ManagEnergy Expert Mission #19: Advancing Public Building Renovation in Brussels

As part of the 19th ManagEnergy Expert Mission, Seamus Hoyne of the Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) and ManagEnergy Coordinator visited Brussels to support Bruxelles Environnement in their efforts to upscale the renovation of public buildings across the region.

Held from 23–25 June 2025, the mission provided a timely opportunity to bring together stakeholders from regional and local authorities, public bodies, and financial actors to discuss the needs, opportunities, and next steps for public building retrofit. A central focus of the discussions was the development of a One-Stop Shop (OSS) model tailored to the specific governance, technical, and financial context of the Brussels-Capital Region.

Strengthening the Foundation for Renovation

Bruxelles Environnement, the regional authority responsible for environmental and energy policies, has already laid important groundwork through the RenoClick initiative. This includes the SCAN database, developed with Sibelga, which captures energy consumption data and typologies of the public building stock—covering an estimated 70% of total consumption.

Building on this, the region is now deploying Renovation Roadmaps, offering high-level insights into potential energy savings, CO₂ reductions, and investment needs. These tools, however, are used to varying degrees by local authorities, often depending on internal capacity and available resources. The future TARGET system, set to launch in September 2025, will further enhance data integration and usability.

A Vision for a Regional One-Stop Shop

Throughout the three-day mission, the expert presented inspiring European examples of OSS models, including from Irish energy agencies TEA and Codema, while engaging stakeholders on the Brussels Region’s ambitions. The sessions explored how the OSS could serve as a centralised support structure, enabling public bodies to better plan, finance, and implement building renovations.

Stakeholders responded positively to the proposed concept, which may be developed into a high-level application for ELENA—the European Local Energy Assistance programme managed by the European Investment Bank, in the coming months. This OSS would build upon existing efforts, but offer more structured technical assistance and guidance—helping local actors navigate complex renovation pathways and funding schemes.

Navigating Challenges and Unlocking Potential

The mission also surfaced several key barriers. The current political uncertainty following regional elections has created a temporary decision-making bottleneck. Local authorities, meanwhile, highlighted difficulties in accessing funding, understanding alternative financing options, and allocating human resources for new initiatives.

Despite these challenges, promising examples of innovation emerged—such as crowdfunding approaches and the role of subsidiologues, who guide project managers through public funding applications. However, the limited ESCO market and prevalence of protected buildings continue to pose structural obstacles to large-scale renovation.

“There is clear ambition within Bruxelles Environnement to support municipalities with renovation, and a genuine openness to learning from European best practices,” noted Expert Seamus Hoyne. “The tools and experience are there—the key now is to structure the right support systems and build capacity at all levels.”

Laying the Groundwork for Transformation

The mission concluded with a shared commitment to advancing the OSS concept, and with stronger ties between Bruxelles Environnement and key stakeholders across the region. Concrete next steps have already been identified to move the proposal forward.

“This Expert Mission was the opportunity to convene relevant stakeholders working on energy retrofit of public buildings at the regional and local level,” said Valentina Morselli, Head of Service for Renovation Financing at Bruxelles Environnement. “The successful examples shared by the expert were inspiring, and we will work towards adapting some of the best practices to further develop the concept of a One-Stop Shop for public building renovation.”

With a dedicated and experienced team, an expanding set of digital tools, and growing regional engagement, Bruxelles Environnement is now well positioned to lead the next wave of public building renovation in the Brussels-Capital Region.

Find out more about ManagEnergy Expert Missions