Union Saint-Gilloise submitted additional information regarding its permit application on April 24, 2026. The regional authorities urban.brussels and Brussels Environment have declared the application complete. Public inquiry If this is the case, the administration will have 160 days to decide on the granting of the permit.  

In 2020, Union Saint-Gilloise appointed a team of architects: ESA and KSS, who have extensive experience in the construction of soccer stadiums, both in Belgium and abroad.  

In 2023, the club organized, in collaboration with the Brussels Bouwmeester (Chief Architect) and the Brussels Region, an architectural competition aimed at ensuring a project that takes into account the local context and the needs of residents and local associations. The Brussels-based firm Baukunst won this competition. The firm Bas Smets is responsible for the project’s landscape integration. 

On the contrary, numerous regional bodies (perspective.brussels, Bruxelles Mobilité, urban.brussels, Bruxelles Environnement, Bruxelles Propreté, Brussels Midi Police Zone, etc.) and municipal authorities have shared their comments and the issues to be taken into account, and we thank them for this. 

The project was designed by a team of architects (ESA, KSS, and Baukunst) and landscape architects (Bas Smets) hired by the RUSG through a competition organized with the Bouwmeester Maître Architecte, to ensure that the project blends harmoniously into its surroundings. The architectural firms selected to join the project team were chosen specifically based on this criterion.   

The goal of this competition was to identify the project that best integrates into its environment. This specifically concerns the architectural integration of the Stadium into the landscape, mobility management, site accessibility and security, biodiversity and stormwater management, and, more broadly, the consideration of all interests within the Bempt area. 

To this end, numerous discussions were held with a wide range of public, private, and nonprofit stakeholders in the Bempt area. Several consulting firms specializing in mobility, water management, soil contamination, and biodiversity, among other fields, were also consulted. The project therefore takes into account a wide range of constraints, challenges, and opinions from independent experts.

Finally, it should be noted that the permit can only be granted if all conditions set by the Brussels Regional Administration are met. To this end, the Brussels administration consults a wide range of institutions, including perspective.brussels, Brussels Mobility, urban.brussels, Brussels Environment, Brussels Cleanliness, and the Brussels Midi Police Zone. 

It is essential for the club that the stadium be exemplary from an environmental perspective, whether in terms of mobility, land reuse (despite the complexity this entails), biodiversity, water management, energy, and the materials used. 

Furthermore, the permitting process imposes strict standards on all aspects related to sustainability: the permit will only be granted if all criteria are met. These are very strict safeguards to ensure that the project does not come at the expense of the environment and the quality of life.  

We are even more ambitious. Through the future stadium, we aim to set new sustainability standards for stadium projects in Belgium and beyond. 

The stadium will feature 300 solar panels installed on the roof. These will make the offices and the ground floor nearly self-sufficient in terms of heating and lighting. 

For hot water production, the project calls for the use of heat pumps, which reduces the facilities’ environmental footprint.  

An underfloor heating system combined with a geothermal field is planned for Union’s employee office area and the ground floor. This system operates using high-efficiency water-to-water heat pumps, which minimizes energy consumption.  

The other spaces use air-to-air heat pumps. In this system, the generated heat and cooling circulate throughout the building according to user needs, ensuring that each space receives precisely the amount required for its proper functioning. During periods of inactivity, the rooms are maintained at a minimum temperature to avoid any energy waste.  

The general lighting consists entirely of LED technology. Thanks to the high lumens-per-watt output, energy requirements are minimized, contributing to a reduction in electricity consumption. 

Recyclability will be a key factor in the selection of materials, in addition to carbon footprint.  

This approach is particularly evident in the choice of interior partitions for the stadium, which must be made of heavy materials. These will not be constructed from concrete blocks, but from CO2-negative Carbstone blocks. The amount of CO2 absorbed during the production of Carbstone blocks is, in fact, greater than the amount emitted. Furthermore, these blocks continue to extract CO2 from the air even after they are manufactured, and retain it permanently. Carbstone building blocks are also 100% recyclable: when the blocks are crushed after a building is demolished, only sand and gravel remain.