Success Story | 12 September 2026
Beau Vallon
Context of the Study
The Beau Vallon is a care institution specialised in psychiatry and mental health located in Namur. Covering 17 hectares, the site includes a series of buildings set within a green environment bordering a forest plot.
To improve the quality and safety of care for its patients, the Beau Vallon plans a thorough redevelopment of its site, as part of the Walloon Region’s multi-year financing plan for hospital reconstruction and renovation. The Beau Vallon therefore decided to call on E-BIOM as an ecological expert. The objective: to support it in the reflection and development of the Master Plan for its site redevelopment project, which involves the demolition and reconstruction of buildings and ancillary infrastructure.
Indeed, while this new construction plan initially aims to develop and optimise the institution’s operations, the Beau Vallon is also aware of the environmental implications linked to this project. It therefore wished to study and integrate ecological aspects from the outset, notably by assessing the impacts of the construction plan on fauna and flora.
Biodiversity Assessment
As a first step, E-BIOM carried out a Biodiversity Assessment of the site, particularly within the areas affected by the project. The aim was to identify points of ecological concern and take them into account in the development of the project.
The Biodiversity Assessment consists of an evaluation of the study site’s ecological potential and comprises:
- A study of the ecological context in which the study site is located.
- A field inventory, carried out according to a standardised scientific protocol
- An assessment of biodiversity issues using several ecological parameters.
As the project also involves the demolition of old buildings, a night-time survey confirmed the absence of species such as bats or certain birds within the roof spaces.
Master Plan
Following the assessment, an evaluation of the potential impacts of the redevelopment project was carried out with regard to the ecological issues identified. In addition to impact mitigation measures, E-BIOM formulated recommendations aimed at developing the site’s ecological potential.
These recommendations were incorporated into the redevelopment project’s Master Plan and strengthen the site’s capacity to host biodiversity at Beau Vallon, an added value for both wildlife and patients.
Conclusion
This Beau Vallon redevelopment project fits into a multifunctional vision of the site, where social, economic and ecological factors were taken into account with a shared objective: improving patient wellbeing.
Indeed, as demonstrated by several recent studies, direct contact with natural elements has beneficial effects on human health: reduced stress, faster recovery, a strengthened immune system, and more. One more reason to develop biodiversity in urban developments.
In April 2024, the Walloon Region approved the Beau Vallon site redevelopment projects. Thanks to the Biodiversity Assessment and the Master Plan designed with E-BIOM’s help, the implementation of these projects will follow an eco-responsible and sustainable approach.
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