Brussels seeks ideas to cool city

Brussels is actively seeking creative solutions to combat urban heat. The city has launched a call for projects with a budget of 500,000 euros to implement innovative cooling strategies.

The initiative aims to bolster Brussels' climate goals, which include achieving climate neutrality by 2050 and reducing CO2 emissions by 55 percent by 2030. The annual project competition encourages local participants to collaborate on building a sustainable city.

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This year, we are focusing on cooling the city. Heatwaves are becoming more frequent, and we want to make our public spaces more resilient. We are looking for projects that create shade, introduce greenery as natural air conditioning, or cleverly use water for cooling.

"This year, we are focusing on cooling the city," stated climate alderman Frederik Ceulemans. "Heatwaves are becoming more frequent, and we want to make our public spaces more resilient. We are looking for projects that create shade, introduce greenery as natural air conditioning, or cleverly use water for cooling."

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To achieve these goals, the annual project top-up encourages local actors to creatively build a sustainable city together.

Ideas such as a neighborhood vegetable garden with shaded areas, an educational rain garden, or an innovative prototype to improve the local living environment are encouraged. The call is open to individual residents, committees, associations, local institutions, and small and medium-sized enterprises.

While the primary focus is on "cooling Brussels," the city emphasizes that the ecological transition continues across all sectors. Initiatives contributing to other climate objectives, like renovation, mobility, waste prevention, or sustainable food, are also welcome. Applications are open until August 31, with subsidies ranging from 500 to 40,000 euros depending on the project category and applicant.

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Whether it's a collective intervention in a courtyard, an artistic project with an educational focus, or light interventions in a building block: all projects that contribute to cooling are welcome.