TEL 0032 (0)2 424 12 80 secretary@ifma.be www.ifma.be

Contact

Mieke Loncke Directeur TEL 0032 (0)485 69 77 93 mieke.loncke@ifma.be

Structure Management

Jean Morren President

Sven Aerts Treasurer

Yves Bertholomé Vice-President

Sabine Thuysbaert Member of board

Mieke Loncke Directeur

Introduction

Company profile IFMA is Belgium’s only specialist association for professionals in the world of facility management. The organisation exists more than 15 years in Belgium, having witnessed the development of this specialist field in the country since its infancy. IFMA Belgium is an important European chapter in the worldwide IFMA International. It reaches today more than 6000 professionals and providers in the world of facilities. As an organisation, IFMA works to build a future founded on three pillars: specialised events that turn the spotlight on a specific discipline within facility management, an unconditional focus on the content of the specialist field and actions that place its members centre stage.

IFMA Facility Awards ‘Facility Manager of the Year’ Every year IFMA organises a competition to find the best ‘Facility Management Project of the Year’ one year and the best ‘Facility Manager of the Year’ the other year. This is the biggest annual event in the world of facility management. The IFMA Facility Awards are about innovative projects, achievements that demonstrate progress in the field and serve as such as an example for fellow professionals.

Facility Management meets Real Estate Real Estate meets Facility Management As facility managers and facility directors take decisions at a strategic level, they are being given new responsibilities and having an ever greater impact on overall events in the company. Facility Management has a direct impact on running and maintaining a company’s buildings and workplaces, along with the quality of the working environment for employees. CEO’s are more and more aware that optimal facility management can have a substantial impact on the final operational, social and financial results of the company. IFMA anticipates this with targeted research through specific working and specialist workgroups within the organisation. For example the responsibility of the facility manager relative to energy management and efficient collaboration between architects and building users - facility managers - are at the top of the IFMA agenda.

Training IFMA is the driving force of the organisation of vocational training for facility professionals. Over 500 people throughout Flanders, Wallonia and Brussels successfully followed a specialised FM training course, at post graduate level or bachelor level with a full-time curriculum. The training in strategic Facility Management and themed half day training sessions are two recent IFMA initiatives.

The existing working groups will continue to receive professional guidance with a view to ensuring added value for members. New actions will be undertaken in line with the market situation.

100 BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014

This year, we will elect the ‘Facility Manager of the Year, and the best ‘FM Thesis’. The winners will receive their prizes on April 29th 2014 in the SkylinE40 in Erembodegem. This gala evening will be hosted by a familiar face: Christophe Deborsu.

Become a member of IFMA This professional organisation offers all those active in facility management a unique platform for events, knowledge, training and networking. IFMA constitutes the logical complement for every professional facility manager. Affiliation to the IFMA should therefore be a natural reflex for those proud of their work, those who want to share experiences with colleagues and those who understand the indispensable nature of continuous training.

COMPANY PROFILE

L.O.G Rue du Charroi 21-23 - BE-1190 Brussels - Forest TEL 0032 (0)2 512 21 10 FAX 0032 (0)2 503 34 16 www.log.be

Contact

Patricia De Sutter Business Development TEL 0032 (0)2 340 29 76 patricia.desutter@log.be

Structure Management

Introduction

Logistic Organisation Group is a company specialized in the layout and design, the implantation and the optimization of Officespaces (and other WorkPlaces). Thanks to its unique methodology and integrated approach, L.O.G guarantees its customers a comprehensive, stable and economical space management. Starting from the needs analysis, the design and/or realization of the interior design up to the complete management of the refurbishment and the move, L.O.G provides the answers to the flexibility needs of companies. This approach will increase the satisfaction of the personnel and the economic performance of our customers.

Services

L.O.G builds its offer around four ranges of services.

