Building innovation together
On 17 September 2026, the MateriNex Project Accelerator brought together stakeholders from across the construction and materials ecosystem to explore how to accelerate the application of climate-adaptive building materials.
Co-organised with VITO and KeyMotion, the event at the Provinciehuis in Antwerp combined keynote contributions with roundtable discussions. The Provinciehuis in Antwerp provided an inspiring setting for the exchange of perspectives from research, industry and policy.
The keynote contributions connected the urgency of climate adaptation with the realities of building practice. David Weinberger from CERAC set the scene by highlighting why we need climate-adaptive materials to respond to a changing climate. Architect Joost Declercq from Archipelago Architects offered a glimpse of the solutions already available and the needs that remain, bringing an architectural perspective to the opportunities for materials innovation.
These insights provided a starting point for the roundtable discussions, where participants explored barriers to adoption, shared practical needs and considered opportunities for research and collaboration. The conversations laid the groundwork for a continuing process: moving from shared challenges towards more focused discussions and potential research partnerships.
Thank you to all participants and speakers for their valuable contributions, and to VITO and KeyMotion for their collaboration.
Next step: Three focus groups
Building on the workshop insights, MateriNex is launching three focus groups to explore promising opportunities for collaboration and innovation, and how these could develop into research projects:
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Smart Sponge Roofs: exploring lightweight, robust roof systems that retain and reuse water while reducing heat stress.
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Thermal Comfort: combining architecture, materials and natural climate control to prevent overheating, while making the benefits for thermal comfort measurable and ensuring they are recognised and valued in design, regulation and the market.
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Multifunctional Materials: developing feasible, market-ready building materials that deliver added value for climate adaptation.
The first focus group will take place on 22 October 2026. The other two will be scheduled at a later date.
Interested in contributing?
Workshop participants who expressed interest in one of these topics will receive a personal invitation to the relevant focus group.
Couldn’t join us in September, or haven’t yet expressed your interest? Contact us and let us know which focus group you would like to contribute to. We will review each request based on its relevance to the focus group’s objectives.
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