Circularity in practice within demolition works at Brucargo Central

second life for warehouse from Brussels Airport cargo area at new location, acoustic ceilings and concrete reused

This summer, Brussels Airport began the redevelopment of the central zone at Brucargo to meet the growing demand for storage capacity. In a first stage, outdated warehouses are being demolished, and in this, the focus is on the principle of the circular economy. Wherever possible, material is recovered and reused, and in collaboration with De Meuter, the partner for the demolition work, the steel structure of one of the warehouses at Brucargo is being relocated in its entirety, and will be given a second life as warehouse at a new location.

The cargo business at Brussels Airport is rapidly growing and developing, and so, as announced earlier, the central area at Brucargo is being redeveloped to meet the growing demand for storage and handling warehouses. Outdated warehouses will make room for modern, sustainable buildings and the traffic flow and mobility in the zone will also be improved by reorganising traffic flows with a new mobility schedule.

Within the strategy of Brussels Airport, sustainability is a priority and this also applies for all construction projects. During construction activities, the focus is always on energy efficiency and sustainable techniques and materials, and where possible, the principles of the circular economy are applied.

Last summer, the demolition of eight outdated buildings in the Brucargo Central zone began. In collaboration with De Meuter, the partner for the demolition work, one of those warehouses at Brucargo will be given a second life. The steel structure of this 2,850 m² warehouse will be reused in its entirety. The structure has been carefully dismantled and will be rebuilt later at a different location, where it will be given a second life as a warehouse for construction company Democo.

In addition, concrete from the outdated buildings will also be reused in applications such as concrete floors and outdoor paving. An on-site concrete crusher will grind the removed concrete; which will later be used for foundations. Tons of concrete can be recovered in this way for the construction works at Brucargo Central.

A third circular example is the recovery of the acoustic ceilings. Ceiling panels from one of the buildings that are still in good condition are being carefully removed to be reused by “Akoestiekfabriek”; they create jobs for people who have difficulty in finding work and use these panels to make acoustic panels for schools, offices, hospitality, and so on. In this way, the ceiling tiles get a second life as new products. Finally, the aerated concrete is also recovered during the work. This is a light and insulating construction material consisting of chalk, sand and cement. The aerated concrete will also be ground and purified on site and then transported away for reuse.

The demolition at Brucargo Central will continue until early 2023. Then the preparatory work and the construction at this zone will commence. By the middle of 2025, three new modern and sustainable buildings, together with a car park, will be taken into use at the cargo zone of Brussels Airport.