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In this episode of the Bao Living Podcast, we sit down with Leo Van Broeck, architect, co-founder of Bogdan & Van Broeck and former Vlaams Bouwmeester.We talk about the way Flanders has been built, the pressure on our limited space and what needs to change if we want a more sustainable built environment.From the bouwshift and renovation wave to our relationship with nature, raw materials and the rise of industrialised and modular construction, Leo shares his perspective on where the building sector needs to go next.🎙️ A conversation about architecture, policy and one big question: how do we build better without simply building more? Shownotes: Leo Van Broeck (  / leo-van-broeck-81aa7bb  )Bogdan & Van Broeck (https://www.bogdan.design/)Catholic University of Leuven (KU Leuven) (https://www.kuleuven.be/english/kuleuven)Club of Rome (https://www.clubofrome.org/) Climate Expert Committee of the Brussels Region (https://www.brupartners.brussels/nl/b...)Urban Sprawl: Get Fat, Stay Poor, and Die in Car Crashes: A 2014 study publication (https://www.fastcompany.com/3028661/u...)Rerum Novarum: An encyclical written by Pope Leo XIII at the end of the 19th century (https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xi...)Half-Earth: A book written by Edward O. Wilson (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Half-Earth)L'Anomalie (The Anomaly) by Hervé Le Tellier (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ano...)L'Amante Senza Fissa Dimora (The Lover Without a Fixed Address) by Fruttero & Lucentini (https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%27ama...) Timestamps:00:11 – Introduction of Guest Leo Van Broeck01:55 – Awakening to Land Use and Climate Change05:04 – Human Disturbance of Natural Ecosystems07:53 – Pitfalls of Spatial Planning and Agriculture10:00 – Personal Practice Decisions and Public Action11:46 – Commercial Influence of Ethical Design14:30 – Selection as Flemish Government Architect15:09 – Societal Hardships from Low-Density Sprawl19:28 – Historical Evolution of Sedentary Land Control22:34 – Spiritual and Philosophical Origins of Misbehavior27:36 – Capitalist Market Models and Wealth Disparity31:38 – Advocacy and Public Engagement Outcomes34:03 – Anecdotes of Positive Community Shifts36:54 – Historic Spatial Policy Differences in Flanders41:34 – Reflections on Long-Term Ecological Pessimism46:33 – True Reclamation and Demarcation of Nature49:02 – European Conservation Strategies and Policy Shifts52:26 – Quantifying Species Loss and Critical Demographics56:04 – Timeframes Required for Global Repair01:00:37 – Closing Questions: Historical Figure Discussion01:02:35 – Closing Questions: Reading Recommendations01:05:42 – Closing Questions: Best Recent Purchase01:06:17 – Concluding Remarks and Outro#baopodcast #podcast #ubandesign #architecture

In this episode, we sit down with the co-founder and CEO of Urban Jungle Project, a company rethinking how nature can live inside our cities, from green rooftops and living facades to forgotten urban spaces turned into climate-proof ecosystems.We talk about urban heat, biodiversity, 3D-printed jungle blocks, smart plant monitoring, and why the cities of tomorrow may need to look a lot less grey.Let’s dive in. Shownotes: The Urban Jungle Project (https://www.theurbanjungleproject.com/en/) Daan Grasveld (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daangrasveld/)Sony Music Entertainment (https://www.sonymusic.com/) Picnic Supermarkets (https://jobs.picnic.app/en/about-picnic)Ebben Tree Nursery (https://www.ebben.nl/en/)Nos (https://nos.nl/)TU Delft (Delft University of Technology) (https://www.tudelft.nl/en/) Timestamps: 00:11: Intro 01:41: Dan’s professional background 03:10: Spark for the project 05:43: Pivot from energy to nature 07:04: Global urbanization challenges 08:35: Urban Heat Island effect 12:12: Benefits of green roofing 14:28: The business case for nature 15:48: Launching the first pilot 19:45: Founder and partnership dynamics 21:54: Choosing heart over head 26:55: Embracing generalist leadership 29:37: Advantage of organic growth 37:59: Modular and lightweight tech 39:57: Sensors and maintenance care 42:47: Overcoming growth constraints 44:47: Measuring biodiversity and impact 51:21: Future company vision 52:18: Closing and contact info

