In September 2022, the inauguration of two infrastructure projects from the research collaboration between CollecTHOR and THOREAQ took place within the Open Thor Living Lab.
This unique project is experimenting 5GDHC within an innovative environment!

EnergyVille is a leading European energy innovation hub located in the Thor Park industrial ecosystem in Genk, Belgium.
The site purpose is to develop research and innovation on the themes of the transition to sustainable and circular energy solutions. Tests are carried out under real-life conditions within their own buildings and show houses.
This hub is home to the Open Thor Living Lab, a large-scale energy laboratory that is being expanded with an innovative 5GDHC grid and research buildings to test the latest construction techniques and heating technologies.

The CollecTHOR and THOREAQ collaborative projects: underground 5GDHC grids and experimental buildings

CollecTHOR is a 5th generation heating and cooling grid willing to explore the maximum potential of smart heating grids to heat and cool in a sustainable way. To do so, they use underground heating grids to store the residual heat and cold of buildings. With these thermal grids, no additional heating source is needed, and they maximize the level of renewable energy in the local energy cycles.

The THOREAQ project is to develop a permanent research infrastructure to test and validate innovations in renovation techniques, improvement of indoor air quality and integration of energy systems under real conditions.
This infrastructure is divided into four units, consisting of a technical hall, a site laboratory and two identical buildings to test these technologies side by side.

Thus, the symbiosis between these two projects is described as a unique infrastructure environment where innovation comes to life, and where governments, businesses and citizens are also actively encouraged to exchange knowledge.
Wim Dries, mayor of the city of Genk, even adds " The co-creation and collaboration at Thor Park is crucial to put the pieces of the energy puzzle together and will help the City of Genk achieve its ambitious climate goals.”

The long-term goal of these 5GDHC grids and other sustainable energy solution techniques is to supply all of Flanders Energy.

To find out more about the project:

 Discover the press release!

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paul.capgras[a]construction21.fr