Silver medal for Bankbusters at Belgian Construction Awards
Billions of cubic metres of material are dredged every year to keep ports and rivers accessible. This material is often considered a worthless waste product. Perhaps it could play a role in restoring eroded tidal areas and improving our local ecosystem services?
The Bankbusters project aims to find an answer to this question by testing new techniques and procedures for the treatment, installation and dewatering of soft dredged material. This should ultimately lead to the reuse and stabilisation of soft sediment and the creation of sustainable erosion protection of riverbanks.
Bankbusters is a great example of a Nature-Based Solution: an innovative, sustainable solution inspired by nature.
Silver medal
Earlier this year, the Bankbusters project, together with seven other candidates, was selected for the Belgian Construction Awards in the category 'Climate Future Project Award'. This award is presented to a construction project that makes a significant ecological difference through its innovative and sustainable design as well as its ability to adapt to climate change.
The gold medal eventually went to 'Ontharden Merelplein Machelen' by Dries De Waele bv. 'Bankbusters' finished second, and 'Greenpeace Belgium HQ' completed the podium in third place.
About the Belgian Construction Awards
The Belgian Construction Awards were launched in 2020 by Bouwkroniek and Batichronique, two professional magazines that focus on the construction sector in Belgium. They provide information on tenders, projects, current affairs, legal and social issues as well as trends in the construction world.
With no fewer than eight categories, the Belgian Construction Awards offer a platform for very diverse aspects of the construction sector. From architectural innovation and sustainable solutions to urban development and infrastructure projects: each category highlights a specific facet of the sector.