Our guest is Tom Willemen, CEO of Willemen Groep, a leading Belgian construction powerhouse spanning infrastructure, real estate, and civil engineering. Under his leadership, the group has become a frontrunner in sustainability and digital transformation. As Chairman of Embuild, Tom is a vocal advocate for industrialising the sector and modernising the construction ecosystem. Today, we discuss the challenges and future of the industry. Show notes:  Willemen Groep (https://www.willemen.be/en)  Tom Willemen (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomwillemen/)  BuildWise (https://www.buildwise.be/en/)  BuildWise Vision Comittee publication on “Circularity” (https://www.buildwise.be/media/xmtbgbcw/bwi_visiedocument_circularity.pdf)  BuildWise Vision Committee publication “Finance and Affordability of construction in 2031” (https://www.buildwise.be/media/apephizu/bwi-230201-visierapport_1i23-int.pdf)  Time stamps: 00:00 Intro 01:50 Inside Willemen Groep: what “day-to-day” really looks like 2:40 Challenges in the construction industry  5:06 Potential solutions and innovation 10:07 Finding time to think in an industry that never stops 11:11 The BuildWise vision committee 12:23 Zooming in the Circularity report 16:09 The Affordability report 18:03 Leadership in construction 21:13 Lessons and setbacks of Willemen Groep  24:48 Vision for the Future: 2040  31:40 The most difficult ecosystem part to redesign 34:56 Tips and tricks to stay informed and keep learning 38:30 Outro

In this episode we speak with Joachim De Vos, Co-chair and Managing Partner of Living Tomorrow, founder of TomorrowLab, and professor of scenario planning at Ghent University. Since the early 1990s, when the first House of the Future opened its doors, Joachim has helped organizations and policymakers prepare for what’s next through foresight, scenario planning, and innovation strategy. He is also the author of Why Innovation Fails, which examines the pitfalls of innovation and how companies can become “future fit.” The book features a deep dive into the Kodak case, developed with Steven Sasson, the inventor of the digital camera. We talk about the lessons of innovation success and failure, how to keep a strong vision alive inside complex organizations, and the future shifts Joachim believes will change how we live and work. Show notes: Living Tomorrow (https://www.livingtomorrow.com/nl/) TomorrowLab (https://www.tomorrowlab.com/) Joachim De Vos (https://www.linkedin.com/in/joachimdevos/?originalSubdomain=be) Frank Belien (https://www.linkedin.com/in/frank-belien-66a6b815/?originalSubdomain=be)  Joachim De Vos - Why Innovation fails (https://www.lannoo.be/nl/why-innovation-fails-0)  Evi Gruyaert - Waarom luisteren gelukkig maakt (https://www.pelckmansuitgevers.be/waarom-luisteren-gelukkig-maakt.html)  Time stamps: 00:00 Intro 03:35 Bill Gates at the opening of the house of the future 9:00 About the first house of the future 13:00 About the second house of the future 14:45 About the current evolutions 30:30 How does not being CEO anymore shift your focus?  39:30 What are good tools to better handle organizations? 45:30 Thinking about the future is art 48:00 Outro

In episode 41, we speak with Steven Van Passel, Professor in Environmental Economics and Vice-Rector for Valorisation and Sustainability at the University of Antwerp.Steven leads the EnvEcon group, a multidisciplinary research team focused on sustainability assessments in energy, food systems, and the circular economy. With a background in agricultural economics and years of experience advising climate and nitrogen panels, Steven offers a grounded, systems-level view on how to move from research to real-world impact.We talk about how to translate science into societal value, why systems thinking is essential, and what role technology should play in the sustainable transition of our built environment.Show notes: Steven Van Passel’s research + contact👉 https://www.uantwerpen.be/nl/personeel/steven-vanpassel/ENV‑ECON Research Group👉 https://www.uantwerpen.be/en/research-groups/env-econ/Planetary Boundaries (Stockholm Resilience Centre)👉 https://www.stockholmresilience.org/research/planetary-boundaries.htmlProgramma Aanpak Stikstof (PAS) – Nederland👉 https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/natuur-en-biodiversiteit/stikstofIEA – Solar PV Market Report👉 https://www.iea.org/reports/solar-pvEllen MacArthur Foundation – Circular Economy & Plastics👉 https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/plasticsNature‑based Solutions (Oppla – EU-database)👉 https://oppla.eu/nature-based-solutionsGrand Hotel Europa – Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer👉 https://www.standaardboekhandel.be/p/grand-hotel-europa-9789029526227 Voorbij duurzaamheid – Op weg naar een ecorechtvaardige samenleving – Shivant Jhagroe👉 https://www.walburgpers.nl/nl/book/9789464564259/voorbij-duurzaamheidTimestamps: [00:00] Intro [02:00] How Steven became an environmental economist [03:03] What markets get wrong about sustainability [13:35] Nitrogen, farming, and the housing crisis [19:15] Trade-offs in climate policy and why timing matters [21:50] The real impact of solar panels and tech optimism [32:02] How oil prices affect recycling and circularity [32:55] Can Europe lead if others lag behind? [48:30] What gives Steven hope (and concern) [50:10] Why adaptation is no longer optional [55:50] Book tip & dream dinner guest [01:04] Outro

