On 17 June, sixteen organisations from the construction and real estate sector, together with the Flemish government, signed the Pact for the Future for an affordable and sustainable Flanders. The Professional Association of Architects (BVA) was one of the signatories. Our colleague Nadja Van Houten participated in the consultation as chair of the BVA.
The pact is a joint commitment between the government and the sector to keep housing in Flanders affordable, sustainable and of high quality. The signatories commit themselves, among other things, to smoother permit granting, stimulating circular construction, accelerating innovative forms of housing and strengthening cooperation within the sector.
A policy is only as strong as the partners who help implement it.
The core of the future pact focuses on five themes:
What sticks with me is the openness and willingness to work together between the different parties. The shared ambition to bring affordability, sustainability, and quality together in construction inspires confidence.
Nadja particularly highlights circular construction and the importance of well-considered permit procedures as relevant points of attention for architects and for the day-to-day operations of a structural engineering firm such as Bureau Bouwtechniek.
