On 23 May, the event “Carbon Footprint & ESG in Real Estate” took place at Château Pironne in Sint-Niklaas, hosted by Aliplast Aluminium Systems NV. The gathering brought together stakeholders from across the real estate and construction value chain to discuss the evolving regulatory and technical landscape shaping sustainability in the built environment.
Opening remarks and regulatory context
The event was opened by Gilles Vanvolsem, Managing Director of the Belgian Green Building Council (BGBC), who provided an overview of upcoming carbon footprint regulations and the increasing complexity of implementation across Belgium’s three regions: Brussels, Wallonia, and Flanders.
He highlighted how European directives are being translated into regional frameworks, creating both challenges and opportunities for alignment and consistency in ESG reporting and carbon assessment.
Belgium’s role in embodied carbon assessment
A key focus of the presentation was Belgium’s pioneering work on embodied carbon. The TOTEM tool, a joint initiative of the three regions since 2011, was presented as a central instrument enabling life cycle assessment (LCA) using Belgian construction materials and products.
TOTEM allows stakeholders to evaluate embodied carbon and broader environmental impacts over the full life cycle of buildings, reinforcing Belgium’s position as a reference point in data-driven sustainability assessment.
Industry applications and LCA developments
During the technical sessions, enperas presented developments related to Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), including Aliplast’s ongoing work in this field. This included the publication of six verified B-EPDs and the preparation of additional EPDs currently in development.
Aliplast: integrating circularity and product transparency
Els Uvyn, Head of Projects at Aliplast, showcased the company’s approach to sustainable product design and environmental transparency. She emphasised the importance of distinguishing between environmental impacts during the construction phase and the use phase of buildings, in line with the revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD).
Aliplast also presented AluLoop, its take-back scheme for aluminium window systems, illustrating how material circularity is being embedded into product lifecycles. The concept reflects a Cradle-to-Cradle approach, where today’s aluminium systems are designed to become future raw materials.
Data-driven environmental reporting
Aliplast uses Enperas’ LCA Quadrant software to conduct life cycle assessments and generate Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs). These verified declarations support transparent environmental reporting at both Belgian and European level, contributing to improved comparability and credibility of building product data.
Conclusion
The event highlighted the increasing convergence of regulation, data, and circular design in shaping the future of real estate. From policy frameworks to product innovation, stakeholders across the value chain are accelerating efforts to measure and reduce carbon impacts in a more structured and transparent way.
More information and key takeaways are available via Enperas:
https://www.enperas.com/carbon-footprint-esg-in-vastgoed
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