Patrick Dubois CEO Benoît Detroz CFO - COO

Company

Number of staff: 26 Year of foundation: 2000

Turnover

2010: 2 102 000 € 2011: 2.400.000 € 2012: 2.300.000 € 2013: 2.400.000 €

STUDIES Exploratory Study indicates those transformations that have the best potential of being profitable for the customer, based on a brief and concise analysis of collected data and a synthesis of the customers objectifs. It helps to describe the expectations, assumptions, possible gains, costs and risks of the decision “whether or not” to implement a particular project. The Exploratory Study focuses on the layout and design of the interior or on the occupancy of office buildings, or on both. The indicated budgets and ROI’s give a good guidance as to whether a project is a good investment, or not. The results obtained offer the customer the possibility, in all independence, to contract a project that meets the true expectations of the company. Dossier “Governance” describes the rules and internal procedures (from the customer) on the allocation of officespace and equipment. It can also describe the prescriptions in the “interior design and layout” charter, based upon the “corporate identity”. Dossier “Conception” describes the project in its differents components. It defines expectations, assumptions, risks, gains and project budgets in terms of time and cost. It deals with the “WHAT” and can include: • Space & Occupancy Planning, • Space & Interior Design • Dossier “Technical Specifications”, • Dossier “Administrative Permits”.

Dossier “Organisation” describes the practical organisation of the project to realise the new design, layout and/or move. It deals with e.g. the Planning of the Construction sites, the manpower planning and the Safety and Health aspects. It describes how to complete the project. In order to be able to manage the risks and the quality, it sets out in detail the schedule, budget and actions to control plannings and General or specific health and safety plan. Dossier “Realisation” from a position of independent expert, L.O.G assists the customer in awarding (parts of) the project to (sub)-contractors. The Dossier generally starts with issuing Tenders, reviewing the responses and assisting the customer in the comparisons. SITE SUPERVISION This phase includes, in accordance with the relevant Dossiers, the startup, the coordination and the follow up of refurbishment projects of office buildings. MOVE MANAGEMENT In accordance with the relevant Dossiers, this phase includes the startup, the coordination and the follow up of the move. Service “GRANTS” The service “Grants” allows the client to manage the different aspects of “granting” space or equipment to a person or a department. It enables to locate and retrieve a person or an equipment, to ensure the availability of an office space, a workspace or an equipment and to allocate costs. Taking into account the internal agreements (reflected in the Dossier Governance), the costs related to granting workplaces and equipment are allocated to the persons, activities or departments.

References - clients

ABLYNX ALLIANZ ACEA ELECTRABEL ROMA AKZO NOBEL ARGB ASTRA ATRADIUS AXA AZ DAMIAAN BELPEX B-POST BRAMMER CHARLEROI AIRPORT CHR CITADELLE LIEGE CLYDE BERGEMANN COLT TELECOM CONVIVIAL DLA PIPER ELECTRABEL TIHANGE ELIA ENI DISTRIGAZ ETHIAS ETUDE NOTARIALE A.BOUTTIAU EUROCLEAR FIDUCIAIRE MONTGOMERY FLUXYS GDF SUEZ/ ELECTRABEL LEASINVEST IBM JAPAN INTERNATIONAL TOBACCO MERCEDES BENZ QUICK KOMATSU LABORELEC NATO/OTAN OMBUDSMAN DES ASSURANCES ORES PARCOURS PETROFINA PLANTIN QUICK SECUREX SIBELGA SIEMENS TOTAL FINA TRACTEBEL ENGINEERING TRASYS UNILU VITO WILMA BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014 101

COMPANY PROFILE

VK Architects & Engineers Avenue Clemenceau, 87 - BE-1070 Brussels TEL 0032 (0)2 414 07 77 FAX 0032 (0)2 414 04 98 bxl@vkgroup.be www.vkgroup.be

NATO HEADQUARTERS Brussels, Belgium - Architects : SOM - ASSAR

ghelamco Arena Ghent, Belgium - Architects: Bontick Architecture and Engineering

Up-Site Brussels, Belgium - Architects: A2RC - Ateliers Yves de Lion

Passive School Emile Bockstael Brussels, Belgium - Architect: Nimptsch Architekten

Contact

Serge Cappon - Marketing Manager TEL 0032 (0)51 26 20 20 serge.c@vkgroup.be

Structure Management

Paul Corbeel C.E.O.

