Homes in Nieuw Texas turned into a living lab
In the Genk neighbourhood of Nieuw Texas, 2025 saw the completion of the renovation of 27 social housing units, marking the beginning of a new phase in the European oPEN Lab project. The focus is now no longer on renovation alone, but on what these interventions mean in practice for residents’ comfort, affordability, and energy performance in everyday life.
Nieuw Texas shows what the energy transition looks like in practice. Not in abstract models or large-scale infrastructure, but in the homes where people live, cook, and sleep, and where they pay their energy bills. The renovations combined several techniques, including prefabricated façade panels, extra insulation, solar panels, smart ventilation and a modular energy box with, among other things, a heat pump and a buffer tank. Combined, these interventions made it possible to carry out a deep renovation of the homes in a relatively short time.
But the way the process was organised was just as important. Residents were involved from the outset through information sessions, individual guidance and the opportunity to help shape certain choices. The ambition was to carry out as many renovations as possible without requiring people to move out. In practice, the project also showed how important flexibility and support are when renovation works have a major impact on privacy and daily life.
With the renovation works completed, the living lab phase has now begun. In each home, more than 200 parameters are being monitored, ranging from temperature and air quality to energy use. The first results are promising: demand for heating and hot water appears to have been cut roughly in half, while indoor comfort has also improved noticeably.
The first findings also underline how important follow-up is after installation. New technologies only deliver their full potential when they are properly adjusted after installation, and continued support for residents remains essential.
What is Nieuw Texas?
Nieuw Texas is a social housing neighbourhood in Genk, close to Thor Park and EnergyVille. Within the European oPEN Lab project, it was selected as a pilot site for the transition towards a positive-energy neighbourhood. In total, 27 social housing units owned by Wonen in Limburg were renovated. As a result, Nieuw Texas is now a residential neighbourhood where researchers can study how renovation, energy, comfort, and affordability come together in real life.
A second renovation track in Tuinwijk Waterschei
Alongside the social housing renovations in Nieuw Texas, oPEN Lab is also renovating seven privately owned homes in the Tuinwijk of Waterschei. There, the challenge lies mainly in the heritage character of the houses, combined with the socio-economically vulnerable position of the homeowners. In 2025, the first four renovations were completed, while the final three entered the finishing phase. The next step is to start monitoring the installations there as well.