Our vision
Think sustainably and build responsibly
With our feet firmly rooted in the present, but always looking to the future, our team likes to build alternatively. An investment fund aimed at supporting projects with high environmental value, Nelson erects (sensitively considered) load-bearing walls and buildings, aware of today's issues. A decade of expertise to promote a more responsible society.
Histoiry & DNA
Once upon a time, there was Nelson…
Today, our team consists of multi-disciplined women and men crossing all generations, and the projects in which we are involved are diverse and varied. Nelson’s story began in 2008, when the opportunity arose to buy the site of the former Bellevue Breweries in Molenbeek-Saint-Jean.
This was followed by constructive meetings and good vibes, which were gradually incorporated into this ambitious project. Nelson’s workforce grew and the company took on its structure… Thanks to learning about passive construction, concepts such as zero carbon and the rules of responsible building, an identity slowly emerged.
Today, the Canal side site offers a multi-purpose profile - simultaneously a very low-energy hotel complex (the Meininger hotel), a passive apartment building and a new generation of museum (the MIMA) - and continues to be the pride of Nelson. It demonstrates the know-how that our team has accumulated over a decade of constructions and projects.
DNA
For over a decade Nelson has made responsible building its battle ground, erecting passive buildings of nearly zero energy and with an aim of carbon neutrality. A player committed to ecological transition, over the years our group has specialized in the construction and management of sustainable real estate projects in the hotel sector and multi-purpose projects.
In our planning for each site, our thinking revolves around the three pillars of sustainability: economic, environmental and societal. Thanks to our expertise and based on the criteria of our sustainability and resilience charter, building sustainably is not a dream but a reality.
Our sustainability charter
Planned entirely with sustainability in mind and designed with a vision of resilience, our projects combine comfort, responsible consumption and commitment. Construction that meets today's environmental challenges, and which, in addition to ensuring energy savings, is in harmony with the lifestyle of tomorrow.
The Nelson Charter establishes sustainability concepts for the construction of residential buildings. It is a working tool, allowing the progress of the project to be defined and the various criteria established before its actual implementation. It offers a holistic vision of sustainability for the construction sector in general, and the hotel industry in particular.
To optimize the use of this tool, we have established three areas for consideration: Environment, Resources and the Human dimension. Each of these categories is subdivided into three themes, as shown in the legend below. In the environment category, water, land use and biotope protection will be at the heart of our thinking. On the resource side, we will focus more on sustainable energy, power consumption and the materials used. Finally, from the human angle, our attention will be focused on health and well-being, working conditions and the site's connection with the city.
In total, 56 objectives were defined for these 9 themes by FAAST, think tank dedicated to innovative sustainable construction, and requested to write this report by Nelson (available in full here). These are sometimes proposed for the short term (today), sometimes for the longer term (5 years) or sometimes even in an evolutionary form (15 years).
This involves assessing the needs and opportunities of a site on a case-by-case basis, then contacting the individual field experts to refine the objectives (ensure that they are 'S.M.A.R.T.') and suggest other actions to be taken if necessary. Finally, we establish a chronological list of needs, objectives and priorities by gauging each action carried out from the cost-efficiency ratio perspective.
Remember that this charter constitutes a working base, a didactic tool which will allow us to look towards a long-term project and anticipate costs, move towards greater efficiency and give a real sustainable dimension to the project.
More than a choice, sustainable building is a reality, a necessity. It is also our hallmark.