Renova
ReNova is a future-oriented circular living lab located on the Aalst campus of Odisee University of Applied Sciences, focused on strengthening smart skills within the construction sector. The project aims to educate students to become professionals who are not only technically skilled, but also digitally competent, systems-thinking, and conscious of circular principles. By investing in an innovative learning environment where theory and practice come together, ReNova contributes to sustainably reinforcing the job market in the Dender region.
The renovation of the “Director’s Villa” forms the physical starting point of this living lab. This renovation demonstrates how circular construction principles can be effectively applied within an operational educational context. Students learn to work with material reuse, life cycle analysis (LCA), and technical and spatial reversibility, and are supported by digital tools such as the Circular Compass (a process-oriented decision-making instrument) and CircuFit (a toolkit for circular actions throughout the construction process).
In addition to focusing on digitalization within the construction process, the project emphasizes energy and climate management, including heating, cooling, ventilation, and digital control systems. Students learn how to design a comfortable and energy-efficient indoor climate within an existing structure, with attention to natural elements and the use of energy-efficient and renewable technologies.
The site thus becomes a training hub where students from various programs—construction, real estate, energy, and climate management—are immersed in systems thinking, circular decision-making, and digital competencies. In collaboration with expertise centers focused on biodiversity and healthcare, the project also incorporates “healthy living” as an integral element of circular building.
Through the integration of digital tools and hybrid forms of education, the building becomes both a physical demonstrator and a learning environment. Students learn to work with digital tools (such as monitoring systems), developing skills essential for the construction sector of tomorrow. At the same time, the project highlights the added value of circular choices in terms of maintenance, reuse, and extending the lifespan of materials and structures.
ReNova goes beyond the experimental nature of previous initiatives and positions itself as a catalyst for innovation and circular construction techniques in the Dender region. The project addresses concrete regional challenges, such as the shortage of technically skilled workers, the need for sustainable renovation solutions, and the ongoing digitalization of the construction sector. By connecting education, innovation, and collaboration, ReNova lays the foundation for a structural and future-oriented transition in construction practices.