For Episode 40 of the Bao Podcast, we welcome Noor Huitema-Hellemans, co-founder of Copper8, a consultancy helping organizations rethink value, governance, and collaboration.Based in Amsterdam, Copper8 challenges businesses to move beyond short-term profit and focus on long-term impact. Their work bridges research and practice, supporting clients in sectors like construction, finance, and manufacturing to drive systemic change.In this episode, we explore what it takes to lead a purpose-driven company, how to align financial and environmental value, and why true transformation starts with asking the right questions. Copper8 (https://www.copper8.com/) LinkedIn Noor Huitema-Hellemans (https://www.linkedin.com/in/noorhuitemahelleman/) Ellen MacArthur Foundation (https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/) Planetary Boundaries Documentary on Netflix (https://www.netflix.com/) CSRD - Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (https://finance.ec.europa.eu/capital-markets-union-and-financial-markets/company-reporting-and-auditing/company-reporting/corporate-sustainability-reporting_en) Mahatma Gandhi (https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahatma_Gandhi) Time stamps: 0:00 Intro 1:55 Noor’s motivation for systemic change 4:30 From traditional consultancy to founding Copper8 8:50 Choosing impact over growth: the 15-person team limit 13:00 Bridging research and practice to accelerate change 26:20 Circularity beyond materials: financial and environmental value 34:10 The role of legislation and market awareness 38:15 Who should reach out to Copper8? 43:50 Outro

Episode 39 of the Bao Podcast is a special episode - first, because it’s the first podcast recorded at an external location. And second, because of our guest: a man who needs no introduction... but I’ll give him one anyway - Thomas Rau! As founder of RAU Architects, Turntoo and Madaster, Thomas is a visionary thinker who challenges the way we design, build, and use materials. His concept of material passports and circular construction is reshaping the industry, proving that buildings should be seen not just as structures but as resource banks for the future.  His innovative approach has not gone unnoticed - he has received numerous awards, including the ARC13 Oeuvre Award, the Circular Economy Leadership Award, and the World Green Building Council Chairman’s Award.  Get ready for an inspiring conversation about innovation, responsibility, and the architecture of tomorrow! RAU Architects (https://anewdawn.rau.eu/)  Turntoo (https://turntoo.com/)  Madaster (https://madaster.com/)  Time stamps: 0:00 Intro 01:30 How Thomas started his career 07:30 Stories about accidents and diseases and how it changed his vision and motivation 17:30 Sustainability vs circularity 21:30 Changing mindset is the only way to make an impact 28:45 Conflict cost - change 39:00 Advising to the king of Bhutan 48:30 Material passports 57:30 Outro

For episode 38 of the Bao Podcast, we welcome 2 people: Kostas Anastasiades & Ben Moins. Both are senior researchers at the faculty of Applied Engineering at the University of Antwerp. They are also linked to the service platform B.Cycle where Kostas serves as an expert on circularity and Ben is the program manager focussing on sustainability. Both of them are writing and doing a lot of research on circularity, recycling and waste management, sustainability assessment and much more. At Bao Living, all these issues are close to our hearts, and we also try to do our part to find solutions to these problems. So we’re very curious to hear more from their insights! Ben’s research + contact (https://www.uantwerpen.be/nl/personeel/ben-moins_19251/)  Kostas’ research  + contact(https://www.uantwerpen.be/nl/personeel/kostas-anastasiades/)  Circular value institute (https://www.circularvalueinstitute.com/team)  B.CYCLE (https://bcycle.be/) Constantine The Great (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantine_the_Great) Leonardo da Vinci (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonardo_da_Vinci)  Time stamps: 0:00 Intro 1:30 Ben’s research 9:30 Kostas’ research 18:30: Implementation of research 30:15: About B.CYCLE 34:45 Are there historical practices in construction that we can learn from today? 39:30 Price vs sustainability 47:45 Where do we see the construction industry in a couple of years? 51:25 What are the barriers of today’s society to increase circularity in construction? 54:20 Outro

