{"id":41265,"date":"2025-11-25T11:44:36","date_gmt":"2025-11-25T10:44:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.futurebuildbelgium.be\/?page_id=41265"},"modified":"2025-11-25T17:05:46","modified_gmt":"2025-11-25T16:05:46","slug":"laurence-gacoin-on-the-sustainable-transformation-of-the-real-estate-sector","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.futurebuildbelgium.be\/en\/laurence-gacoin-on-the-sustainable-transformation-of-the-real-estate-sector\/","title":{"rendered":"Laurence Gacoin on the Sustainable Transformation of the Real Estate Sector"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Interview \u2013 Laurence Gacoin on the Sustainable Transformation of the Real Estate Sector \n<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The sustainable transformation of the real estate sector is no distant ambition, it is already happening.<\/strong>
Visible on every construction site, in every design process and in every investment decision. For Laurence Gacoin, ambassador for the real estate segment at Futurebuild Belgium 2026 and member of the Cordeel Group, this transition is not only essential but also a major opportunity to make the sector stronger, smarter and more resilient.<\/strong><\/p>

\u201cThe sustainable transition is not a buzzword. It is a systemic shift,\u201d she says. A shift that is redefining the value of buildings, reshaping investor expectations and changing the way users experience space. \u201cWe need to stop seeing sustainability as an add-on. It is a strategic lever that determines whether a building is future-proof.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Laurence\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Sustainability as a strategic lever<\/strong><\/p>

According to Laurence, the biggest misconception is that sustainability simply means energy efficiency. That is only one piece of the puzzle.<\/p>

\u201cSustainability is about circular material use, air quality, climate adaptation, health and comfort. It is not a box you tick, but an integrated strategy that permeates the entire design and construction process.\u201d<\/p>

This approach is becoming increasingly vital. Building owners and investors are more aware of the risks of outdated, non-sustainable assets. As a result, the question is shifting from \u2018What does it cost?\u2019<\/em> to \u2018What does it deliver?\u2019<\/em>.<\/p>

\u201cThe initial investment may seem higher, but the total cost of ownership is lower. Sustainable buildings retain their value, attract strong tenants and reduce risk. It is pure value creation.\u201d<\/p>

Innovation plays a crucial role in this. At the intersection of digitalisation, circularity and industrialisation, solutions are emerging that truly make a difference. BIM, IoT and smart grids enable smarter building management, while bio-based and low-carbon materials are rapidly becoming the norm. \u201cCircular prefab timber modules, such as LVL elements capable of storing CO\u2082, show that a negative footprint is genuinely within reach.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Innovation that creates real impact<\/strong><\/p>

Laurence believes the greatest climate impact lies not in new construction but in the existing building stock.
\u201cWith innovative financing models, digital diagnostic tools and modular renovation techniques, we can drastically speed up the renovation rate.\u201d This approach also brings solutions to rising material costs, labour shortages, long lead times and disruption on site. \u201cOur existing buildings are our biggest challenge \u2014 but also our greatest leverage to make progress.\u201d<\/p>

Regulation plays a role as well, though Laurence sees it more as a catalyst than a barrier. \u201cStandards create clarity and a level playing field. They stimulate innovation and force us to rethink our models.\u201d Collaboration is essential. \u201cDevelopers, architects, engineers, policymakers and users need each other to achieve real transformation. That is the philosophy of the Green Building Councils: connect to accelerate.\u201d<\/p>

A sector on the move<\/strong><\/p>

What does she hope visitors will take away from their visit to Futurebuild Belgium 2026? \u201cThat sustainability is not a constraint, but an opportunity to create value. They will discover concrete solutions, ambitious innovations and a sector that is ready to build the future.\u201d<\/p>

Her closing message leaves no room for doubt: \u201cInvesting in truly sustainable projects is no longer an ethical choice \u2014 it is a strategic one. Non-sustainable assets are losing value at lightning speed. The question is no longer \u2018What does it cost?\u2019<\/em> but \u2018What does it bring in terms of resilience and competitiveness?\u2019<\/em>. Those who think ahead will become tomorrow\u2019s market leaders.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Interview \u2013 Laurence Gacoin on the Sustainable Transformation of the Real Estate Sector The sustainable transformation of the real estate sector is no distant ambition, it is already happening.Visible on every construction site, in every design process and in every investment decision. For Laurence Gacoin, ambassador for the real estate segment at Futurebuild Belgium 2026 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":949,"featured_media":41244,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"Laurence Gacoin on the Sustainable Transformation of the Real Estate Sector","_seopress_titles_desc":"The sustainable transition is no longer a niche movement. It is fundamentally changing the way the real estate sector designs, builds, finances and operates. For Laurence Gacoin, ambassador of Futurebuild Belgium 2026 and member of the Cordeel Group, this evolution is all-encompassing.","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-41265","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.futurebuildbelgium.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/41265","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.futurebuildbelgium.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.futurebuildbelgium.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.futurebuildbelgium.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/949"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.futurebuildbelgium.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41265"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.futurebuildbelgium.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/41265\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":41503,"href":"https:\/\/www.futurebuildbelgium.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/41265\/revisions\/41503"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.futurebuildbelgium.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/41244"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.futurebuildbelgium.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41265"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}