At the end of October, a fire broke out in the first energy-neutral building in Brussels, the Treurenberg building. The fire, probably caused by photovoltaic (BIPV) panels integrated into the building on the facade, led to an evacuation, with no injuries reported.
A fire recently broke out in the Treurenberg building in Brussels, probably as a result of solar panels on the structure, according to the Brussels fire brigade.
The seven-storey building, the first energy-neutral building in the Belgian capital, was immediately evacuated and no injuries were reported, according to a statement on the fire brigade’s Facebook account.
“We immediately noticed that the solar panels were on fire,” the statement said. “The inverter is switched off to ensure safe work. We partially dismantled the panels to access the underlying insulation.”
Photos appear to indicate that the fire broke out on the upper facade of the building, which is covered with BIPV panels. The Treurenberg building, designed by Assar Architects and owned by AXA Real Estate Investment Managers, was built in 2016 on behalf of the European Commission.
“So far we cannot give you any further details at this time, as the insurance expertise and the fire brigade report are still pending,” said an AXA Belgium spokesperson. pv magazine, adding that AXA Real Estate Investment Managers and AXA Belgium are separate entities.
The Belgian architectural firm VK architects+engineers, which contributed to the construction of the building, reports on its website that the superstructure is clad with BIPV modules.
“The high-performance building services include cogeneration, architecturally perfectly integrated photovoltaic solar panels and optimally controlled lighting, ventilation and comfort with regard to the atrium,” the company said.
VK architects+engineers and the Brussels fire brigade have not yet responded to requests for additional information.
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