" Design for Change is a design and construction strategy based on the principle that the requirements and aspirations on our built environment will always change; the aim is to create buildings that support change more efficiently. "

Considering the enormous material and waste flows initiated when constructing, maintaining and refurbishing buildings, policy makers understand the importance of ‘design for change’. In order to pinpoint and alleviate implementation issues of ‘design for change’, OVAM on behalf of the Flemish government commissioned us to develop of a policy framework and action plan for 'design for change'.

In this 12-month-long project we proposed a common language for ‘design for change’, developed and tested design guidelines for the transformational capacity of buildings, and analysed local and international cases. After these tasks we also identified further milestones for the integration of ‘design for change’ in the Flemish construction sector and formulated advisory guidelines for Flemish policy makers together with VITO and ASRO.

Visit the project website www.ovam.be/veranderingsgerichtbouwen
or download directly the outcomes of this research project:

Project summary (in English):
Galle W. & Vandenbroucke M. (2015) Design for change: development of a policy and transitional framework (summary), Mechelen: Public Waste Agency Flanders, OVAM. 10 p.

Project summary (in Dutch):
Galle W. & Vandenbroucke M. (2015) Veranderingsgericht bouwen: ontwikkeling van een beleids- en transitiekader (samenvatting), Mechelen: Openbare Vlaamse Afvalstoffenmaatschappij, OVAM. 10 p.

Project report (in Dutch):
Debacker W., Galle W., Vandenbroucke M., Wijnants L., Lam W. C., Paduart A., Herthogs P., De Temmerman N., Trigaux D., De Troyer F. & De Weerdt Y. (2015) Veranderingsgericht bouwen: ontwikkeling van een beleids- en transitiekader, Mechelen: Openbare Vlaamse Afvalstoffenmaatschappij, OVAM. 247 p.

Common language (in Dutch and English):
Galle W. & Herthogs P. (2015) Veranderingsgericht bouwen: ontwikkeling van een beleids- en transitiekader (gemeenschappelijke taal), Mechelen: Openbare Vlaamse Afvalstoffenmaatschappij, OVAM. 20 p.

Design guidelines (in Dutch):
Vandenbroucke M., Debacker W., Paduart A. (2015) Veranderingsgericht bouwen: ontwikkeling van een beleids- en transitiekader (ontwerprichtlijnen), Mechelen: Openbare Vlaamse Afvalstoffenmaatschappij, OVAM. 49 p.

More information about our Horizon 2020 Circular Retrofit Lab can be found at:
http://vub.be/arch/projects/circularretrofitlab