Being sustainable while we’re shaping a tasty future, is what we actively strive for at VANDEMOORTELE. The VANDEMOORTELE Food Experience Center, our brand-new company headquarter, represents this aspiration perfectly: it’s a sustainable building.
Just like a good recipe consists of a harmonious combination of ingredients, the Food Experience Center consists of a well-thought-out combination of circular design, sustainable materials and innovative techniques.
The building is designed by Thomas Rau, visionary architect and a front runner in the international debate on sustainability, resources scarcity and the use of renewable energy in architecture.
Our headquarter meets the BREEAM Excellent standard – the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method is the leading and most widely used sustainability assessment method for buildings.
Renewable energy resources
Next to the passive energetic means which are implemented in the design, several active energy systems help generate energy from renewable resources. The Food Experience Center is a nearly Zero Energy Building.
The south-oriented solar panels on the roof and the earth probes with a heat pump to support the heating-cooling system and climate ceilings, provide the building with sustainable energy.
Compact & efficient building
The compact and efficient shape of the building offers an optimised ratio between building volume and building surface. It reduces heat loss to a minimum and it leaves more room for green areas around the building.
Inviting green surroundings
The surroundings are developed in association with landscape architect Buur and ecological consultant Driekwart Groen. Carefully selected trees and plants, and the use of beehives, support a long-term biodiversity vision.
Rainwater infiltration solutions like unpaved parking areas and wadis collect rainwater for sanitary use.
Designed to let the daylight in
Large windows, skylights in the atrium and numerous openings in the interior façade bring a maximum of daylight into the building and reduce the demand for artificial light. Motion detectors activate smart LED lighting when necessary.
Daylight is good for people’s wellbeing inside. But the sun also gives off heat. Cleverly placed sun shades keep the summer sun outside, prevent the building from overheating and reduce the energy needed for cooling. During winter, the sun’s warmth is very welcome inside, reducing the energy needed for heating.
Flexibility through modularity
The general construction approach is defined by the goal to reach a circular and demountable building.
Chosen materials are emission-free and preferably Cradle to Cradle Certified – the materials remain in perpetual cycles of use and reuse. Dry connections allow easy disassembling of the different components. That way, all materials can be reused in the future.
Hand in hand with e-mobility
A company building that houses a few hundred people also needs a smart mobility plan. Our associates can now make use of the covered bicycle garage and carpool parking, with charging points for e-bikes and e-cars.
Healthy working environment
The open building bathing in light, the visual connection with the surrounding green and the lively atrium with its interaction zones, create a healthy atmosphere and an inspiring environment with diverse working places that respond to different needs.
You see, with the Food Experience Center, we turn our sustainability ambition into tangible innovation. Everything about the building is designed to be as sustainable as possible – and to raise awareness at the same time.
We are shaping a tasty future in a responsible way. And with the VANDEMOORTELE Food Experience Center, we invite associates, customers and consumers to join us.