District heating and urban greening in the C. Meunier street

Start date
February
2023
Status
Lead
City of Leuven
partners
JUSTNature, Pilot Cities, Leuven 2030, ECoOB, Atelier Circuler
ThemES
Renewable heat, de-paving & urban greening, mobility

The City of Leuven wants to transform Constantin Meunier street and the surrounding neighbourhood into a veritable climate street. By combining various different interventions, the project aims to create a whole greater than the sum of its parts. The city is currently investigating the possibility of providing residents with renewable heat through district heating, as well as whether the construction of this heat network can be timed in accordance with the planned urban greening and repaving of the street. Although the heat network itself is still in the feasibility study phase, the greening and repaving of the street will continue as planned. A test set-up of the urban greening works can already be viewed.

Your contact person

Marie Vanderlinden
Stad Leuven | Pilot Cities
Marie.Vanderlinden@leuven.be
Nele Janssen
Stad Leuven | JUSTNature
nele.janssen@leuven.be

Who takes part?

Who are all the partners in the project?

Lead
City of Leuven
partners
JUSTNature, Pilot Cities, Leuven 2030, ECoOB, Atelier Circuler

Role of Leuven 2030?

In this breakthrough project we assume the following role(s):

Project partner

Place in the Roadmap?

This breakthrough project is part of the following programmes of the Roadmap:

How does it work?

Since September 2021, Constantin Meunier street has been a pilot location within the Horizon2020 project ‘JUSTNature’. In consultation with local residents, the street is being remodelled with ambitious plans for urban greening, water infiltration and energy.

The same street is also a part of the ‘Pilot Cities’ project in which the city of Leuven investigates what is needed to roll out district heating quickly across the city. The project aims to address practical questions concerning financing, supply and demand, ownership and supporting policy. Test cases and pilot projects, such as in C. Meunier street, will help answer these questions.

The planned repaving of Constantin Meunier street and Emile Mathieu street offers a great opportunity to make the neighbourhood climate-proof by combining various interventions:

  • Heat grid: a fifth-generation heat network uses local, renewable energy sources such as geothermal energy, and can be rolled out in a modular fashion. This will allow nearly 300 households to be gradually connected tot he heat network.
  • Urban greening and de-paving: during the remodelling of the street, space will be created for green infrastructure and increased permeability of the ground. The street will also be fitted with a new sewage system.
  • Mobility: a test set-up assesses whether one-way traffic adds value for the neighbourhood. The effect of the test set-up is being closely monitored, and strategically placed planting beds improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians. More shared cars bicycles reduce the number of private cars parked in the area.
  • Circularity: city of Leuven is investigating how to maximise using existing materials for the remodelling of the street. The test set-up is also constructed with recovered materials, such as broken up curb stones and wooden infrastructure, by Atelier Circuler.
© Stad Leuven
Feb
2023
Feb
2023

'Atelier Meunier' kicks off, focusing on citizen participation around depaving

May
2023
May
2023

The JUSTNature test set-up is designed and implemented in phases

Apr
2024
Apr
2024

The sustainable heat project is introduced to local residents

Jun
2024
Jun
2024

Technical-financial feasability study of the heat grid

Jul
2024
Jul
2024

Residents survey about renovation and interest in heat grids

Aug
2024
Aug
2024

Next steps are determined based on the outcomes of the feasability study

Oct
2024
Oct
2024

Redesign of street infrastructure based on evaluation of the test set-up

Jan
2025
Jan
2025

Introduction of the new design (JUST)Nature

Dec
2025
Dec
2025

Start of the street reconstruction, depending on the outcome of the heat grid feasability study

'Atelier Meunier' kicks off, focusing on citizen participation around depaving

Feb
2023
Feb
2023
May
2023
May
2023

The JUSTNature test set-up is designed and implemented in phases

The sustainable heat project is introduced to local residents

Apr
2024
Apr
2024
Jun
2024
Jun
2024

Technical-financial feasability study of the heat grid

Residents survey about renovation and interest in heat grids

Jul
2024
Jul
2024
Aug
2024
Aug
2024

Next steps are determined based on the outcomes of the feasability study

Redesign of street infrastructure based on evaluation of the test set-up

Oct
2024
Oct
2024
Jan
2025
Jan
2025

Introduction of the new design (JUST)Nature

Start of the street reconstruction, depending on the outcome of the heat grid feasability study

Dec
2025
Dec
2025

Why is this project important?

This project combines several ingredients to achieve a stronger result. By adding urban greening and water permeability in public spaces, and linking these public works to energy, mobility and buildings, we achieve an integrated, better result with more benefits for all.

District heating protects residents living in the C. Meunier street from fluctuating fossil fuel prices and makes their homes ready for 2050 by providing fossil-free heating.

Curbing concrete and adding green spaces improves both air quality and residents' well-being, reduces heat stress and particulate matter, and promotes biodiversity. De-paving allows rainwater to penetrate underground, replenishing groundwater reserves and protecting our city from flooding.

Tackling several interventions at once limits inconvenience for residents and makes implementation more efficient. This integrated approach ensures a sustainable, attractive and healthy neighbourhood for everyone. Pooling knowledge in a central database will help to better implement these plans.

Het JUSTNature-project krijgt financiële steun van Horizon 2020, een onderzoeks- en innovatieprogramma van de Europese Unie (GA No 101003757). Read more here: https://justnatureproject.eu/

Het Pilot Cities-project krijgt financiële steun van NetZeroCities binnen Horizon 2020, een onderzoeks- en innovatieprogramma van de Europese Unie (GA No 101036519).

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