An interview with Mr Dominique PIERARD
Managing Director (a.a.) of the GreenWin innovation cluster
What are the key figures for GreenWin?
With 220+ members including over 150 businesses, the innovation cluster has given its label to 97 projects for a budget of € 307+M. GreenWin has been the coordinator of 2 European projects and is a partner in 4 others. GreenWin is supporting 9 Strategic Activity Areas covering the Chemistry, Construction and Environmental technology sectors. GreenWin is the leader of 2 inter-cluster research themes: circular economy and carbon neutrality.
Moreover, the cluster is supporting five structuring partnerships:
- RENO+ (dedicated to the deep housing renovation)
- HECO2 (aiming at decarbonating the Walloon heavy industry)
- REMIND Wallonia (for mineral ecocircularity solutions)
- Cleantech District Charleroi Porte Ouest, fostering sustainable innovation and economic growth by creating a collaborative ecosystem for cleantech companies and research institutions on a brownfield at the West end of the city.
- Construction du Futur: a Walloon cluster dedicated to construction & building sector innovations and digital transformation.
GreenWin is a member of 5 international networks. It has also concluded 4 international partnerships (not forgetting the 800 contacts of its international network) and an interregional partnership with Flanders and Brussels. The most recent partnership was signed with Cambridge Cleantech. Thanks to its activities, GreenWin stands at the heart of a network of businesses with a job growth rate of 25+% and an added value growth rate of 42+%.
Could you present GreenWin’s industrial sectors to us?
GreenWin has significantly contributed to the economic landscape of Wallonia from 2019 to 2023, demonstrating a remarkable value addition of over 63% among its member companies. The number of jobs within these industrial members has more than doubled, showcasing the initiative’s impact on employment across various sectors.
Furthermore, GreenWin has facilitated the successful launch of over 50% of its projects’ innovations into the market, highlighting its role as a pivotal player in promoting CleanTech innovation despite challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic and rising energy costs due to geopolitical tensions.
Could you talk to us about the cluster’s strategic activity areas and themes?
GreenWin is organised into 3 main areas of activity: chemistry, construction materials and environmental technologies. In addition, the cluster deploys in 9 strategic activity areas concerning the following sectors: green chemistry, the transformation of CO2 (CCU), biotechnologies, sustainable materials, energy storage and efficiency, construction systems, recycling, soils and sediments, sewage and sludge, air and sediments.
Two transversal areas (the circular and digital economy) are added to this. These activities have openings in three application sectors: chemistry, construction and environment. Our 2020-2025 roadmap set up 11 priority themes, with targets to reach by the end of the period.
Could you talk to us about your members and the services that you offer them?
GreenWin members — SMEs, large businesses, universities, colleges of higher education, Certified Research Centres (CRAs) and training centres — are among the best performing in their field and produce impressive results. The cluster’s businesses generate job growth of 23+%. The network’s members are highly inspirational: we call them GreenWinners.
What partnerships have you developed?
More than 150 innovation partnerships have been developed in our strategic sectors. We work on interoperability with other clusters, especially in circularity for polymer production and construction materials. An interregional Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed with Catalisti (Flanders), facilitating interregional projects across Belgium. In 2022, a new MoU was signed with Cambridge Cleantech, renewed in 2024.
Could you give us a few examples of projects bearing the cluster’s label in R&D and training?
Here are two examples of successful projects:
- REPLIC: A circular economy success story focused on developing an industrial unit for post-consumption gypsum treatment (12,000T/year). It uses innovative mineralurgical techniques for versatile, high-quality recycling.
- MEDIX: A project targeting micropollutants in hospital and pharmaceutical effluents, led by JOHN COCKERILL Group and involving various research institutions.
More success stories can be found on GreenWin’s website.
What do the Walloon projects BATILOOP, WaloSCRAP and Wallace consist of?
BATILOOP and WaloSCRAP identify recyclable material deposits in Wallonia with the potential to create self-sustaining business models. WaloSCRAP led to WALLACE, setting new value chains for plastic and building waste, integrated into Circular Wallonia.
Could you tell us about the LCiP project? How do you rate it as regards the Walloon SMEs involved?
LCiP (Life Cycle in Practice) made life cycle analysis (LCA) accessible to SMEs. 8 Belgian SMEs (PREFER, MOBIC, ISOHEMP, etc.) participated, adapting their business models to LCA principles. GreenWin now requires all its projects to include an LCiP analysis.
What calls for projects are planned for 2024 on the cluster’s themes?
Two calls for projects are planned, with submissions in March and June 2025. The process involves a letter of intent, an orientation meeting, and validation by GreenWin’s technical-economic panel before submission to the Walloon Government for final selection and grant allocation.
What activities are you developing internationally?
GreenWin participates in official missions organised by the Belgian government and the Walloon Export & Investment Agency. In 2024, missions to the UK, Canada, and the USA helped build local partnerships. GreenWin also showcased its EU funding expertise at Germany’s IFAT tradeshow.
What are the main challenges for sustainable sectors in the coming years?
The COVID-19 crisis and geopolitical tensions highlighted existing challenges. GreenWin focuses on agility, cooperation, and fostering value chains for ecocircularity. Key challenges include climate change, resource scarcity, energy access, and digital transformation in construction.
GreenWin actively contributes to Circular Wallonia and embraces Industry 5.0 goals through AI-driven programs like ChiMérique, Dig’Easy, and EDIH Connect to optimise processes and reduce waste.
