To mark this anniversary, members, partners, former colleagues and friends of the cluster gathered at the Grand Hospice to share memories, photographs and anecdotes. Yet beyond the celebration itself, the evening was above all an opportunity to reflect on the journey travelled together.
When the cluster was founded in 2006, sustainable construction still occupied only a marginal place in sector discussions. Concepts such as circularity, reuse and life-cycle assessment were virtually absent. Energy-related issues were already being discussed, but ambitions that now seem self-evident raised many questions at the time.
Much has changed since then.
Regulations have evolved. New practices have emerged. Professions have transformed. Unprecedented collaborations have taken shape. Behind these developments stand hundreds of professionals who chose to experiment, share knowledge and collectively create new ways of designing, renovating and building.
Because the story of ecobuild.brussels is not the story of an organisation or a logo. It is, above all, the story of a community. A community made up of entrepreneurs, architects, engineering consultancies, craftspeople, researchers, public institutions and many other stakeholders who, over the years, have met through site visits, events, projects or simply around a table.
One of the cluster’s greatest strengths has always been its ability to build bridges between people who might otherwise never have had the opportunity to work together. Numerous projects, partnerships and even professional friendships have emerged from these encounters. This ability to bring people together remains one of the network’s greatest assets today.
The challenges facing the sector continue to evolve. Accelerating building renovation, adapting to the effects of climate change, managing resources more efficiently, protecting biodiversity and reducing the environmental impact of materials are only some of the issues ahead. And the economic context is not always straightforward.
Yet if there is one lesson to be drawn from the past twenty years, it is that periods of transition are often when new practices emerge. What seemed ambitious yesterday has sometimes become today’s standard. Sustainable construction has never been more necessary, not only to address environmental challenges but also human ones.
The experience of the network also demonstrates that no organisation, however capable, can tackle these challenges alone. Solutions often arise through the exchange of ideas, the sharing of experience and collaboration across professions. This is precisely what ecobuild.brussels has been working to foster for the past twenty years.
This anniversary was therefore less a celebration of the past than an invitation to continue the journey together.
To all member companies, partners, board members, speakers, past and present colleagues, and everyone who has taken part in an event, visit or activity organised by the cluster over the last twenty years: thank you.
Thanks to you, ecobuild.brussels has become a place for meeting, learning and collaboration for sustainable construction professionals in Brussels. And while much has changed since 2006, one conviction remains more relevant than ever: tomorrow’s challenges will only be overcome collectively.
The first twenty years were about building a community. The next twenty are still to be imagined.
20 Years in Pictures
For this occasion, we have gathered a selection of photographs that retrace twenty years of meetings, visits, discoveries, projects and shared moments within the network.
👉 [Link to the 20th Anniversary Photo Album]
And to relive the events of 3 September, be sure to read our article dedicated to the Urban Rally 2026: [link to the Urban Rally article].
