BPC, a general contractor and major player in the construction sector in Brussels and Wallonia for 150 years, and Wood Shapers, a new subsidiary of the CFE group specialising in wood construction, which is already very active in Luxembourg, will together build the Monteco project for Leasinvest Real Estate, in the heart of the European district. With its 8-storey timber structure, this office project is considered to be the tallest timber building in the Brussels region. The PEFC-certified wood used in the project is sourced from within a 500 km radius of the construction site.
In Belgium, there is a real demand for new sustainable projects. “There is a desire and a need to move towards buildings with high energy performance. Owners, and tenants in turn, are demanding sustainable buildings, using sustainable materials,” says Alexander Hodac, CEO of BPC.
“Monteco is not BPC’s first wood project, but the scale of this one is significant. It marks an important step in our strategy to invest more in new construction methods. As the construction market evolves and questions its environmental impact, we want to become an actor of change, to propose solutions and to accompany the market in its approach. The wood offer thus joins the catalogue of our skills and allows us to propose a wide range of construction possibilities. Our collaboration with Wood Shapers is obviously key in integrating this expertise within our company. There is no doubt that the combination of our historical skills will be a major asset for the Monteco project and future projects that we will carry out together.” Alexander Hodac, CEO of BPC
The challenge of the Monteco project lies in its wooden structure. The 3,674 m² building will have 8 floors above ground, with the top 2 floors set back in one piece to make way for a large terrace. With the exception of the prefabricated concrete core, the entire structure of the Monteco building will be built of wood, left exposed. The association between BPC, a historical player in construction in Brussels and Wallonia, and Wood Shapers, a specialist in wood construction, optimises and completes the crucial skills of each for the success of a project of this type.
“The association between BPC and Wood Shapers is a strategic choice that will last. Wood has technical virtues that are not the same as those of concrete. It is lighter and allows more prefabrication in the workshop. Wooden construction therefore requires more preparation upstream, as there are more orders and interfaces. But it is not possible to build everything in wood. The wood input has to be balanced and combined with traditional materials such as concrete or steel, in order to use the right material in the right place. BPC’s skills are therefore very important for the smooth running of the work.” Arnaud Regout, CEO of Wood Shapers
Both BPC and Wood Shapers emphasise the excellent collaboration between the entities of the CFE group, particularly VMA for the multi-technical part, as well as with ION, Leasinvest Real Estate and Archi 2000.
