Leuven is home to several garden neighbourhoods: calm, green residential areas built mainly in the 1950s. Their similar architecture gives them a unique identity and has earned them heritage status. Today, that similarity also means many homes are facing similar renovation and energy challenges. Therein lies an opportunity. By taking action together, an entire neighbourhood can be prepared for the future in one fell swoop. If: residents are on board. In this breakthrough project within the Leuven Climate City Contract, the City of Leuven is exploring how such a collective approach can work, an possibly serve as a blueprint for future swoops in other neighbourhoods.

In Ter Elst, the city administration is examining whether intensive neighbourhood participation may help pave the way towards a climate-ready district. Together with residents, and with earlier support from a team around Endeavour, the search is on for solutions that are realistic and affordable for the people who live there.

“This neighbourhood is characterised by a calm, countryside feeling,” says Hugo Grauls. “And yet we live just a stone’s throw from the city centre. My wife grew up and has lived here almost her entire life, so the decision to settle here was an easy one.”

Hugo has lived in Ter Elst for over forty years. He knows the neighbourhood, the people and its challenges. A citizen concerned for the future of his home, he joined the Energy neighbourhood team: a group of residents brainstorming about how to make the area more resilient and future-proof. Hugo also brings valuable experience from his role as a board member at energy cooperative ECoOB, where he has long been working on social and local energy solutions.

Joining forces: five neighbourhood teams

In Ter Elst, five neighbourhood teams were set up, each focusing on a specific theme, such as social connection or streets, squares and gardens. Over the past year, the Energy team met several times to explore what is possible and, above all, how the neighbourhood can tackle these challenges together.

“When you act collectively, doors open that would otherwise remain closed,” says Hugo. “On your own, you'll quickly hit limits. But when you join forces, you suddenly become relevant to partners who normally do not work with individual households.”

The group explored several options: solar panels, a potential neighbourhood battery, and ways to share locally produced electricity and heat. Without fail, discussions were guided by the core principle: how can we share costs, spread risks and benefit everyone?

Getting organised

One idea that emerged was to set up a non-profit association of residents, somewhat comparable to an owners’ association in an apartment building. Such a structure makes it possible to commission studies together and bring in expertise.

“An organisation like an energy cooperative prefers working with a residents’ association rather than dozens of individual households, because otherwise the scale is simply too small,” Hugo explains. “ECoOB has a wealth of knowledge and can provide honest, non-commercial advice at neighbourhood level. From there, further support can follow: requesting quotes, comparing options and selecting the right partners — always with residents firmly in control.”

“When you act collectively, doors open that would otherwise remain closed: you suddenly become relevant to partners who normally do not work with individual households.”

One concrete option under exploration is a collaboration with residential care centre Populierenhof, located at the edge of the garden neighbourhood. “If they were to fully use their roof for solar panels, they would generate more electricity than they need themselves,” says Hugo. “That surplus could then be shared locally with residents in Ter Elst, at a stable and fair rate. This way, we invest in the neighbourhood and make our energy supply more autonomous.”

The challenges

Working collectively does not come naturally. Anyone who has ever been part of an owners’ association knows the difficulties: slow decision-making, differing interests and sometimes limited engagement. Ter Elst is no exception.

“Some older residents no longer want to make major investments in a home they may sell in the near future,” says Hugo. “Younger owners sometimes prefer to go their own way. And then there are questions about ownership: if you invest together in something like a neighbourhood battery, how do you divide that? These are logical questions. Still, I had hoped to see more engagement. For now, the number of residents who've actually committed remains limited.”

Because such collective structures are not yet embedded in everyday life, building trust takes time. That is why the neighbourhood team deliberately chose a first action with a low threshold.

Group purchase for asbestos removal

Insulating your home helps save energy and prepares homes for energy solutions such as heat pumps or district heating. When insulation around heating pipes is renewed, asbestos is often present. That is why the group came up with the idea of a first group purchase for the safe removal of asbestos-containing pipe insulation.

It is a one-off, accessible action, guided by non-profit organisation Morgenbouwers (formerly Dialoog vzw). Residents who wish to participate sign up individually to a shared offer. Morgenbouwers then selects a reliable contractor and follows up the works. Once completed, everything is finished safely and correctly.

“It is a feasible first step,” says Hugo. “Afterwards, the issue is resolved, and you also experience what cooperation like this entails. I truly believe this helps prepare people for a next step, such as setting up a residents’ association for the neighbourhood, which could organise further collective purchases for roofs, walls or floors.”

This approach fits within a broader vision: showing that cooperation brings real benefits, and that residents are not on their own.

The added value of investing together

The benefits of taking action together are tangible. Not every household has to figure everything out on their won. By working together, preparatory work and studies can be shared, saving both time and money. At the same time, residents retain control over their energy costs and the choices that are made.

“You are also investing locally,” Hugo emphasises. “If you install solar panels or invest together in a neighbourhood battery, your money does not disappear to large foreign players. It stays in the neighbourhood. That strengthens our energy autonomy and our resilience. In an uncertain world, this aspect really matters.”

It is also a forward-looking way to manage risks: by working together, risks are spread and long-term stability increases.

Heat: opportunities and barriers

Beyond electricity, the team also looked at solutions for heat. They explored where district heating might be possible, but quickly encountered technical and legal barriers.

“One interesting option is collaboration with MPC Terbank, a local organisation that supports children and young people with disabilities,” says Hugo. “They are planning a deep geothermal drilling to heat their buildings. If nearby homes could connect as well, a shared heat network could emerge, with lower costs and greater impact.”

“Unfortunately, this area lies within a water extraction zone,” he continues. “That limits drilling depth to 75 metres, which is likely insufficient. We are now waiting for clarity. It shows that not everything is possible, but also that it is worth exploring opportunities.”

A changing neighbourhood

“I also see the neighbourhood changing,” says Hugo. “Organisations like imec and Gasthuisberg, which Leuven can rightly be proud of, attract international, highly skilled professionals. That brings financially strong residents to the area. They enjoy living here, but do not always have a long historical connection with the neighbourhood and its people.”

"If you install solar panels or invest together in a neighbourhood battery, your money stays in the neighbourhood. That strengthens our energy autonomy and our resilience."

“Society is becoming more individualised anyway,” Hugo reflects. “That is exactly why I believe so strongly in this trajectory. Collective action can offer a counterweight. It accelerates smart solutions, shares costs and responsibility, and strengthens trust between neighbours.”

A small push makes a big difference

The city’s initiative and the support from Endeavour played a crucial role in this process. They provided the practical framework: a meeting space, fixed moments to gather, a WhatsApp group and a clear structure.

“It may not seem like a lot of support,” says Hugo, “but without that push, these initiatives rarely get off the ground. Residents do the substantive work, but someone needs to provide the framework. I am now looking for ways to keep giving that push.” The city also continues to follow up on this trajectory through the Klimaathuis, the renovation coach and various involved city services.

Ter Elst shows that the climate shift does not have to be abstract. It happens in streets and gardens, in conversations between neighbours, and in small steps that together make a big difference. By pioneering and looking ahead, the neighbourhood is preparing for the future: stronger, more resilient and with greater confidence.