Our news
News 2023-03-15
State-of-the-art equipment for the new specialised care campus of Saint-Joseph in Ekeren
Saint-Joseph is a brand new care campus in Ekeren, a multifunctional care institution that houses a boarding school, classrooms, various therapy spaces, and outdoor areas. For the study and installation of the techniques, main contractor Van Roey called upon Equans. Having a single point of contact for all techniques and associated expertise proved to be a major advantage. This summer, the special education institution Saint-Joseph will move into its brand-new campus in Ekeren. Students from the specialised primary school “Het Sas” and the specialised secondary school “De Tjalk” will be welcomed at Saint-Joseph in classrooms fully designed to meet their needs. Thanks to the care facility “Heder”, which includes a rehabilitation center with a swimming pool, a laboratory, a boarding school, a specialised nursery, a center for day care, and a hotel, the new Saint-Joseph care campus offers a comprehensive range of services and care on a prime location.
News 2023-03-09
Digitalisation of the concrete industry
Whether it’s state-of-the-art control for mixers, filling groups and/or concrete transport systems, automated supply or more, Equans is a key player in the field of automation of bulk processing and processing control for mixing plants in the concrete industry. Throughout the summer of 2022, the Process Solutions team were hard at work upgrading and expanding concrete plants for clients such as Marmorith, Ergon, Ronveaux and Norré-Behaegel. These projects are the sort that customers prefer to schedule during holiday periods in order to ensure employees suffer as little inconvenience as possible – or none at all – due to downtime or infrastructure being unavailable. Equans’ Process Solutions team therefore faced a huge challenge to bring four complex projects to a successful conclusion during the summer months.
News 2023-02-28
InBW's waste-to-energy plant meets the challenge!
Equans is renovating the boiler and fume treatment systems at the Virginal ERU in record time, while improving the efficiency and safety of the installationsAn active contributor to the production of renewable energy, Energy Recovery Units (ERU) are large plants that produce heat and electricity from the combustion of our household waste. Located between Nivelles and Brussels (in Virginal), the InBW intermunicipal ERU is one of four energy recovery units in the Walloon Region. Built in the mid-1990s, it was in need of extensive renovation. As a partner of many ERUs (in Belgium, but also in neighbouring countries such as France and the Netherlands), Equans was responsible for replacing a large part of the boiler furnace (of production line 1), the fume treatment installations of lines 1 and 2, and also for replacing the extractors and conveyors for the ERU’s by-products (slag, ash and residues from the purification of fumes from the incineration of household waste). What’s at stake? Extending equipment life, improving performance and enabling Walloon Brabant to remain self-sufficient in household waste treatment.
News 2023-01-18
Equans contributes to the new ‘The Wings’ building complex
In the international business district of Brussels Airport, The Wings project is currently under construction: a remarkable development with an impressive building project focused on sustainability and spread over four wings or ‘quadrants’. The project has been awarded the triple certification BREEAM Excellent****, WELL Gold, and DGNB Gold. It’s a first for Belgium. Equans - in partnership with the company EDA – is in charge of a significant part of the electrical system. The design phase started in June 2022, with the final delivery of the entire project scheduled for June 2023.
News 2022-12-01
VMM: Automated remote monitoring system for water management in Flanders
The Flemish Environment Agency (VMM) is responsible for monitoring and adjusting water levels on the larger unnavigable waterways. This monitoring prevents floods and droughts as much as possible. These installations and facilities, such as controlled flood areas, weirs, and pumping stations, are geographically distributed across the 5 provinces of Flanders. A remote monitoring system allows the VMM to efficiently manage this large natural patrimony. And in the event of problems, response times are short and travel is kept to a minimum
Our Automation team has been responsible for the renewal, expansion, and maintenance of the remote monitoring system since 2010. Currently, Equans uses its system to monitor 215 installations.