Lieven is the CEO of Lito and has already participated in the Bao Podcast almost 2 years ago, and is now back for part 2. He and his team managed to develop the ‘Litobox’: which contains every component you need for heating and cooling your house and for making domestic hot water. It combines a ventilation system that guarantees air quality, a rainwater purification system, the indoor components for a photovoltaic installation and an electrical switchboard with internet equipment. Optionally, a battery pack can be added as well. Thanks to off-site assembly and testing, your building process is enormously speeded up, as it can be installed, connected, and commissioned in a few hours. Show notes: Lito (https://lito.be/en/)  Lito & Bao Living collaboration for ION (https://www.baoliving.com/projecten/moderne-nieuwbouw-appartementen-in-brussel)  Time stamps: 0:00 Intro 1:30 Three biggest milestones since previous episode 21:15 Biggest challenges since previous episode 32:25 Surprising/Inspiring customer feedback 42:20 Lessons learned in entrepreneurship 52:00 Outro

For Episode 36 of the Bao Podcast, we introduce you to Pieter-Jan Loyens, the Managing Director of Encon. This is an agency, based in Bilzen, that supports businesses with creative and innovative solutions in their transition toward becoming more sustainable. They distinguish themselves through their unique combination of ecology and economy, linking environmental awareness with cost savings and profitability for their clients.In recent years, they have built a strong market position with this approach.  One of their most remarkable projects might be their own headquarters in Bilzen, Infinity. It is considered one of the most sustainable office buildings in Europe. With several sustainability certificates as LEED and BREEAM, the design serves as a showcase for innovative technologies and sustainable architecture. Show notes: Encon (https://www.encon.eu/nl-BE)  Pieter-Jan Loyens (https://be.linkedin.com/in/pieter-jan-loyens/en)  Robin Bruninx (https://www.linkedin.com/in/robinbruninx)  Hasco Invest (https://hascoinvest.be/nl/home) Jean Jacques Velkeniers (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jean-jacques-velkeniers-1053b11/)   BREEAM (https://breeam.com/) LEED (https://www.usgbc.org/leed/) Tectum Group (https://www.tectumgroup.be/)  HNST Jeans (https://www.supergoods.be/blogs/supergoods-news/welkom-bij-supergoods-de-belgische-duurzame-jeans-van-hnst) Vario Food (https://variofood.be/) Upgrade Estate (https://upgrade-estate.be/) Wanaka Partners (https://wanakapartners.com/)     Ellen MacArthur (https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellen_MacArthur)  Ignace van Doorselaere, ‘De essentie’ (https://4-f.be/publicaties/de-essentie) Daniel Kahneman, ‘Thinking Fast & Slow’ (https://www.bol.com/be/nl/f/thinking-fast-and-slow/9300000043254613/) Michael Lewis, ‘The Undoing Project’ (https://www.bol.com/be/nl/f/the-undoing-project/9200000065157549/)    Time stamps: 0:00 Intro 2:00 Founding story of Encon 10:30 Examples of how Encon are helping companies  19:30 Pieter-Jan’s key learnings throughout his career  26:15 Work of Encon in construction industry 29:30 Sustainability certificates: how do you achieve them? 34:30 Promising methodologies in construction 38:30 Good business cases for big battery installations 43:45 Cost of batteries dropping 45:00 Circular frontrunners in Belgium 48:10 Reach out to Pieter-Jan or Encon via the information in the show notes! 49:00 Outro

