Interview with Nicolas Bearelle on Sustainable Building
“Sustainability really doesn’t have to be more expensive than traditional approaches. Innovation and technology can help the real estate sector—and therefore the consumer—reduce costs,” says Nicolas Bearelle, founder of project developer Revive. In the run-up to Futurebuild Belgium, we spoke with one of the true pioneers of sustainability in the sector. And pioneering is exactly what Revive was doing fifteen years ago when the term sustainability was barely on the radar. Bearelle outlines how the sector can truly make a sustainable difference, even in challenging times.
Not a tick-the-box exercise
For Nicolas Bearelle, sustainability is more than just a buzzword, as he begins our conversation. “At Revive, we focus on ‘impact investing,’ where intent and added value are central,” he explains. “Sustainability is not a tick-the-box exercise. It must be intentional. Moreover, everything we do must go beyond legal requirements. Take rainwater recovery, for example. If it’s mandatory, we don’t consider that as making an impact.”
Revive’s so-called IRIS model represents an integrated approach based on international principles and guidelines, such as those of the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN). A key focus is on “embodied carbon”, or the total CO2 emissions of buildings throughout their entire lifecycle, including materials, transportation, and construction. The goal should be a 30% reduction in construction emissions by 2030.
“Currently, new buildings generate around 550 kg of CO2 per square meter. At Revive, we aim to bring that down to 300 kg CO2 per square meter,” Bearelle emphasizes. To achieve this, Revive is experimenting with bio-based materials, among other innovations.
Reducing Costs and Avoiding Inefficiencies
A common criticism of sustainable building is the perceived higher cost. Bearelle challenges this notion: “Sustainability doesn’t have to be more expensive. Innovation and technology help us reduce costs. By collaborating with architects and contractors from an early stage, we can avoid inefficiencies and increase value. That’s why at Revive, we work with proptech companies to implement new techniques like prefab and modular construction, which in some cases have reduced building costs by 10%.”
Consumer demand is also driving sustainability. “No buyer today wants a home with a gas boiler. People are much more conscious now. We must take their expectations seriously,” Bearelle stresses. Trusting the consumer is key to the success of sustainable innovations.
Future Outlook
As advice to the sector, Bearelle advocates for self-regulation and standards that ensure transparency in sustainability and prevent greenwashing. “We need to create a level playing field so that projects making a real impact stand out,” he says. “European standards for life cycle assessments of buildings can help, ensuring that materials like timber construction are fairly evaluated.”