Year 3 students explored purposeful real estate connecting sustainability, community impact and corporate responsibility.
Education
Industry
Stories
By Pleun van Deurssen, Lecturer
Our recent third-year study trip to Brussels was amazing! Students got to see how companies actually manage their buildings and spaces while thinking about people, planet, and profit.
Why these trips matter for your future
Study trips like this one are super important for preparing you for your future job. Instead of just reading about facility management in textbooks, you get to meet real professionals and see actual workplaces. You'll understand how the theories from class work in real life. Many students make connections during these trips that lead to internships or even jobs later on. Best of all, these experiences help you feel confident talking about industry topics and understanding what different people in the business world care about. You'll start seeing yourself as a future professional, not just a student.
Learning from Deloitte's choices
Our first stop was Deloitte, where Johan Debruyne and Jutta Van Hoogten explained something quite radical: they're actually getting rid of buildings that don't match their green goals anymore. They're keeping only the offices that are truly sustainable. What's cool is how open they are to trying new ideas and testing different ways to be more eco-friendly.
Big changes at Proximus
At Proximus Group, Andy Vanderhasten told us about their big move. They're switching from owning their own building to renting space at Tour & Taxis (a really cool renovated area). They're also sharing the building with other companies now. The downside? It's a bit far from the train station, which makes it harder for employees to get there. We got to tour Tour & Taxis afterwards, and it was incredible to see how old industrial buildings can become modern, exciting workspaces.
Understanding EU Rules
The European Commission visit was all about energy rules and regulations. Niels Ladefoged explained how the EU wants everyone to use less fossil fuels. But here's the tricky bit: who should pay for all these green changes? The government? Building owners? The companies renting the space? Or regular people? And if the government makes these rules, should they help pay for the changes? These are big questions without easy answers.
Managing public money wisely
Our last visit was to the King Baudouin Foundation. Ann De Mol and Annick Van Asbroeck face an interesting challenge: they're growing fast and need more space, so they bought a new building. But they use public money (basically taxpayer money), so they have to be really careful about how they spend it. How do you explain to people that spending millions on buildings is worth it when that money could go to other causes?
Fun and learning combined
Of course, it wasn't all serious business talks! We had a great night bowling together, enjoyed Belgian waffles and chocolate, and really bonded as a group. Even though Brussels is just next door, it showed us that you don't have to travel far to discover completely different ways of thinking about buildings and business.