Paul Feryn COO

Michel Dewanckele CBDO

Dirk Slabbinck CTO

Karel Verhaeghe CFO

Peter Van Kerckhove Chairman advisory board

Belgian subsidiaries

VK - Axxess Business Park, Gulden sporenpark, Building A n°4 BE-9820 Merelbeke (Ghent)

VK - Zevenbergenlaan 2a - BE-8200 Brugge

Introduction

VK develops activities in four market segments: Healthcare, Buildings, Industry and Infrastructure. Real estate developers, architects, industrial clients and public authorities can rely on VK for its widely recognized engineering services for their Buildings, Industry and Infrastructure needs. In Healthcare, VK offers stateof-the-art architecture & engineering services: master planning, architecture, engineering, interior design and landscaping. In these activities, sustainability is a top priority to us. VK focuses on sustainable, eco-efficient and futureoriented design, with knowledge of business on rational use of energy, energy performance standards, energy reporting, ... As a multidisciplinary firm, VK has the unique advantage to be able to develop and execute integrated concepts. Offering all engineering services, we guarantee an optimal interplay between the architectural concept, studies for civil and structural engineering and building services including advanced services such as fire safety, acoustical and facade engineering. VK has contributed to several challenging structural and technical engineering missions and large-scale projects with renowned architects: the new NATO HQ (Brussels), Charleroi Police Tower, Up-Site (Brussels), KBC Tower (Ghent), Zenith Tower (Brussels), the extension of the European Parliament (Brussels), the new Law Courts of Antwerp, various projects for GlaxoSmithKline and Baxter, ... and was engaged as engineering office in 5 MIPIM award winners since 2000.

Services

Sustainability Life cycle analysis, building physics, energy engineering, energy reporting, maintenance studies, user ergonomics, BREEAM assessment.

VK - Brugsesteenweg 210 - BE-8800 Roeselare

Plant/International

Civil & Structural Engineering Concrete structures, steel structures, wood structures.

VK Astana - Kazachstan / VK Vietnam - Vietnam

Company

Number of staff: > 100 / Year of foundation: 1952

Turnover

2010: 22 381 928 € - 2011: 25 629 399 € 2012: 25 091 305 € 102 BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014

Building Services Audit, mechanical engineering, HVAC, electricity, plumbing, fire engineering, building management, telecom, façade engineering, acoustical engineering.

Advanced Technologies • Energy and facade engineering: VK is offering the client a performance based design solution by applying calculations, CFD simulations, science and engineering to develop the whole building energy concept … In addition, VK provides facade consulting services to assist building owners, project developers, architects and contractors from design to completion on all types of facade systems. • Fire Safety Engineering: VK is committed to protect people, structures and goods from the destructive consequences of smoke and fire at the lowest possible cost. Our engineers have extensive knowledge of both the theoretical and practical application of all aspects of fire engineering. • Acoustical Engineering: VK Architects & Engineers has taken over Aurea Acoustics in 2013. In recent years, the acoustical engineering firm gained a solid reputation with regard to acoustical studies for both the public and private sector. It realised studies for industrial and building-projects and for public clients. With this takeover, the multidisciplinary architecture and engineering group VK profiles itself ever more through specialised services.

References - clients

Offices: Barco, Depaepe Group, All Fin, Atenor, Axa RE, B.P.I., Banimmo, AG Real Estate, ING Real Estate, Burco, CDP, Certimmo, CIB, Codic, Immobel, Cofinimmo, Cogerimmo, Deloitte & Touch, Dexia Real Estate, Immomills, Infrax, JM Construction, Kairos, Robelco, Redevco, Renson, Sodiro,… Retail: Wereldhave, Wilhelm & Co, Fort-Jaco (Brussels), Ring Shopping Center Kuurne, Woluwe Shopping Center, etc. Public buildings: NATO HQ, Flemish Administrative Centre, National Theatre, Town hall Koksijde, Law Courts Antwerp, Concert Hall Brugge, etc. Hotels: Thon, Metropole, Crown Plaza, Marriott. Industry: Amylum, Bekaert, Boortmalt, Cargill, Eurosilo, Ghent Grain Terminal, Kopal, Leievoeders, Pfizer Corporation, Proferro, Rendac, ArcelorMittal, Sobelgra, Spanolux, Tailor Steel, UCB, Vamo Mills, Vandemoortele, Vanden Avenne, Voeders Danis, Glaxo Smithkline, Pfizer Corporation, UCB, … Hospitals: Hospital Network Antwerp, General Hospital Saint-Martin (Mechelen), O.L. Vrouw Hospital (Aalst), Burns Unit Military Hospital (Brussels), University Hospital Revalidation Centre (Esneux), University Hospital (Leuven), Jan Yperman (Ieper), St-Jan Hospital (Brugge), VinMec International Hospital (Vietnam), etc.

