Sunscreens should be on the drawing board

Solar shading is still too often an afterthought in building projects - especially in the healthcare sector. While it is precisely there that much can be gained in terms of indoor climate, energy consumption and comfort. By signing the Green Deal Sustainable Care 3.0, BREL Smart Building wants to change this mindset. "We don't want to enter the picture only when the scaffolding is already in place, but to start thinking about sustainable building design as early as the drawing board," says Michelle Termaat, account and brand manager at BREL Smart Building.

By joining the Green Deal, BREL gains access to a network of healthcare institutions, contractors, architects and suppliers who want to actively embed sustainability in their projects. This mainly provides visibility in the short term, and strategic opportunities in the long term. "We are now networking for projects five years from now. You have to make sure people know you exist - then the questions will come naturally," Termaat said.

An agenda item in the design process

Healthcare institutions that commit to the Green Deal will have access to practical tools such as the sustainability compass. This will make their sustainability strategy transparent and measurable. BREL wants to contribute to that process by offering smart technology that has a direct effect on a building's energy consumption. Think of project motors with integrated SIM cards, solar-powered shading and control via a central dashboard. "We make buildings smarter and greener in a simple way. And we do that with solutions that fit within the standards, without complicated programming," says Termaat.

She emphasizes that solar shading is more than comfort: it directly affects temperature control, CO2 emissions and energy consumption. "We make a tangible contribution to climate control. And because we now collaborate with parties like the C23 Foundation and Lucrum, we can use that more broadly and strategically."

Shared responsibility, shared benefit

A notable part of the Green Deal is the so-called sustainability depot: a joint fund filled by suppliers, which is then used for sustainability measures within healthcare institutions. Although BREL has not yet realized any direct projects through this depot, Termaat sees it as a valuable tool. "It shows that you take responsibility as a supplier. Moreover, you can point out the benefit to customers: part of their investment comes back into the organization through this fund."

BREL's ambitions extend beyond their own brand or products. "Above all, we want sun protection to be structurally on the agenda. Whether that happens with our motors or someone else's. It is time that sun protection is no longer seen as a luxury, but as an essential part of sustainable building." In doing so, the company is also emphatically looking at other manufacturers: "Perhaps we can work together in the future to carry this even wider."

Sustainability is something you do together

The healthcare sector faces major challenges - from energy efficiency to comfort and health. The Green Deal provides direction, structure and resources. BREL adds technology, vision and commitment. Termaat: "The sector is gaining more and more insight into what sustainability means in practice. We can add something to that that is immediately visible and measurable."

The first step has been taken. Now the task is to build on the collaboration and give solar shading the place it deserves in the design and management of sustainable healthcare buildings.