Our mission and vision
Kamp C aims to make the construction industry fully sustainable. We organise training courses and workshops for anyone interested in sustainable construction. Get inspired by our inspiring demonstrations and projects. Collaborate with universities, companies and governments on innovative projects, and become part of our vibrant Kamp C Community.
Mission
Kamp C aims to strengthen the sustainable value chain in construction.
Vision
Together with its community, Kamp C wants to experiment with materials and techniques, demonstrate them and scale them up, to show how we will build according to six sustainable pillars in the future.
What is Kamp C doing?
Kamp C wants to help make the construction industry more sustainable. We do this in three ways.
First, at Kamp C you can discover the sustainable innovations of the future at our demonstration site. Book a tour, team building or event and get to know our inspiring buildings and startups. You can also rent an office for your company and become part of our knowledge network.
Secondly, you can get advice on sustainable building at Kamp C. Citizens can visit duurzaamwonen.be, and public organisations and companies can seek advice via email hidden; JavaScript is required or participate in intensive guidance programmes on circular building, energy communities, collective renovation, and so on.
Thirdly, together with knowledge institutions and companies, we develop new solutions for the building sector, through demonstrations and projects.
6 pillars of sustainability
Sustainable building is not just about insulating your home sufficiently and installing solar panels, it encompasses so much more. Think of the challenges around intake of public space, paving, accessibility and more.
Kamp C defines sustainable building according to six pillars: renewable energy, sustainable building materials, efficient use of space, limiting use of water, attention to biodiversity and maximum inclusiveness.
We explain a bit more. Sustainable building includes using environmentally friendly materials that are locally produced or recycled, and minimising energy consumption through good insulation and the use of renewable energy sources such as solar panels and wind turbines. But it also means using water efficiently by reducing consumption and reusing rainwater, while reducing space use by building more compactly and sharing buildings with other users. Moreover, it also means making space for biodiversity by softening surfaces and using native plants around and against buildings.
Finally, sustainable construction also means striving for inclusiveness by making housing affordable as well as developing public space qualitatively and on a human scale, with residents having a meaningful say in building projects.
Materials
Sustainable materials are environmentally friendly over their entire life cycle. They are locally produced crops or renewable sources, or derived from recycling. They have a low impact in terms of energy consumption, emissions and waste production, and are healthy for the installer and occupant.
Energy
Renewable energy is renewable, reliable and without greenhouse gas emissions.
Water
Sustainable water use ensures that everyone continues to have access to clean drinking water, including agriculture and nature.
Space
Sustainable use of space in already crowded Flanders ensures that we continue to have space to live, work and relax.
Biodiversity
Strong biodiversity leads to a healthy and pleasant living environment and numerous ecosystem services, such as pollination and purification of water, healthy air, and reduction of heat effects in cities and flooding.
Inclusiveness
Inclusivity: Everyone has the right to comfortable and affordable housing, with a say in projects in a safe neighbourhood where everyone is welcome.
The history of Kamp C
Kamp C is one of the former British military camps in the Kempen region. Those camps were created in 1952, in the midst of the Cold War, under the Belgian-British agreement "Operation Gondola".
Kamp C was fully equipped. Think administrative buildings, sleeping quarters, dining halls, a chapel, a medical ward and a fire station. It was then used as a storage area for reservist units that came to Belgium annually to practice with their stored army equipment and vehicles.
The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 marked the end of the Cold War and of the military threat from the Eastern Bloc. Therefore, the British government decided to store all army equipment for the British Reservists back in England. This was accompanied by the closure of all British bases, except for a small part in Emblem.
In 1994, the steering committee 'Reallocation of Kempen military domains' was set up, consisting of all municipalities involved, some provincial councillors and socio-economic actors of the region. In 2003, Kamp C opened its doors.