The renewal and expansion of the remote monitoring system has its own unique history. Its rollout began in 2010 in the provinces of Limburg, Antwerp, and Flemish Brabant with the replacement of the old system, which was an absolute necessity at the time. East and West Flanders followed suit in 2017. From the time of the rollout until today, Equans has been working on the system. During this time, some 100 installations that were not previously monitored have also been linked to the remote monitoring system.
News 2022-10-04
Bouygues completes acquisition of Equans
Today Bouygues completed the acquisition of Equans, a key milestone in its development. Thanks to this transaction, Bouygues becomes a world leader in the promising multi-technical services market which is at the heart of the environmental, industrial and digital transitions.
News 2022-10-04
Rail: Deployment of the European Train Control System (ETCS)
The aim of the European Train Control System (ETCS) is to ensure that rail transport is faster, safer, and – above all – harmonised across Europe. To take advantage of this efficient communication tool and prevent potential accidents on its network, the Belgian rail infrastructure operator, Infrabel, has entrusted EQUANS and its partner Siemens with a contract to install ETCS (level 2) equipment along 1,427 kilometres of track. This project will make Belgium one of the first countries in Europe to set up this safety system on its rail network.
News 2022-04-26
The first patient is admitted to the new oncology centre of the CHU Liège
Cancer has become a social challenge. In response, the CHU Liège decided to build a new space intended to group together, on a single site, a Cancer Institute and all the clinical analysis laboratories (Unilab). It is a complex project, since it involves accommodating all the skills of a cancer institute on seven levels – two of which will be used for laboratories. This includes cell therapy laboratories as well as a radiopharmacy unit equipped with a cyclotron capable of producing isotopes on site. In 2021, following a legal subcontract procedure, EQUANS was entrusted with the task of bringing the entire HVAC installation of the building into compliance. A major project that has already enabled the oncology centre to be opened in February 2022. The commissioning of the equipment on the other floors will follow.
News 2022-03-16
GHdC: comfort and safety for an XXL hospital
Air treatment, heating, air conditioning, emergency generator sets, fire detection or lighting management… For many years, EQUANS has put its multi-technical expertise at the service of health care. After the Chirec Delta, the Jules Bordet Institute, or the AZ St Maarten, our teams are currently participating in the construction of the largest private hospital in Wallonia: the GHdC.
News 2022-03-10
Steam recovery for the Herstal heating network
How do you heat the city of tomorrow while reducing the impact on our environment? Among the solutions proposed by EQUANS, heating networks are coming to the fore. After the Docks shopping centre, the Royal Estate of Laeken, the Blue Gate project and the new Nieuw Zuid housing estate in Antwerp, it is the turn of the city of Herstal to acquire this new sound and ecological infrastructure. In the near future, schools, hospitals, public buildings and nursing homes will benefit from heat with 92% from recovered energy. The heat will come from the recovery of our waste thanks to the interconnection with the Uvelia-Intradel plant. EQUANS is responsible for construction of the heat recovery and distribution units as well as the auxiliary boiler room.
News 2022-02-22
Modernisation of the Leopold II tunnel in Brussels
Smoother traffic, improved user safety, less greenhouse gas emissions… It’s true: the city of tomorrow will be connected, sustainable, and safe. EQUANS is taking the lead in the Leopold II tunnel, a 2.6-km long tunnel in Brussels, and working to improve the infrastructure thanks to a combination of different techniques.
News 2022-02-09
Wave energy sector takes big step forward thanks to innovative SEA-TITAN project
The SEA-TITAN consortium, supported by the European Commission, brings together eleven partners from 7 European countries with outstanding experience in the renewables energy sector in general and in ocean wave energy technologies in particular. The partners have pooled their knowledge to develop an innovative second generation Direct Drive Linear Electric Generator Power Take-Off. The function of a Power Take-Off machine is to capture the power of water waves and convert the wave motion into electricity. The aim of the SEA-TITAN project is to arrive at a prototype that can generate more energy in proportion to its volume. EQUANS also played a role in the development of the prototype: the Mobility Division (Water Department, Marine Section) was given the task of advising on the design and monitoring its implementation.
