Looking for project: affordable non-speculative housing scheme in Brussels

Who we are
Fair Ground Brussels (FGB) is a civic cooperative based in Brussels, Belgium. We create affordable housing and non-housing units for social and cultural organisations through a non-speculative real estate model. Our mission is to transform land and buildings into a common good, forever, by combining civic, public and private resources.

Our activities

• Developing cooperative, non-speculative housing projects in Brussels.

• Renovating and adapting buildings for cultural, social and neighbourhood uses.

• Creating new governance and financing models that empower residents and communities.

• Partnering with municipalities, housing providers and NGOs to scale up civic-driven housing and urban regeneration.

Why DUT 2025?
We are particularly interested in PED Topic #1: Driving a just transition – PED strategies in social and subsidised housing. FGB wants to explore how Positive Energy District principles can be integrated into affordable housing: energy-efficient retrofits, renewable systems, collective solutions, and governance models that ensure benefits reach low-income households.

What we bring

• Real pilot sites in Brussels for testing PED solutions in cooperative, affordable housing.

• A strong civic-public partnership approach linking residents, local authorities and social organisations.

• Expertise in governance and finance models for non-speculative real estate.

• A track record of community engagement and co-creation in housing projects.

What we seek

• A project to join with our organization, which already has a lead and potentially one or more of the following roles.

• Technical partners (energy systems, retrofit solutions, PED modelling).

• Academic/research partners (evaluation, social impact, energy modelling).

• Public authorities or housing companies (to scale and replicate solutions).

• Other civic and cooperative initiatives to exchange governance and finance approaches.

Potential contributions to a consortium

• WP co-lead on social housing / civic housing case studies in Brussels.

• Demonstrate cooperative financing and governance as part of PED strategies.

• Facilitate community engagement, participatory design and long-term stewardship models.

• Provide real sites for demonstration and monitoring.

Contact
pepijn.kennis@fairground.brussels
www.fairground.brussels