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Lateral Thinking Factory – highlights 2014!

2014 WAS A GREAT YEAR THANKS TO YOU!
WE ARE THRILLED TO START 2015 WITH YOU!

Dear Clients, Partners & Friends

We wish you an excellent year 2015! And we take the opportunity to summarise what Lateral Thinking Factory (LTF) conducted in 2014 through its projects and initiatives.

We are proud to present LTF’s recent achievements, since YOU all are part of it!

The Lateral Thinking Factory team

HIGHLIGHTS

Circular Economy / Cradle-to-Cradle urban programing and project assistance Circular Economy, key to worldwide sustainable development and economy, is now at the top of political and business communities agenda with Cradle-to-Cradle (C2C) recognised by Davos World Economic Forum;

LTF is the reference for urban development programming to operationally implement Positive Impact Circular Economy principles, internationally;

LTF delivered state-of-the-art missions & projects: Centre Hospitalier Lens Hospital of the Future (F), Nacarat’s Mama Shelter Hotel Lille (F), BPI’s Erasmus Garden Brussels (B), City of Ronneby city centre (Sweden), Lainière de Roubaix (F), Shanxi Building Research Institute (China), Immochan Englos and Grande Synthe (F), Bethune City N/S Link (F), Limburg Province Development Strategy (B);

LTF assisted BIA and IBW with architects Synergy International to implement first C2C inspired building refurbishment in Genval (B), creating innovative C2C products and optimum re-use of existing;

Signature of the strategic partnership with PROJEX & DIAGOBAT – french engineering practice of 120 collaborators and 15 millions annual turnover – to deliver excellence to clients.

ICCE (Implementation Centre for Circular Economy)

Launch of the non-for profit;

Company founders, LTF and SECO, invited BECI on the board;

Objectives: gathering Circular Economy stakeholders/knowledge/best practices; act as facilitator offering guidance to circular economy projects holders; develop Circular Economy implementation tools; develop and create the ‘circular economy applied to urban development’ referential;

ICCE has been massively consulted with regards to circular economy implementation methods, and is part of 10 FEDER projects including its own 1200 m2 space at Pepibru.

 

Knowledge & CSR

Steven Beckers and LTF conducted 25+ training/conferences on Circular Economy & C2C;

Steven Beckers, through his NGO Local Solutions Development Group, cocreated the ECIP Lab (Emerging Cities Integrated Planning Lab), supported by ULB and ULG universities with CCD (B) half a million Euro grant.

MORE DETAILS

CIRCULAR ECONOMY / C2C PROGRAMING AND PROJECT ASSISTANCE

Supporting both private and public stakeholders, LTF is the reference for urban development programming to operationally implement Circular Economy principles through innovative building techniques, materials, systems and processes.

Thanks to its experience and impact on the market, while identified as the innovative agent spreading and implementing circular economy components, LTF had greatly accelerated its market share acquisition. Beyond our expertise, this trends is due to the fact that Circular Economy themes are increasingly integrated within the private and public tenders specifications.
Circular Economy is officially written into European Union Directives and C2C recognized as the engine behind it since Davos World Economic Forum 2014.

Conclusion, Circular Economy/C2C concepts and components are needed to increase odds of winning competitions in both public and private sectors.

Status on LTF projects

We define the ‘Hospital of the future’ in Lens/Loos en Gohelle, CHU Lens;

We helped setting C2C standards and now implementing in the mixed development of Souham4, with Nacarat and Mama Shelter Hotel in Lille;

We support real estate promoter BPI on their Erasmus Garden project transition to Circular Economy/C2C;

Our intervention with EPEA International on the swedish City of Ronneby new station district raised such interest and provided the city with such good tools for development, that other cities in Sweden and Denmark are now also entering the process;

Together with EPEA Paris we completed the C2C Bizz initiative delivering conclusions and tools, and are currently conducting the program ‘La Lainière de Roubaix C2C House of Project and Services’ with Lille Metropole & SEM Ville-Renouvelée.

