FACT: VUB builds the climate-neutral technology of the future

With FACT, we turn climate change into an opportunity to accelerate innovation.

The Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) is bringing together its expertise in sustainable technology within a new interdisciplinary research institute: FACT (Flanders Alliance for Climate Technology). In collaboration with industry and government, FACT aims to accelerate the transition to a climate-neutral society and drive forward technological innovation.

“Sustainable innovation doesn’t happen in isolation,” say initiators Professor Maarten Messagie and Professor Thierry Coosemans, founders of the EVERGi research group, which laid the foundation for FACT. What began as research into electric mobility quickly expanded into a broader platform focused on sustainable energy systems. This evolution led to the creation of FACT, which was officially launched in 2024.

Within FACT, eight research groups work closely together on the technology of the future. Projects include smart sensors that analyze vibrations in offshore wind turbines and predict maintenance needs through artificial intelligence, solutions for vehicle electrification, and the development of new materials and low-carbon production processes, such as in the cement industry. Other teams are building IoT and AI systems to reduce energy consumption, exploring district heating networks and hydrogen use, and developing sustainable battery technology and efficient battery management systems. Special attention is also given to gas and CO₂ separation, with the goal of actively removing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere.

“The challenge,” says Messagie, “is to fit all the pieces of the puzzle together to develop technologies that truly contribute to a climate-neutral society.”

FACT also distinguishes itself through its hands-on approach. In so-called living labs, such as the Green Energy Park in Zellik and the Renewable Energy Valley in Alkmaar, innovations are tested and refined in real-world environments.

“Climate change is a fact,” Messagie concludes. “But with FACT, we’re also turning it into an opportunity to accelerate innovation and anchor the sustainable industry of the future in Belgium.”

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