For episode 35 of the Bao Podcast, we invited Anneleen Desmyter, the CEO of Yally. This is an innovative company based in Antwerp that’s redefining property management with a future-focused approach. Yally’s mission centers around buying homes and transforming them into energy-efficient, tenant-friendly spaces. As a forward-thinking landlord, Yally prioritizes both comfort and affordability for tenants, using smart technology to cut down on energy costs and provide an all-inclusive service through their online platform, MijnYally.be. Yally (https://yally.be/)  Quares (https://quares.be/nl/) The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/368593.The_4_Hour_Workweek)  Time stamps: 0:00 Intro 01:00 About Anneleen and Jally 05:50 Opportunities they saw when founding Yally 10:40 Meaning behind the name  13:15 Yally's activities and insights in the market 55:00 Outro

For episode 34 of the Bao Podcast, we invited once again a familiar face. He was one of our first guests, and is back today: Arne Allewaert. Arne is a co-founder and Managing Partner at AMAVI Capital.  AMAVI is a fully independent investment fund with a pan-European scope, established to support the growth of the leading and most promising scale-ups active in the PropTech industry. AMAVI bridges the traditional real estate industry on the one hand and European PropTech scale-ups on the other. AMAVI Capital (https://amavi.capital/) YouStock (https://www.youstock.com/) Casafari (https://www.casafari.com/)   Team.blue (https://team.blue/)  Enpal (https://www.enpal.de/)  Cintoo (https://cintoo.com/)  Shayp (https://www.shayp.com/)  Hydraloop (https://www.hydraloop.com/)  ‘The Last Dance’ on Netflix (https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_Dance)  ‘The Man Who Solved the Market’ - Gregory Zuckerman (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43889703-the-man-who-solved-the-market)  Time stamps: 0:00 Intro 1:30 Biggest changes and lessons since previous episode 19:55 Looking for opportunities in certain verticals 31:00 Companies on the forefront of sustainability 39:00 Some of the companies in the AMAVI portfolio  42:00 Water investments 45:30 Outro

After a nice summer break we’re back with a new episode with a familiar face: Chris Van de Voorde! Chris is the founder of JuuNoo, a company based in the Kortrijk area, but which is already active on the other side of the ocean.  Chris runs Belgium's fastest-growing sustainable company. With JuuNoo, he develops demountable walls, a beautiful story of Belgian circularity that is now also being sold in America. The company has grown tremendously since Chris’ last visit to the Bao Podcast. Therefore, we’re very excited to hear more about it. Show notes: Hannah Ritchie - Not the End of the World: How We Can Be the First Generation to Build a Sustainable Planet (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/145624737-not-the-end-of-the-world)  The Circular Value Institute (https://www.circularvalueinstitute.com/)  Everyday Astronaut: First look inside SpaceX’s Starfactory w/ Elon Musk (https://youtu.be/aFqjoCbZ4ik?si=su73p5mIrCtfghIj)  Walter Isaacson - Elon Musk (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/122765395-elon-musk)  Lex Fridman Podcast - Elon Musk: Neuralink and the Future of Humanity (https://open.spotify.com/episode/1seRMg5Zdg5nBuw0W4Q3WB?si=93588340b4b94ea8)  Ash Maurya - Running Lean (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13078769-running-lean)  Ben Horowitz - What You Do Is Who You Are: How to Create Your Business Culture (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44063692-what-you-do-is-who-you-are)  Time stamps: 0:00 Intro 1:20 About JuuNoo + changes since previous episode 8:35 Learnings from expanding  to the USA 18:50 Looking ahead: future ambitions 25:20 About combining growth and circularity 39:15 Which market would you like to enter next? 41:00 Exciting new technologies 43:30 Outro

For episode 32 of the Bao Podcast, we invited a familiar face! Sunita Van Heers returns for a second episode. She’s the founder and managing director of SuReal. SuReal is a consultancy firm that supports companies and government agencies in making buildings and city projects more sustainable. Through a multitude of services such as studies, certification and project guidance in multiple fields (ESG, water, energy, waste, ecology), they guarantee an integrated and sustainable result. All this with one aim: having an impact on society.

For episode 31 of the Bao Podcast, we invited Thomas Vandenbergh. Armed with a PhD in Engineering, Thomas is General manager of Besix Technology and CEO of BESIX STAY. These 2 enterprises are part of the BESIX Group. BESIX is a renowned global player in the construction and real estate development industry, based in Brussels. It has already completed impressive projects such as the Burj Khalifa, the European Parliament and many others.