Thinkers and doers
Right in the heart of Europe
In 2019 the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB – Free University of Brussels) and UZ Brussel (UZB – Brussels University Hospital) set up the Green Energy Park research hub, motivated by a desire to work together and with other stakeholders on innovative and sustainable solutions to the challenges facing society.
Our location: a real asset for your innovation project
We are centrally situated in Zellik, near Brussels, the capital of Europe, and only…
- 120 minutes from European cities like London, Paris and Amsterdam by high-speed train, departing from Brussels’ three stations (North, Central and South)
- 60 minutes’ drive to other Belgian university cities, such as Louvain (55 km), Ghent (45 km) and Antwerp (40 km)
- 20 minutes’ drive from Brussels Airport (15 km), with daily flights to New York (direct) and San Francisco (connecting)
- 15 minutes’ walk from the VUB Health Campus and other VUB campuses in Brussels.
Our timeline
1983
The concept of a science park for VUB is taking shape. Zellik Research Park begins to emerge between the Brussels ring road and the Brussels-Capital Region boundary.
2015
More land is acquired. The green park is now a natural stepping stone between Laarbeek Forest and the 19-hectare Kerremans Park.
2019
The non-profit organisation Green Energy Park VZW is officially founded. Ambitions are high for the strategically selected Zellik Research Park, situated close to Brussels University Hospital, the Brussels ring road and the airport.
2020
With the Smart Village Lab, Green Energy Park completes its first physical construction project. Developed in collaboration with VUB research group MOBI and the Flemish Energy Cluster Flux50, the Lab explores how the housing of the future can be smart, sustainable and energy-efficient.
2021
As Green Energy Park and MeetDistrict (Ghelamco) sign a public-private partnership agreement, the way forward for the innovation campus becomes increasingly clear.
2022, september
The foundation stone is laid for the Nexus datacenter, Belgium’s first ever “sustainable by design” data centre, where all energy is 100% green. The 3,500 m² building is the beating heart of Green Energy Park and the cornerstone of the carbon-neutral multi-energy grid.
2035
Creation of a carbon-neutral, self-sufficient business park and campus where schools, colleges, universities and the wider public can learn about the various innovations in a real-life setting.