“One hectare of hemp insulates a home every year”
Flemish construction sector shifts towards locally grown building materials
Within five years, one in five new builds should be made using bio-circular materials. That’s the ambition laid out in a new charter launched by construction federation Embuild Vlaanderen and research centre Buildwise. Around 150 businesses and organisations – ranging from contractors and architects to clients, farmers, materials producers, environmental groups and knowledge institutions – are backing the initiative.
Bio-circular materials are renewable, meaning they come from plants or other natural sources and require little energy to produce.
“The benefits for Flanders are significant,” says Caroline Deiteren, Director General of Embuild Vlaanderen. “These materials are grown and produced locally, which reduces our reliance on imported raw materials. They’re also typically easy to reuse or recycle, giving them a high circular value. On top of that, bio-circular building allows us to store CO₂ during production, rather than emit it. It’s a major win for the climate.”
Clean, renewable, local – and immune to global supply shocks
Familiar examples of biobased materials include timber, cross-laminated timber (CLT), hemp panels, flax, straw, paper flakes, wood wool, cellulose and cork. These are all natural materials that don’t deplete the earth’s resources and can be grown or cultivated again and again. Rather than producing buildings that emit CO₂, this approach allows us to create structures that act as carbon storage.
Hempcrete, for instance—a mix of lime and hemp—is proving particularly promising for construction and insulation. It insulates well, regulates humidity and creates a comfortable indoor climate. A great example is the Mechelen heritage depot, where storage boxes for artworks and fragile documents are made from hempcrete panels.
“Growing hemp extracts a huge amount of CO₂ from the air—around ten times more than trees—and it grows quickly and densely,” explains Elena Doms, CEO of +EARTH+.
“It also draws out large amounts of PFAS and PFOS from the soil, making it an effective tool for land remediation. You only need one hectare of hemp to insulate an average home. That means over 10,000 homes could be insulated each year with locally grown hemp—using just 10,000 hectares of farmland. It gives farmers a new, sustainable income stream.”
For the sector, bio-circular materials are not only a chance to drastically reduce its environmental impact, but also an opportunity to innovate and modernise. These materials are well-suited to modular and prefabricated construction methods.
Launch event
To make bio-circular, sustainable building the standard, a local ecosystem must be established—one in which all links in the chain collaborate: from farmer to producer, and from developer to architect and contractor, with a shared focus on innovation.
To accelerate this transition, Embuild Vlaanderen launched its Bio-Circular Building Charter on 21 March in Genk, together with the first 100 signatories. The location was LABIOMISTA, a unique venue created by artist Koen Vanmechelen, where sustainability, biodiversity and innovation come together.
The recently opened Future Garden—a cutting-edge CLT complex—now houses both tapirs and laboratory space.
“With LABIOMISTA, we’re building a place where art, science, philosophy and good old common sense come together to inspire a new generation working towards a more sustainable society,” says Vanmechelen.
Inge Neven, CEO of VITO, also endorsed the initiative:
“Europe aims to be climate neutral by 2050 and to lead the way in sustainable construction. We believe bio-circular building is one of the key strategies to make that transition happen. At VITO, we’re determined to play a central role. This charter aligns perfectly with our mission and vision on sustainability, which is why we are proud to support it.”
Flemish Minister for Environment and Agriculture, Jo Brouns, added his support and outlined his vision:
“The shift towards a circular, climate-friendly economy brings enormous opportunities for innovation and economic growth. This charter contributes to that shift by promoting more sustainable building materials and smarter production methods.
It opens up new market opportunities for farmers and ensures that building materials are not only ecologically sound but also support long-term carbon storage. Bio-remediating crops like hemp help clean up polluted soils while requiring fewer fertilisers, pesticides and less water—so it’s a win-win for agriculture and the environment alike.
A forward-looking construction sector must commit to renewable, biobased materials and more efficient use of resources. This charter is an important step in the right direction.”
First milestone: 2030
The charter’s signatories are aiming to deliver concrete progress within five years:
- By 2030, at least 20% of material choices in new builds should be bio-circular.
- Renovations should primarily use bio-circular materials.
- By 2050, Flanders aims for a climate-neutral construction sector where bio-circular materials are the norm.
“To meet these ambitious targets, the sector needs a push,” says Deiteren. "That includes more funding for research and knowledge development, better training in installation techniques, and faster certification for new bio-circular products.
A recent survey of 100 construction firms showed that half already have experience with biobased materials like hemp, cork and clay. Around 80% say they’re ready to start using them now and are keen to follow targeted training.”
