In Leuven, a Local Energy Community (LEC) is developing a major project in the existing neighbourhood Constantin Meunierstraat, which is currently undergoing extensive renovation. The city of Leuven is taking the lead for the technical and organisational aspects of the Constantin Meunierstraat, with support from KU Leuven (research) and ECoOB (citizen energy cooperative).
While the street is being transformed into a green and liveable public space, the LEC is preparing to utilise the underground to install a geothermal heat network. This system will be one of Belgium’s first medium-temperature district heating networks. Approximately 200 households, a school, and potentially the hospital will be connected.
The LEC aims to realise one of Belgium’s first neighbourhood-scale renewable heat networks, demonstrating how technical innovation and citizen–municipal cooperation can contribute to Leuven’s ambition of becoming climate-neutral by 2030. Moreover, it is a living lab for investigating how local opportunities and synergies can be leveraged by flexible design, procurement, financial and legislative frameworks.
An innovative technical project
The new heating system is based on borehole thermal energy storage (BTES) and central heat pumps. It consists of extracting heat from the ground through vertical boreholes installed beneath the street, upgrading it via central heat pumps, and distributing it through a district heating network. This will enable residents to replace individual gas boilers with a more sustainable alternative. The BTES field may also be linked to the hospital’s cooling system, helping to recharge underground heat reserves. This is a pioneering approach: nowhere in Flanders has collective geothermal energy been deployed at this scale within an existing inner-city street.
However, the project presents significant technical challenges. The cooperative requires reliable expertise to design and operate the BTES and heat pump system. As geothermal district heating remains relatively new in Flanders, both the cooperative and the city must address existing knowledge gaps.
Key challenges include integrating the network within a dense and mixed-use urban environment, coordinating works with other infrastructure projects, ensuring thermal comfort with a carbon-free, medium-temperature system, and maintaining flexibility for future expansion or adaptation.
An inspiring cooperation model
Long-term governance structures are essential, as district heating systems typically operate over several decades.
The City of Leuven plays a crucial role in developing the legal and organisational frameworks required to use public space as an energy source, manage public–private partnerships, and integrate the project into a broader multi-year heat strategy. KU Leuven has set up a series of energy audits in the streets as part of a master's course on energy in buildings
To ensure financial feasibility, the city of Leuven is seeking funding beyond its municipal budget. This external support is critical to bridging the high upfront investment costs associated with inner-city heat networks, positioning the project as a model for both technological innovation and smart financing.
Engaging residents and end users
The City of Leuven and ECoOB have already organised several workshops and co-creation sessions with local residents and the end users, including a school a social housing provider, and potentially a hospital.
While citizen engagement is essential, it remains challenging. Key issues include effectively reaching landlords—who were underrepresented in early consultations—building trust among residents who may be uncertain about evolving energy policies, and ensuring that vulnerable households can participate and benefit.
The C. Meunierstraat project represents a bold test of how public–civic partnerships can deliver clean, collective heating solutions in dense urban environments. Together, the LEC is transforming C. Meunierstraat into a real-world example of how technical innovation, financial viability, and strong community engagement can be effectively combined.
If successful, the project will serve as a scalable model for other neighbourhoods in Leuven and beyond.