News 2022-02-08
New prison in Haren: our multi-technical expertise serving a DBM project.
116,000 m² in surface area on a 15-hectare site: this large-scale project was entrusted by the Régie des Bâtiments (‘Building Authority’) to the Cafasso business consortium, which employs EQUANS as a subcontractor. Our teams will be responsible for all the facilities’ technical aspects and maintenance over the next 25 years.
News 2022-01-20
Installations under review in the Brussels metro
A real underground maze, the Brussels metro allows travellers to move from one end of the capital to the other in a few minutes. As a long-standing partner for the maintenance and renovation of the network’s electromechanical systems, EQUANS has supported this ambitious project from day one. Recently, a framework agreement was signed for implementation of a centralised supervision system for the equipment of 40 stations, pre-metro or STTB depots.
News 2022-01-17
4000 m² solar carport on the Goodyear site
This is the largest facility of its kind in Luxembourg: in August 2021, a solar carport consisting of 1,500 photovoltaic panels was opened on the car park of the Goodyear test site in Colmar-Berg. EQUANS, with its expertise in solar systems for businesses, took charge of the project from start to finish on behalf of the energy supplier Enovos. Each year, the facility will produce more green energy than 170 households can consume in a whole year.
News 2022-01-12
Energy-efficient swimming pool ready to open its doors in Aartselaar
The former swimming pool on the Aartselaar sports grounds needed replacement, so the municipalities of Aartselaar, Hemiksem, and Niel decided to develop a new intermunicipal swimming pool. The building was named DOK~3, referring to the local dialect for ‘swimming pool’. The Water Process department from the EQUANS ‘Infra’ business unit took charge of the entire project. Project Manager Caroline Vandijck took the lead and fully coordinated this fabulous project, including implementation of all the technical elements, such as water treatment, electrical installations, sanitary systems, and HVAC. Colleagues from Smart Buildings took responsibility for the building. EQUANS will also maintain and operate these installations for the next two years. The architectural part of the project was entrusted to Strabag within the consortium, while Tractebel Engie was responsible for the design, stability study, BIM coordination, and safety. And because it was a Design & Build project, LD-Architecten was also involved.
News 2022-01-12
Dockwater: an innovative desalination facility in the port of Antwerp
Mid way through 2020 the Flemish Government proposed its Blue Deal: an ambitious plan for a structural approach to the problem of water shortage and drought in Flanders. An important objective of this plan is to change the way drinking water is used. Where today a considerable amount of drinking water is still used in industry and agriculture, there are now other, more sustainable solutions. A first step is the construction of a desalination facility in the port of Antwerp: a project of Dockwater BV in collaboration with Suez and Clearwater, a joint venture between EQUANS and contractor Denys.
News 2021-12-21
Delivery of the new head office for BNP Paribas Fortis, 3 rue Montagne du Parc
After a number of successive phases of work, this emblematic building, open to the public at several points, will soon be 100% operational. With a state of the art energy-saving heating system, solar panels, LED lighting, data connections, etc. The EQUANS teams have devoted their expertise to creating this impressive site and during the next 5 years, they will also be responsible for maintenance of this office block’s technical facilities, far superior to the norm.
News 2021-12-16
Sustainable sports infrastructure: the city of Leuven invests in energy-efficient lighting for the football fields of Wijgmaal and Kessel-lo
The replacement of the old floodlighting system with state-of-the-art LED technology is a perfect match for the city’s ambition to become climate neutral by 2030. “Our teams worked on replacing the old luminaires with state-of-the-art LED technology. With this energy-efficient field lighting, electricity consumption has been reduced by less than half. Good for a CO₂ reduction of more than 42 tonnes a year!” Joline CULUS, Project Manager Relighting.