We delivered initial studies for Bretagne and Languedoc-Roussillon regions in France;

BIA/IBW Genval C2C inspired refurbishment combining Amorim Cork inside insulation and Derbipure membrane and extensive use of other C2C products for clean air – were highlighted in 12+ press articles. The demonstration of economically viable C2C inspired refurbishment is close to completion;

LTF started large scale projects with the Shanxi Building Research Institute (China) to improve quality in rural buildings and energy savings;

We collaborated on the new bridge on the railway in Béthune;

We are starting the new neighborhood of 450 new dwelling Tivoli in Brussels;

LTF has been asked to help redefine the future creation of mixity, innovation and living environment of large retail sites for Immochan in Englos and Grande Synthe (F).

Projex & Diagobat

We have concluded a strategic agreement with Projex/Diagobat – the french engineering practice of 120 collaborators, and 15 millions annual turnover – to deliver state of the art concept, programs, solutions and project implementation;

Common development, starting with the french market, is starting in 2015 on the basis of a number of common references and visions.

BIG (BUILDING INTEGRATED GREENHOUSES) / URBAN FARMING

This is one of the key Circular Economy Systemic Element, and we are very proud to announce our strategic partnership with the swiss company Urban Farmers (UF) from Basel/Zurich;

UF has developed state-of-the-art aquaponic solution a closed loop where fish raising provides natural fertilizer to hydroponically grown vegetables that, in return, clean water for the fish which allows high quality/local/fresh, pesticide and antibiotic free product with high yield production.

BIG (Building Integrated Greenhouses)
BIG is a breakthrough approach developed originally with Inspired Ambitions (Professor Peter Luscuere) and EPEA (Douglas Mulhall and Katja Hansen). Now, together with our swiss partners UF, we bring values to both real estate and urban quality seasonal food production all year building protection, while reducing transport and creating local employment through production and transformation.

Through economically viable symbiosis between clean air buildings and rooftop greenhouses, we develop urban farming businesses; offering mixed uses, architectural integration within the urban landscape. BIG generates income, and allows innovative marketing and communication to corporate brands, public institutions and private owners; while attracting social communities together around the same project with positive impact at all levels, and not least real estate value.

BIG – Abattoir Anderlecht
Co-developer with UF, we are looking at projects in Belgium, Holland, France and Germany to rollout the system and service, starting with the 4000m2 Abattoir new Food hall’s rooftop urban farm in Anderlecht (1800 m2 aquaponic greenhouse + 1800 m2 productive garden + 400 m2 restaurant).

Both building and environmental permits have been filed and the first investors have confirmed their interest to support LTF/UF, in order to build and launch the 2,5 millions investment project in Brussels; together with international strategic investors ready for the international roadmap rollout.

ICCE (IMPLEMENTATION CENTER FOR CIRCULAR ECONOMY)

ICCE Launch
Circular Economy is at the top of the political agenda for decades to come, since the so called ‘paradigm change’ has now happened. LTF ambition is lifting the ICCE as the European Union referential for the operational implementation of Circular Economy with positive impact. Supported by SECO (technical control bureau for construction), LTF has launched the initiative and created a non-for profit organization currently including LTF, SECO and BECI (Brussels Chamber of Commerce and Industry) as members of the Board.

The ICCE aims at gathering Circular Economy stakeholders/knowledge/best practices, act as facilitator offering guidance to projects holders, develop Circular Economy implementation tools, develop the ‘Circular Economy applied to urban development’ referential. The ICCE will occupy 1200 m2 space in Pepibru (Rue Bara 175, Brussels) where LTF is established since summer 2014, located 10 minutes walking from the international Midi station.

FEDER Projects with Circular Economy/C2C inside
The ICCE submitted a FEDER project together with SRIB, CITYDEV and IBGE to:
-conduct an exemplary renovation (including Circular Economy’s principles) of the whole 14.000 m2 Pepibru building;
-create the ICCE physical center
-launch and develop the ICCE activities.

