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Carbstone logo, consisting of a yellow and green cube with leaf elements in the center, surrounded by arrows, above the text "Carbstone" in blue and gray.
Ten people pose together on a construction site; some are standing, others are sitting on a concrete ledge. Building materials and tools are visible in the foreground.

The first step towards affordable and CO₂-negative construction

In the Brusselsestraat in Leuven, the symbolic first stone was laid for what is set to become the city’s very first CLT home. CLT stands for Community Land Trust, a model where the buyer only purchases the house and not the land. This significantly lowers the entry price and makes living more affordable in a city where housing pressure is particularly high.

This project not only shows how affordability becomes possible again, but also how construction itself is evolving. It proves that sustainable, circular, and CO₂-negative construction does not have to be more expensive than conventional building when the right materials are used. Carbstone building materials are priced comparably to traditional building blocks and remain competitive within the market.

Following the establishment of the Leuven CLT in 2022, projects have already been set up in the Leuvensestraat and Klein Rijsel. With completion scheduled for 2027, the project in the Brusselsestraat will be the first CLT home in Leuven and marks an important step in addressing the housing challenge.

The project places a strong emphasis on sustainability. Materials and techniques are chosen with a clear focus on minimal CO₂ impact and maximum circularity.

Five people stand on a concrete surface next to a cinder block, with a weathered brick wall and electrical equipment in the background — likely to discuss the progress of the CLT project in Leuven and to view the Masterwalls prefab walls as part of their construction plans.
A group of people stands on a construction site next to building materials; one person in a safety vest addresses the group near a brick wall and construction machinery. The construction site is part of the CLT project in Leuven, where Masterwalls and prefab walls are being used as innovative building solutions.

Source: vrt nws, July 7, 2026

Masterwalls: CO₂-negative prefab walls

In addition, innovative building solutions play a key role. With Masterwalls, CO₂-negative prefab walls are utilized, which are produced in a controlled environment and efficiently installed on-site. This ensures faster construction times and consistent quality.

The Leuven project thus demonstrates that the combination of CLT and circular materials forms a realistic model for the future: affordable, sustainable, and scalable.

This achievement is the result of a strong collaboration between BRUNO vzw, DMOA architects, Van Grond Los – Community Land Trust Leuven, Vandersanden, the Province of Flemish Brabant, and all involved project partners.