COMPANIES INDEX I

WWW.PRO-REALESTATE.BE/NETWORK I

The directory of Pro-Realestate.be publishes the coordinates of: • key players in the real estate industry • suppliers who can assist developers in achieving their real estate projects • suppliers who can advise end-users to perform in their investment, building and property management More than 720 companies are enlisted with their coordinates in the online directory of Pro-Realestate.be. In the following pages you will find a selection of these companies. They are classified according to their field of activities. Connect to www.pro-realestate.be/network for the full listing and their coordinates.

REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT REAL ESTATE DEVELOPERS / INVESTORS

JCX GESTION JM CONSTRUCTION KAIROS see advertising on page 37

AG REAL ESTATE www.pro-realestate.be/agrealestate see advertising & company profile on page 92-93

KBC REAL ESTATE

ALLFIN

LEASELEX

ATENOR GROUP www.pro-realestate.be/atenor see advertising & company profile on pages 94-95

LEASINVEST REAL ESTATE

AXA BELGIUM see advertising on pages 13 & 31

MONTEA

BANIMMO

PROWINKO BELGIE

BESIX RED

PYLOS BENELUX

BOUYGUES IMMOBILIER

REDEVCO RETAIL

BPC

ROBELCO GROUP

BPI

SOFICOM DEVELOPMENT

BREEVAST DEVELOPMENT

SPI

BUELENS

ST LAMBERT PROMOTION

BURCO

UPLACE

CBRE GLOBAL INVESTORS

VAN DE WALLE BOUWGROEP

L.I.F.E

MATEXI PROJECT T&T

CIP (CONSTRUCTION & INVESTMENT PARTNERS)

VERELST INDUSTRIEBOUW

CITYDEV.BRUSSELS see company profile on page 97

VICTOIRE PROPERTIES

www.pro-realestate.be/citydev.brussels

VIRIX

CITY MALL

WILHELM & CO

CODIC

WILLY NAESSENS INDUSTRIEBOUW

COFINIMMO

WILMA PROJECT DEVELOPMENT

DE PAEPE GROUP EAGLESTONE EQUILIS ERTZBERG EURO IMMO STAR EUROGARE EXTENSA GROUP FIDENTIA REAL ESTATE INVESTMENTS G-LABEL see advertising on page 41 GHELAMCO GROUP see advertising on page 41

LOCAL AND PUBLIC AUTHORITIES GROUND USE AND INVESTMENT ASSISTANCE ADT /ATO AG VESPA ANTWERPEN AWEX BELGIAN BUILDINGS AGENCY (Regie der Gebouwen / Régie des Bâtiments) see advertising & company profile on pages 94-95

www.pro-realestate.be/bba

BEP ( Bureau Economique de la province de Namur) BRUSSELS INVEST & EXPORT

GOODMAN

CITYDEV.BRUSSELS see company profile on page 97

www.pro-realestate.be/citydev.brussels

GROUP BERNAERTS

FLANDERS INVESTMENT TRADE

GROUP MAES

IDEA

HERPAIN ENTREPRISE

IDELUX

IMMO BAM

IDETA

IMMOBEL

IGRETEC

IRET DEVELOPMENT

IMPULS

INTERVEST OFFICES & WAREHOUSES

INTERCOMMUNALE DU BRABANT WALLON (IBW) BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014 103