LTF was also consulted on numerous FEDER projects to integrate Circular Economy Visions and solutions: ULB’s Integrated Smart grid and Urban Co-generation at La Plaine; ULB’s Economy of Functionality Polytechnic Building; ULB/VUB’s Built for Disassembly Modular Student Housing Pilot Caserne Couronne Project; Forest Commune’s Bempt Common Goods CE Factory and productive Park; Abattoir nv’s Feder phase II Urban Farming; CPAS’s Byrrh Building refurbishment; Urban Farming Factory at Saint Gilles; Be Circular from IBGE; IRISIPHÈRE phase II for Circular Economy Implementation in Business Parks.

KNOWLEDGE & CSR

Knowledge
Steven Beckers and LTF kept on internationally spreading the Circular Economy/C2C principles most of which on a yearly basis: Green Building Council of Croatia and Romania, TVVL (Holland) and REHVA (EU), Agence de l’Aménagement de Liège, Leonard de Vinci MBA Paris, ULB, VUB, BruFace, KUL, ULG, Greenwin, ARIB, Woodbuild Namur, La Bellevilloise Paris, Liège Creative, C2C Cafe Frankfurt, Greenbuild Brussels, Rotterdam School of Management, TUDelft, TUMunich, Tudor Institute Luxemburg, Build Green, Nacarat@SIMI, Tarkett France, Holcim International, Web lectures took place with Construction 21 virtual Expo, EPEA Hamburg training programmes, The City of Ronneby, Pôle supérieur du design du Limousin DSAA, etc.

Michael Moradiellos is scientific collaborator of the Architecture Faculty LaCambreHorta in Brussels, in charge with JeanMarc Sterno of the organisation of the Esquisse Commune, a well known activity in public space joining 250 students for urban actions.

CSR
Steven Beckers took part, through his NGO Local Solutions Development Group, in co-creating the ECIP Lab (Emerging Cities Integrated Planning Lab) with 5 PhD’s supported by ULB and ULG universities with CCD (B) half a million Euro investment. LTF also assisted the Sustainable Urbanization International Leadership Programme starting in 2015.

LTF sponsored Immorun 2014 organized each year by Running Nations and supported the Circular Economy aspects of the event. Running Nations chose LSDG, the NGO supported by LTF CSR programme, with “C2C by necessity” Community Guesthouse construction project in Northern Ethiopia, as official NGO of the event.

Lateral Thinking Factory delivers longterm value to: City of Béthune, PARBAM, IBGE (Institut Bruxellois pour la Gestion de l’Environnement), BPI, Bouygues Immobilier, Shanxi Building Research Institute, Hanwang Forum China, Ethical Works China, Lille Métropole Communauté Urbaine, SEM Ville Renouvellée Tourcoing, City of Ronneby (Sweden), Région Languedoc Roussillon, Région Bretagne, Région Nord Pas De Calais, EPEA International, EPEA Paris, EPEA Holland, EPEA Belgium, EPEA Copenhagen, Nacarat (Mama Shelter), Molenbeek district (Brussels), Synergy International, AREP, Green Building Council, CH Lens Gohelle, Projex, Diagobat, Socofit, Choux de Bruxelles, McKinsey, Ville de Rombas, VO Communication, DR(O)HME!, Castorama, Pargesy, Immobam, TVVL, Agence de l’Aménagement de Liège, Leonard de Vinci Paris, ULB, VUB, KUL, ULG, Greenwin, ARIB, Woodbuild Namur, C2C Cafe Frankfurt, Greenbuild Brussels, Rotterdam School of Management, TUDelft, TUMunich, Tudor Institute Luxemburg, Build Green, City of Resita (Romania), 3B Invest, Bia, Wilhelm & Co, Fisa, Flemish Government, Steelcase, Metatecta, IFMA, International Expo Liège 2017, BBA, Van Houtum, European Union, CSTC, Bahia Fenicia Residencial, Saint Gobain Gyproc, Holcim, Vinci Immobilier, Immochan, Abattoir NV, Delta development (NL).