In Leuven, Energy transition are not just words. In order to reduce the net emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane, or nitrous oxide to zero, the city of Leuven is taking numerous initiatives to make its patrimony more energy-efficient and greener. Maarten Andries (Operation Manager): “As the city’s technical maintenance partner since 2012, our teams are doing everything they can to support the board in achieving this ambition. The renovation of the outdoor lighting on the football fields of the Boudewijnstadion in Kessel-Lo and Ymeria Wijgmaal is a good example of this.”
News 2021-12-15
Sustainable mobility: modernisation of 3 locks on the Dorsale wallonne
Cleaner and safer than road transport, river navigation is a sustainable method of transport which has numerous benefits. Ideal for transferring goods, it emits little CO2 and has proven to be an excellent alternative to meet environmental challenges. Indeed, but think about this! Since 1992, the Pommerœul-Condé canal, which connects Belgium to France along the Mons/Valenciennes axis, has been closed to navigation forcing barges to make a detour lasting half a day. To remedy this, a series of works are being completed on either side of the border. With years of experience in the water management field, EQUANS is responsible for the modernisation of the electromechanical equipment of the locks and pumping stations at Havré, Hensies and Pommerœul on behalf of the Wallonia Public Works Department.
News 2021-11-18
Maintenance of prestigious ZIN project for 20 years awarded to EQUANS
An innovative project that has the ambition to reuse the emblematic WTC I and II towers. ZIN is a multifunctional project of about 110,000 m² above ground, 75,000 m² of which is office space, 14,000 m² of housing, 16,000 m² of hotel accommodation, and leisure areas, hospitality and shops. EQUANS concluded an extensive maintenance contract for the project.
News 2021-10-28
Diepenbeek hydroelectric power station: EQUANS places the largest Archimede screws of the world.
With the construction of these hydropower plants, De Vlaamse Waterweg aims to maintain the water level in the Albert Canal. The screws turn in two directions: when dry, they recover water, and when there is sufficient water, they turn in the opposite direction and act as a hydroelectric power station. In the next few years, similar installations will be built at the lock complex in Genk, and other locations, in order to reduce the overall water consumption of the Albert Canal in dry periods by approximately 50%.
As in Hasselt, the plant in Diepenbeek is being built by the TM Eureka (EQUANS-HYE). The large Archimedes screws were built by the company Vandezande from Diksmuide.
News 2021-10-27
Ministry of Defence's largest aircraft hangar almost ready for operation
Commissioned by the Ministry of Defence, DEMOCO is currently putting the finishing touches to the largest aircraft hanger ever built in Belgium, at the military airport in Melsbroek. From November 8 the hangar will be home to the new A400M transport aircraft. EQUANS was responsible for various technical installations, including the electrics, HVAC, plumbing, compressed air and fire detection. EQUANS will also act as the building management and maintenance partner for the installed systems in the coming years.
In terms of dimensions and maintenance capabilities, the existing hangars were suitable for the 130 fleet. A larger hanger was thus needed for the new aircraft. EQUANS has already worked on projects for the Ministry of Defence, but the project in Melsbroek stands apart due to its size: a maintenance hangar of no less than 13,800 m2 where three aircrafts can be worked on simultaneously, along with 1,200 m2 of office space, a logistics zone with a surface area of 3,500 m2, and various storage and workshop facilities with a surface area of 3,000 m2. In the Design & Build formula, EQUANS ensures the energy efficiency and safety of the project by installing, monitoring and maintaining the electrical and HVAC systems. Meanwhile, the Belgian-Luxembourg Air Transport Unit A400M (BNU A400M) already has four of the eight transport aircraft in Melsbroek.
News 2021-10-21
A new climate-friendly cooling system for Aldi
Green Deals are agreements between (private) partners and the Flemish government to develop sustainable initiatives together without jeopardising the competitiveness of companies. The “Green Deal for a climate-friendly cooling installation” is the ninth Green Deal in Flanders. As a specialist in industrial and commercial refrigeration, EQUANS is a partner in this Green Deal.