COMPANIES INDEX I

WWW.PRO-REALESTATE.BE/NETWORK I

KORTRIJK LEIEDAL

IMMOQUEST

MEUSINVEST

JLL

POM OOST-VLAANDEREN (Development Agency East Flanders)

KEY ESTATE

SOGENT

KNIGHT FRANK

SPI

LOCATUS

STAD MECHELEN

SAVILLS STRUCTURA BUSINESS PROPERTY

REAL ESTATE CONSULTANCY

TREVI SERVICES

ALLTEN

ARCHITECTS

ANIXTON see advertising on page 108 AREMIS see company profile on page 96

A2RC ARCHITECTS www.pro-realestate.be/aremis

ACCARAIN & BOUILLOT A.D.E. - MARC STRYCKMAN AND PARTNERS

AXIMAS

ALTIPLAN° ARCHITECTS

BELTICO

ARCHI 2000

BNP PARIBAS REAL ESTATE

ARCHI+I

BUSINESS SPACE

ARCHITECTES ASSOCIES

COLLIERS INTERNATIONAL

ARCHITECTUURBUREAU LOWETTE

CUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD

ARCHITEKTENBURO STORME VAN RANST

DE CROMBRUGGHE &PARTNERS see advertising on page 104

ART & BUILD ARCHITECTS ASSAR ARCHITECTS ATELIER D'ARCHITECTURE DE GENVAL

DEVIMO CONSULT DTZ FREESTONE IMMOBILIEN HUGO CEUSTERS

104 BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014

www.profacility.be/DTZ www.profacility.be/freestone

ATELIER D’ART URBAIN ATELIER DE L'ARBRE D'OR AUC ARCHITECTURE

BONTINCK

CIT BLATON

BUREAU D’ARCHITECTES BURTONBOY

CORDEEL

BUREAU D'ARCHITECTURE EMILE VERHAEGHEN

DELENS JACQUES ENTREPRISES

BURO 5

DEMOCO - DMI VASTGOED

BURO II – ARCHI+I

EIFFAGE BENELUX

CERAU

ENTREPRISES LOUIS DE WAELE

CHAPMAN TAYLOR BENELUX

GALÈRE

CONIX ARCHITECTEN

HEIJMANS-RE

CREPAIN-BINST ARCHITECTURE

HOUYOUX CONSTRUCTIONS

DDS & PARTNERS

INTERBUILD

DSW ARCHITECT

ROUHARD

ELD PARTNERSHIP

STRABAG BELGIUM

EXODE ARCHITECTURE

www.profacility.be/exode

THOMAS PIRON WUST

G+D STUDY BUREAU JASPERS - EYERS ARCHITECTS LD2 ARCHITECTURE

CONSTRUCTION – CONSULTANCY AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT

MDW ARCHITECTURE

ACMG CONSTRUCTION CONSULTANT

MONTOIS PARTNERS ARCHITECTS

AOS STUDLEY

NICOLAS FRIKET ARCHITECTS POLO ARCHITECTS

AREMIS see company profile on page 96

PROJECT²

AT OSBORNE

RYCKAERTS & PARTNERS

BOPRO REAL ESTATE SERVICES

SAMYN AND PARTNERS

EUROGARE

SAQ

GRONTMIJ

STEPHANE BEEL ARCHITECTS

NEXITY

SYNTAXE ARCHITECTES

PROBAM

VANDERBRUGGEN ARCHITECTENBUREAU

TECHNUM see advertising on page 77

VIZZION ARCHITECTS VK STUDIO see company profile on page 102

www.pro-realestate.be/vk

www.profacility.be/aos-studley www.pro-realestate.be/aremis

VK ENGINEERING see company profile on page 102

www.pro-realestate.be/vk

WAREHOUSES ESTATES BELGIUM

ENGINEERING CONSULTANCY

WIDNELL EUROPE

ABT BELGIË AIR CONSULT ENGINEERING

LANDSCAPE GARDENERS

ARCADIS

AVANTGARDEN

B SOLUTIONS

INTERPLANT

FELTGEN

J.N.C INTERNATIONAL

GREISCH

KRINKELS

GRONTMIJ BELGIUM INGENIUM

WIRTZ INTERNATIONAL www.profacility.be/ingenium

LOUIS ENGINEERING

STREET FURNITURE

MR ENGINEERING

KOPPEN

SOPHIA GROUP

VELOPA

TECHNUM see advertising on page 77

ENVIRONMENTAL CERTIFICATION OF BUILDINGS

TPF ENGINEERING

AGECO ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTING

TRACTEBEL ENGINEERING VK STUDIO see company profile on page 102

www.pro-realestate.be/vk

AREMIS see company profile on page 96

www.pro-realestate.be/aremis

BREEAM INGENIUM

GENERAL CONTRACTORS

PROBAM

BPC

SECO

3e BUREAU

SOPHIA GROUP

CEI - DE MEYER

VALIDEO

CFE GROUP /BPI

VINCOTTE

www.profacility.be/ingenium

BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014 105

COMPANIES INDEX I

WWW.PRO-REALESTATE.BE/NETWORK I

VK STUDIO see company profile on page 102

www.pro-realestate.be/vk

BUILDING TECHNICAL MAINTENANCE ( MAINCONTRACTING) CEGELEC COFELY

REAL ESTATE - HR RECRUITMENT – PROJECT SOURCING

DALKIA

SERVICE A

FABRICOM

FREESTONE

www.profacility.be/freestone

IMTECH MAINTENANCE INGENIUM

USG INTERIM

www.profacility.be/ingenium

JOHNSON CONTROLS

FEDERATIONS – RESEARCH

SOCOTEC BELGIUM

CIB VLAANDEREN

SODEXO BELGIUM

IPD

SOPHIA GROUP

EPRA

SPIE

FIABCI see advertising on page 2

T.E.M VINCI FACILITIES

www.profacility.be/sodexoifm

www.profacility.be/vinci-facilities

RES RICS BELUX

BUILDING AUTOMATION

UEPC

BECKHOFF AUTOMATION

ULI EUROPE

PRIVA BUILDING INTELLIGENCE

UPSI –BVS

RISCO GROUP BENELUX SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC

PROPERTY, BUILDINGS & FACILITY MANAGEMENT

SIEMENS BUILDING TECHNOLOGIES

HVAC

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT BELGIAN BUILDINGS AGENCY (Regie der Gebouwen / Régie des Bâtiments) see advertising & company profile on pages 98-99 CAMELOT

www.pro-realestate.be/bba

ABN KLIMATISATIE AIR SYSTEMS ATLAS COPCO BELGIUM

www.profacility.be/camelot

AXIMA CONTRACTING

COFINIMMO

DAIKIN BELGIUM

DEVIMMO

DALKIA IMTECH PROJECTS

ENTRAKT FREESTONE

www.profacility.be/freestone

LIMPENS TYCO THERMAL CONTROLS

GLOBAL PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT INTERIM VASTGOEDBEHEER SHOPPING CENTER MANAGEMENT SERVICES

EXTERIOR BLINDS & SUN PROTECTION

SOGESMAINT

DUCO HUNTER DOUGLAS

REAL ESTATE & FACILITY INFORMATION SYSTEMS (FMIS)

LUXAFOIL

AREMIS see company profile on page 96

RENSON VENTILATION

www.pro-realestate.be/aremis

www.profacility.be/hunterdouglas

REPROSOL

MCS

LIFT AND ESCALATORS

PLANON PROCOS GROUP

www.profacility.be/procos

TOP DESK

KONE BELGIUM OTIS SCHINDLER

RELOCATION

THYSSEN KRUPP

ANIXTON see advertising on page 108 AOS BELGIUM D&C SERVICES FREESTONE L.O.G see company profile on page 101 TRAJECT

ACCESS CONTROL www.profacility.be/ aos-studley

AMANO ELECTRONICS

www.profacility.be/dcservices

AUTOMATIC SYSTEMS

www.profacility.be/freestone www.profacility.be/log

GET IDTECH NEDAP

www.profacility.be/traject

PROTIME RISCO GROUP

106 BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014

www.profacility.be/nedap

INTEGRATED FACILITY MANAGEMENT FACILICOM see advertising on page 86

www.profacility.be/facilicom

ISS

www.profacility.be/iss

www.profacility.be/aos-studley

AREMIS see company profile on page 96

www.pro-realestate.be/aremis

ART NIVO WORKSPACES ART& BUILD ARCHITECTS

JOHNSON CONTROLS SODEXO

AOS BELGIUM

www.profacility.be/sodexoifm

BUROCONCEPT

www.profacility.be/buroconcept

BURO PROJECT D&C SERVICES

FACILITY MANAGEMENT CONSULTANCY AOS BELGIUM

www.profacility.be/aos-studley

AREMIS see company profile on page 96

www.pro-realestate.be/aremis

FREESTONE

www.profacility.be/freestone

MCS PROCOS GROUP

www.profacility.be/procos

VINCI FACILITIES

www.profacility.be/vinci-facilities

www.profacility.be/dcservices

DE CORT & DERVICHIAN EXODE ARCHITECTURE

www.profacility.be/exode

GLOBAL

www.prorealestate.be/global

K-ONCEPT

www.profacility.be/k-oncept

L.O.G see company profile on page 101

www.profacility.be/log

PROCOS GROUP

www.profacility.be/procos

ROSESTUDIO

www.profacility.be/rosestudio

SNELBOUW

SECURITY GUARDS CAMELOT

www.profacility.be/camelot

CITIZEN GUARD

OFFICE FURNITURE

FACT SECURITY

AHREND

G4S

ALTERNATIV WORKSPACE SOLUTIONS

SGI SECURITY

ART NIVO WORKSPACES

SECURITAS

BEDIMO

SERIS SECURITY

BENE

TRIGION SECURITY see advertising on page 86

www.profacility.be/facilicom

BRUYNZEEL STORAGE SYSTEMS

www.profacility.be/alternativ

www.profacility.be/bruynzeelstorage

BULO BURO INTERNATIONAL DOX ACOUSTICS

MOVERS ARTHUR PIERRE

www.profacility.be/arthurpierre

GIROFLEX

DOCKX MOVERS

GIRSBERGER BENELUX

GOSSELIN GROUP

GISPEN

MOZER BELUX

www.profacility.be/mozer

KINNARPS

POTIEZ-DEMAN

www.profacility.be/potiez

PAMI

TER BEEK

SEDUS STOLL

YOUR MOVER VANDERGOTEN

STEELCASE BELGIUM

www.profacility.be/vandergoten

www.profacility.be/giroflex www.profacility.be/girsberger www.profacility.be/kinnarps www.profacility.be/sedus-stoll www.profacility.be/steelcase

ZIEGLER

VITRA WILKHAHN

FEDERATION BEMAS (BELGIAN MAINTENANCE ASSOCATION) IFMA BELGIAN CHAPTER see company profile on page 100

www.profacility.be/ifma

PARTINIONING WALLS BEDDELEEM

www.profacility.be/beddeleem

MAARS JANSEN PARTITIONING SYSTEMS

VIB

EDUCATION IN REAL ESTATE MANAGEMENT

www.profacility.be/maars-jansen

PAN-ALL

www.profacility.be/panall

PANISOL

www.profacility.be/panisol

TECNIBO

K.U.LEUVEN CAMPUS KORTRIJK UNIVERSITEIT ANTWERPEN MANAGEMENT SCHOOL (UAMS) SOLVAY BUSINESS SCHOOL

COLD CEILING SYSTEMS BEDDELEEM

www.profacility.be/beddeleem

INTERALU

WORKPLACE DESIGN & SOLUTIONS

ACOUSTICS FIT-OUT AND WORKPLACE DESIGN ADMOS ALTERNATIV WORKSPACE SOLUTIONS ALTIPLAN째 ARCHITECTS

DOX ACOUSTICS www.profacility.be/admos www.profacility.be/alternativ

ENVIRONMENT ACOUSTICS STO VENAC

BELGIUM REAL ESTATE SHOWCASE 2014 107

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